The Invisible

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The Invisible is the story of a young girl called Isabel and her family. They don’t have much, but they have what they need to get by. Until one day, there isn’t enough money to pay their rent and bills and they have to leave their home full of happy memories and move to the other side of the city.

It is the story of a girl who goes on to make one of the hardest things anyone can ever make…a difference.

And it is the story of those who are overlooked in our society – who are made to feel invisible – and why everyone has a place here. We all belong.

English:

• Look at the front cover. What do you think the book might be about? Who (or what) is invisible?
• Could you write your own story with the same title? What might happen?
• Write an acrostic poem based on the word INVISIBLE.
• This story is written in the third person. Can you rewrite some of the sentences from Isabel’s point of view, in the first person?
• Retell the whole story in the form of Isabel’s recount.
• Think of some questions that you would like to ask Isabel at the start of the story. How might she respond?
• Think of some speech / thought bubbles to add to the illustrations.
• Read the author’s note at the back of the book. Could you write a letter in reply to this?
• The author describes his earliest memory in the note. Could you write about your earliest memory?
• Write a letter to a politician, or other person with influence, to encourage them to help those who might feel invisible.
• Think of ways that you can ‘make a difference’ in your local area.
• Record your own ‘read along’ version of this story. Watch this video for an example:

• If you could ask the author / illustrator some questions about their life and writing, what would you ask them?

Computing:

• Design some posters that share the author’s message at the back of the book: ‘We all belong here’.

Art:

• Follow the ‘draw along’ activity in the video above.
• ‘Isabel always noticed beautiful things’. Look around you and find some beautiful things. Could you create some artwork based on them?
• Draw some ‘before’ and ‘after’ pictures to show how you might improve a local place for others.

Geography:

• Draw a map of your local area and add labels to show how you might ‘make a difference’ and improve places for people.

History:

• Think of people who have ‘made a difference’ throughout history. Which people have had the most impact on others’ lives? Could you write a biography of one of them?

PSHE:

• Have you ever felt like you were invisible? What caused it? How did you deal with this feeling? What could you do to help somebody else who felt like this?
• If you saw Isabel walking down the street at a time when she felt invisible, what would you say or do?
• Isabel ‘and her family had everything they needed… They had each other.’ Which people are most important in your life? Why are they important to you? Think of ways you could show them that they are special?
• Find out about some charities that help people who are in a difficult financial situation. Could you think of ways to support them?