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What Not to Do If You Turn Invisible
From the author of the unforgettable bestseller TIME TRAVELLING WITH A HAMSTER comes another surprising, beautiful and funny novel about a child who, by disappearing, will write herself into your heart forever…
Turning invisible at it’s one way of curing your acne. But far more drastic than 13 year-old Ethel Leatherhead intended when she tried a combination of untested medicines and a sunbed.
It’s fun at first, being invisible. And aided by her friend Boydy, she manages to keep her extraordinary ability secret. Or does she…?
When one day the invisibility fails to wear off, Ethel is thrown into a nightmare of lies and deception as she struggles to keep herself safe, to find the remedy that will make her seen again – and solve the mystery of her own birth…
Turning invisible at it’s one way of curing your acne. But far more drastic than 13 year-old Ethel Leatherhead intended when she tried a combination of untested medicines and a sunbed.
It’s fun at first, being invisible. And aided by her friend Boydy, she manages to keep her extraordinary ability secret. Or does she…?
When one day the invisibility fails to wear off, Ethel is thrown into a nightmare of lies and deception as she struggles to keep herself safe, to find the remedy that will make her seen again – and solve the mystery of her own birth…
417 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 29, 2016
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About the author
Ross Welford
25 books315 followersRoss Welford is a British author of fantastic children's fiction.
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January 31, 2017
“I don't need a cloak to become invisible.”
----J.K. Rowling
Ross Welford, an English author, has penned a thoroughly entertaining and extremely exciting middle grade fiction, What Not to Do If You Turn Invisible that revolves around a 12 year old girl who in order to cure her severe acne problem and to save herself from bullying in her school, she discreetly purchases an untested and unknown Chinese medicine that she tries it on her with the strong UV rays of a sunbed, resulting in invisibility. In the beginning being invisible from her peers and family was fun for her, but gradually her invisibility makes her a victim of lies and dishonesty among her peers and family.
Synopsis:
From the author of the unforgettable bestseller TIME TRAVELLING WITH A HAMSTER comes another surprising, beautiful and funny novel about a child who, by disappearing, will write herself into your heart forever…
Turning invisible at will: it’s one way of curing your acne. But far more drastic than 13 year-old Ethel Leatherhead intended when she tried a combination of untested medicines and a sunbed.
It’s fun at first, being invisible. And aided by her friend Boydy, she manages to keep her extraordinary ability secret. Or does she…?
When one day the invisibility fails to wear off, Ethel is thrown into a nightmare of lies and deception as she struggles to keep herself safe, to find the remedy that will make her seen again – and solve the mystery of her own birth…
Ethel Leatherhead, the 12 year girl, risks herself from secretly using an unprescribed Chinese medicine along with a sunbed to cure her acne. Being brought up her grandmother after her mother's death, Ethel wasn't that rebellious yet her severe acne problem led her to seek solutions from a dangerous and risky source without the permission from her only guardian, her grandmother. The result of using the combination of a weird medicine along with the power of strong UV rays makes Ethel invisible from the rest of the world. Terrified and clueless Ethel finally comes to terms with the power of her becoming invisible and eventually she uses it to teach her peers a lesson, but using too much of it makes her a victim of it, and that finally lands her up in real trouble and at the same time, the revelation about her birth story throws her off the edge.
The writing style of the author is articulate and easy to comprehend with. Since it's a middle grade story, the writing is apt for the young aged readers. The author has penned this story with so much thrill and it feels like riding a roller-coaster that only goes back and high up in the air as the ride is filled with adrenaline-rushing moments when the girl, her dog and her best friend creates havoc with the use of invisibility. The narrative is extremely fascinating as well as filled with lots of LOL and hilarious moments equally with some sad and sensitive moments that can make the readers feel deeply. The pacing is really fast as the story grips the readers from the very first page.
The concept of invisibility has been explained very well and easily for the readers and the logic used by the author to make invisibility possible are apt. Even young readers will find the story enlightening for their minds. The author has vividly captured the feel of a person physically and emotionally, who is experiencing invisibility, that the readers are bound to feel the same way.
The dynamics of various relationships like friendship between two friends to the relationship between grandmother and granddaughter are explored really well by the author with appropriate feel and laughter. The readers, especially the young readers can easily contemplate the friendships etched by the author in his book. And thus this becomes a must book to be read by every pre teen children, which not only entertain them but will also teach them a lot of values.
The characters are very, very interesting and are highly inspired from reality. The main character, Ethel, is a brave young girl who can judge her actions and knows how to quickly come out of a sticky situation. He is sharp-witted and extremely fearless considering his age. The author has strikingly captured the voice of an innocent 12-year old girl suffering from acne and growing up without a mother. The supporting characters, especially, Ethel's grandmother, and her best friend, is very well-developed.
Overall, this is a compelling and illuminating story that is laced well enough with thrill and arresting adventure that will not only enthrall the young kids but will also intrigue the mature readers too.
Verdict: A must read for all age groups!
