Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
182nd out of 301 books
—
1,968 voters
Riding Invisible
by
Sandra Alonzo (Goodreads Author),
Nathan Huang
Everyone has to know the truth in case I get killed on the trail. It’ll be My Escape all written and drawn WHILE IT HAPPENS. Could be a little raw. I’m a little raw.
I’m going to lay low, still and quiet, blend in, harmonize with the world out there. It’s not an easy thing to be, a boy on a horse...riding invisible.
So begins 15-year-old Yancy Aparicio's adventure journal.
...moreHardcover, 240 pages
Published
March 2nd 2010
by Disney-Hyperion
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
711)
I loved "Riding Invisible" and had a hard time putting it down. The story begins with young Yancy running away from home on his horse, Shy, and the journal of his adventure. Yancy also happens to be an illustrator, and his illustrations help put the reader in the mind of an adolescent boy. While the subject matter is serious - abusive brother, parents trying to cope with the brother's mental illness, homelessness, and more - the book is not morose or depressing. The author clearly writes from th...more
In his family Yancy is invisible. He is the good kid, the perfect one, the one his parents never have to worry about. Beside his brother Will, Yancy is an angel. Will has conduct disorder, and despite the best efforts of his parents and numerous psychologists, no one can control Will. When Will threatens to kill Yancy’s horse Shy, Yancy and Shy take off, hoping to find someplace safe from Will. But you can’t always run from problems this big.
This novel is written in journal format. Yancy tells...more
Yancy is a gifted artist and a great writer. He's also a committed rider...and he has a secret. His supposedly-perfect family is living in fear, in fear of Yancy's older brother, Will. Will's been diagnosed with 'conduct disorder' and the family is trying to cope: they attend counseling sessions, Mom and Dad try to use all the right words to avert Will's violent outbursts. Yancy tries to be the 'good kid' and never cause trouble.
But when Will begins taking out his sadistic anger out on Yancy's b...more
But when Will begins taking out his sadistic anger out on Yancy's b...more
Yancy, a 15 year-old boy, has a brother, Will, who is mentally ill. This illness causes Will to be mean and at times violent, but generally toward Yancy. Will's parents try to work with Will, but eventually Yancy is tired of being victimized by Will and ignored by his parents, so he and Shy, his horse, run away. He discovers that ife on his own is not easy, and he captures his experiences in words and drawings in his journal. This experience helps Yancy and his parents see things in a new light....more
Written in journal format this book gets the young teenaged boy’s voice down pat. He’s brash and at times foul mouthed and more than a little bit hormonal. Having said that he’s also faithful, tender, broken, and starved for emotional support and guidance. An outlet for his frustration, a his journal is a voiceless companion that will listen to him and comfort him despite the fact that it can not change his circumstances.
At first I found the language and focus of Yancy’s inner thoughts (especial...more
At first I found the language and focus of Yancy’s inner thoughts (especial...more
This isn't really a graphic novel, though I put it on that shelf. The author used an illustrator, as well as several unique "handwriting style" fonts to give the feeling that the whole thing is a boy's journal, and it works.
I wish that there had been more description in the horse parts (but that's because I'm horse crazy myself), and also in the boy's friendship with Gomez. However, Alonzo does a great job explaining what it is like living with someone who is a sociopath. It raised a LOT of ques...more
I wish that there had been more description in the horse parts (but that's because I'm horse crazy myself), and also in the boy's friendship with Gomez. However, Alonzo does a great job explaining what it is like living with someone who is a sociopath. It raised a LOT of ques...more
The book held my interest from the start. I particularly enjoyed the use of first-person POV, since it is a POV I enjoy writing in but find difficult to get right. However, first-person was an essential part of the story. That along with the handwriting font and sketches throughout the book served to promote the feel of an on-the-spot journal.
Yancy's actions arose naturally out of the situation he faced at home. A strong sense of place grounded the story. All in all, I found this YA novel well-...more
Yancy's actions arose naturally out of the situation he faced at home. A strong sense of place grounded the story. All in all, I found this YA novel well-...more
“Everyone has to know the truth in case I get killed on the trail. It’ll be My Escape, all written and drawn WHILE IT HAPPENS. Could be a little raw. I’m a little raw. I’m going to lay low, still and quiet, blend in, harmonize with the world out there. It’s not an easy thing to be, a boy on a horse . . . riding invisible.” Would you have enough guts to take off on a horse if your brother was a psychopath? You might not, but 15 year old Yancy does. He will do anything right now just to get away f...more
This book would not have been on my radar if the author hadn't friended me on GoodReads. She earned my respect with the book reviews she's been posting, and I sought out her book. I related to this story more than I expected - as a social worker, I've worked with troubled kids like Yancy's brother and their families. I've witnessed the abuse and fear and helplessness, and coordinated residential placements when there seemed to be no other options. The author accurately explores all these difficu...more
This was a pretty good book. It's a problem many kids can identify with -- almost every child (except only children obviously) experiences sibling bullying, even if it's not as severe as what went on between Will and Yancy. The author did a good job of keeping up the suspense -- how will Yancy survive on the run? will Will hurt Yancy's horse again? -- and the reader could understand and sympathize with the overburdened, conflicted parents trying to balance the needs of both sons. And the details...more
I liked this quite a bit more than I thought I would. It started out like a second Hamburger Halpin - extremely stupid - but it improved. The characters were well thought out and uncliched, and it was interesting to see the story develop. I've never seen Conduct Disorder featured in a book before, and it was certainly a scary and "suspenseful" (kinda) plot line.
Of course, the font bothered me. A lot. And so did the comics. And so did the casual narration. But you know, this wasn't bad. I think...more
Of course, the font bothered me. A lot. And so did the comics. And so did the casual narration. But you know, this wasn't bad. I think...more
Fabulous.
This is the story of a boy running away from his violent and horrible brother. Yancy's brother, Will, has Conduct Disorder. On the day that Will attacks Yancy's horse and swears he will kill it, Yancy takes Shy and runs away into the California desert. This is Yancy's journal of the trek, the rescue by a trainer on an Arabian horse ranch, and his eventual return home.
Yancey can't figure out what else he can do but leave home. His parents are trying to deal with his brother's tantrums a...more
This is the story of a boy running away from his violent and horrible brother. Yancy's brother, Will, has Conduct Disorder. On the day that Will attacks Yancy's horse and swears he will kill it, Yancy takes Shy and runs away into the California desert. This is Yancy's journal of the trek, the rescue by a trainer on an Arabian horse ranch, and his eventual return home.
Yancey can't figure out what else he can do but leave home. His parents are trying to deal with his brother's tantrums a...more
Reading Level: Grade 7-9
15-year-old Yancy is on the run, but not for the usual reasons. He does well in school, has friends and his parents love him. Yancy is running because of his monster of a brother, 16-year-old Will. Will has a "conduct disorder." For Yancey that means Will can terrorize him with almost no consequences. Yancy's parents barely react after Will cuts the tail off of Yancy's beloved horse Sky. When Will tries to stab Sky Yancy knows it is time to for him and Sky to leave.
Other...more
15-year-old Yancy is on the run, but not for the usual reasons. He does well in school, has friends and his parents love him. Yancy is running because of his monster of a brother, 16-year-old Will. Will has a "conduct disorder." For Yancey that means Will can terrorize him with almost no consequences. Yancy's parents barely react after Will cuts the tail off of Yancy's beloved horse Sky. When Will tries to stab Sky Yancy knows it is time to for him and Sky to leave.
Other...more
I read this book in one day. It is written in journal format, with several drawings, so it's an easy length book to read. The content, however, is a different matter. A 15 year old boy and his horse Shy are being tormented by his older, emotionally disturbed, brother. Some parts are tough to read and horrible to imagine, as the older brother Will is very evil. I too would have taken my horse and ran away. There is a bit of family unraveling which is always tough for me to read, but it was necess...more
"Riding Invisible" was a well written book that dealt with a subject most keep hidden-sosiopathic children. Narrated in journal form by Yancey, the younger brother of the story, and illustrated with sketches and cartoons that really add to the story, it is also the story of his coming of age. Learning to deal with a violent older brother, and his family's attempts to deal with it, give him and this book great insight.It will make you laugh AND cry. I would recommend it to anyone who has dealt o...more
Sep 22, 2010
Judy
added it
So begins 15-year-old Yancy Aparicio's adventure journal. Tormented and abused by his older brother Will, Yancy runs away from home on the night that his brother viciously attacks his horse, Shy. With just a backpack, a flashlight, his horse, and a journal, Yancy takes to the California desert on a journey of self-discovery. There, he will learn the hardships of being homeless, experience his first kiss, and meet a Mexican laborer, Tavo, who has a thing or two to teach him about life and love. J...more
I watched a lot of YA authors recently rallying and trying to raise awareness about bullying, and I think that's great. But for all the talk, I think putting this book into the hands of teens who may be struggling with abuse and bullying is really one of the best things we could do. Well, and put into anyone's hands who will read it, really. If you are a librarian, please add this book to your collection. If you are a blogger, read this and blog it.
Why I love Goodreads: the author of this book f...more
Why I love Goodreads: the author of this book f...more
I had to read this book for the Arkansas Teen Book Award. At first glance, the title looks very interesting as well as the cover art. The contents of the book did not let me down. I was glued to this book from the very beginning. The book is about a teenage boy named Yancy that constantly takes physical and mental abuse from his older brother Will. After taking the abuse for years he finally decides to run away with his horse named Shy. After running away, Yancy goes through several adventures t...more
Everyone has to know the truth in case I get killed on the trail. It’ll be My Escape all written and drawn WHILE IT HAPPENS. Could be a little raw. I’m a little raw.
I’m going to lay low, still and quiet, blend in, harmonize with the world out there. It’s not an easy thing to be, a boy on a horse...riding invisible.
So begins 15-year-old Yancy Aparicio's adventure journal. Tormented and abused by his older brother Will, Yancy runs away from home on the night that his brother viciously attacks his...more
I’m going to lay low, still and quiet, blend in, harmonize with the world out there. It’s not an easy thing to be, a boy on a horse...riding invisible.
So begins 15-year-old Yancy Aparicio's adventure journal. Tormented and abused by his older brother Will, Yancy runs away from home on the night that his brother viciously attacks his...more
When Yancy’s psychopathic older brother Will threatens to kill Yancy’s horse, he knows it’s not a threat. Will’s violent, unpredictable behavior has been causing problems in their family for years. Knowing that his parents won’t be able to stop Will, Yancy saddles his horse and runs away from their Southern California home.
I’m torn on how many stars to give this. On the one hand, Yancy’s voice and the journal format work well, and it’s really intense, particularly the last third, when you’re no...more
I’m torn on how many stars to give this. On the one hand, Yancy’s voice and the journal format work well, and it’s really intense, particularly the last third, when you’re no...more
Riding Invisible is a young adult novel in illustrated diary/journal form about a contemporary boy's coming of age when he runs away on horseback to escape a difficult family situation.
Riding Invisible is told from the point of view of Yancy, a teenaged boy in southern California, who is coming of age in a household with an older brother who has mental issues. The creative use of the journal format, including different font faces, illustrations, and entry heading formats allows the author to co...more
Riding Invisible is told from the point of view of Yancy, a teenaged boy in southern California, who is coming of age in a household with an older brother who has mental issues. The creative use of the journal format, including different font faces, illustrations, and entry heading formats allows the author to co...more
Reviewed by Sally Kruger aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com
Yancy Aparicio is a good kid. He stays out of trouble, he gets good grades, his parents are proud of him, but there's a catch. Yancy feels invisible. Even though his folks say all the right things about his excellent behavior, they aren't focused on him. Their attention is constantly directed at his older brother, Will.
Will has something the experts call Conduct Disorder. The way Yancy sees it, the kid is simply out of control. Will...more
Yancy Aparicio is a good kid. He stays out of trouble, he gets good grades, his parents are proud of him, but there's a catch. Yancy feels invisible. Even though his folks say all the right things about his excellent behavior, they aren't focused on him. Their attention is constantly directed at his older brother, Will.
Will has something the experts call Conduct Disorder. The way Yancy sees it, the kid is simply out of control. Will...more
I loved this book so much! It's a heart-warming and inspiring story about family issues and facing fear. It explores a fully original format, written in handwriting font and as a diary with hand-made drawings. Yancy Aparicio writes his journal in a wonderful voice that sucks you into his world of ANGST while he tries to escape his biggest fear: his brother Will. Will is a deeply disturbed teenager one year older than Yancy who suffers 'conduct dissorder'. Yancy runs away from home in his horse,...more
I really like this book because it is heart touching and some kids can relate it to their lives. In the story 15 year old yancy has an older brother named Willthat has a disease called conduct dissorder. Now Will is giving yancy a hard time because Will threatened to kill yancy's horse shy. After Will said that yancy ran away and was taken care of by a man named Gustavo. Yancy's parents found him and took him and shy home. Later Will ended in a car crash and then a mental asylum. Later yancy can...more
Yancy is a trying his best to live a normal life with his extremely abnormal brother. However, poor Yancy lives in constant fear of his brother, who suffers from conduct disorder. Yancy tries to run away with his horse, Shy, after his brother takes his threats one step too far.
While I didn't find this book to be earth-shattering teen fiction, I did find Yancy to be a likeable character and I really wanted things to work out for him. The book had a nice pace and the illustrations and even the fon...more
While I didn't find this book to be earth-shattering teen fiction, I did find Yancy to be a likeable character and I really wanted things to work out for him. The book had a nice pace and the illustrations and even the fon...more
Riding Invisible was one of those books that fit very nicely in the "didn't want to read but read anyway and actually enjoyed it" category. I'm not saying it was amazing but it was a lot better then I originally thought it would be. Alonzo had a way of making me actually care about the Main Character, Yansy, and his horse, Shy. So overall this was just a good read.
Oh and because I cannot resist: Allons-y Alonzo! *nerd jokes*
Oh and because I cannot resist: Allons-y Alonzo! *nerd jokes*
This was a good quick read. The main character is a teen boy who happens to have a crazy sociopath for an older brother. Frustrated that his parents can't (or won't) do anything about his brother's dangerous behavior, he decides to run away. He meets some great people on his journey and learns some important lessons too. The story is told in journal format and has illustrations too, so it makes the story fly by! As far as format, it reminds me of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.
Riding Invisible reminded me of The Diary of a Part Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. The characters were similar, and this book was also written in the diary format with cartoons.
Yancy (the main character) runs away from home because of his brother Will. (Will has a conduct disorder) Yancy has to overcome the problems he has with his brother when he comes home.
Yancy (the main character) runs away from home because of his brother Will. (Will has a conduct disorder) Yancy has to overcome the problems he has with his brother when he comes home.
Don't be fooled by the format into thinking this is a Diary of the Wimpy Kid rip-off. It's funny, too, but in a different way, and it has a deeper seriousness. (I was tipped off to this the first time the narrator let loose an f-bomb). Love the illustrations and the fact that it bucks the typical runaway arc. There are problems in this novel but they're not overwrought. I dug it.
I read this book in one sitting. Fast-moving and heart-felt, it's not only an adventure story of a boy and his horse running away from problems, but also a serious story of a family coming to grips with a very difficult situation, and a boy finding his own courage and heart throughout it all. Powerful and gripping stuff. Highly recommended.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Booklist 2/1/10: Alonzo’s first novel features the sort of likable, embattled narrator that brings to mind Arnold Spirit from Sherman Alexie’s The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (2007), but instead of being tormented by negative stereotypes and poverty, 15-year-old Yancy’s primary source of misery comes from his nearly sociopathic older brother, Will. The story is told entirely in dia...more
More about Sandra Alonzo...
Dec 09, 2010 11:46am