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Harper Collins India for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
----J.K. Rowling
Ross Welford, an English author, has penned a thoroughly entertaining and extremely exciting middle grade fiction, What Not to Do If You Turn Invisible that revolves around a 12 year old girl who in order to cure her severe acne problem and to save herself from bullying in her school, she discreetly purchases an untested and unknown Chinese medicine that she tries it on her with the strong UV rays of a sunbed, resulting in invisibility. In the beginning being invisible from her peers and family was fun for her, but gradually her invisibility makes her a victim of lies and dishonesty among her peers and family.
Synopsis:
From the author of the unforgettable bestseller TIME TRAVELLING WITH A HAMSTER comes another surprising, beautiful and funny novel about a child who, by disappearing, will write herself into your heart forever…
Turning invisible at will: it’s one way of curing your acne. But far more drastic than 13 year-old Ethel Leatherhead intended when she tried a combination of untested medicines and a sunbed.
It’s fun at first, being invisible. And aided by her friend Boydy, she manages to keep her extraordinary ability secret. Or does she…?
When one day the invisibility fails to wear off, Ethel is thrown into a nightmare of lies and deception as she struggles to keep herself safe, to find the remedy that will make her seen again – and solve the mystery of her own birth…
Ethel Leatherhead, the 12 year girl, risks herself from secretly using an unprescribed Chinese medicine along with a sunbed to cure her acne. Being brought up her grandmother after her mother's death, Ethel wasn't that rebellious yet her severe acne problem led her to seek solutions from a dangerous and risky source without the permission from her only guardian, her grandmother. The result of using the combination of a weird medicine along with the power of strong UV rays makes Ethel invisible from the rest of the world. Terrified and clueless Ethel finally comes to terms with the power of her becoming invisible and eventually she uses it to teach her peers a lesson, but using too much of it makes her a victim of it, and that finally lands her up in real trouble and at the same time, the revelation about her birth story throws her off the edge.
The writing style of the author is articulate and easy to comprehend with. Since it's a middle grade story, the writing is apt for the young aged readers. The author has penned this story with so much thrill and it feels like riding a roller-coaster that only goes back and high up in the air as the ride is filled with adrenaline-rushing moments when the girl, her dog and her best friend creates havoc with the use of invisibility. The narrative is extremely fascinating as well as filled with lots of LOL and hilarious moments equally with some sad and sensitive moments that can make the readers feel deeply. The pacing is really fast as the story grips the readers from the very first page.
The concept of invisibility has been explained very well and easily for the readers and the logic used by the author to make invisibility possible are apt. Even young readers will find the story enlightening for their minds. The author has vividly captured the feel of a person physically and emotionally, who is experiencing invisibility, that the readers are bound to feel the same way.
The dynamics of various relationships like friendship between two friends to the relationship between grandmother and granddaughter are explored really well by the author with appropriate feel and laughter. The readers, especially the young readers can easily contemplate the friendships etched by the author in his book. And thus this becomes a must book to be read by every pre teen children, which not only entertain them but will also teach them a lot of values.
The characters are very, very interesting and are highly inspired from reality. The main character, Ethel, is a brave young girl who can judge her actions and knows how to quickly come out of a sticky situation. He is sharp-witted and extremely fearless considering his age. The author has strikingly captured the voice of an innocent 12-year old girl suffering from acne and growing up without a mother. The supporting characters, especially, Ethel's grandmother, and her best friend, is very well-developed.
Overall, this is a compelling and illuminating story that is laced well enough with thrill and arresting adventure that will not only enthrall the young kids but will also intrigue the mature readers too.
Verdict: A must read for all age groups!
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Harper Collins India for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.
December 12, 2017
I bought this after thoroughly enjoying Telford's 'Time Traveling With a Hamster' a few months back. It's CUTE. This book, while different from TTWAH, keeps that particular sense of warmth and adventure that is Telford's signature storytelling.
I would have enjoyed this anywhere from 7 upwards, if you're thinking of reading this to your sproglets. <3
I would have enjoyed this anywhere from 7 upwards, if you're thinking of reading this to your sproglets. <3
December 31, 2016
The blurb makes the whole process of becoming invisible sound far more controlled and straightforward than it actually is – which for me was one of the main selling points of this beguiling, funny book. All too often fantasy or paranormal books for children tip them into situations that would have most of us hiding under the duvet armed with a strong glass of gin and prosac – only for said children to accept the whole process without so much as a blink. While children may well be a great deal more adaptable than we oldsters, I was far happier to witness Ethel’s real shock when she looks down to see her hands isn’t visible.
In fact, Ethel is a wonderful protagonist. At a spiky twelve years old with a bumpy background, she is as wary as you’d expect – yet also with the vulnerabilities that come with being twelve. Having a twelve year old granddaughter, it’s an age I’m very familiar with and Welford has absolutely nailed it. There are a whole host of complexities that come with finding herself invisible, as well as a handful of desperate, harebrained opportunities that seem like a good idea at the time. I sniggered in an appalled way all through the Talent Show, while catching myself muttering, ‘Oh no!’ a couple of times.
The trick of writing good farce is for the people in the middle of the mess to take the whole situation utterly seriously – and there’s no reason why Ethel would want to find any of this remotely funny, anyway. The book teetered between making me want to laugh and cry, as I found myself invested in her situation. I guessed one of the main reveals very early on, but I don’t think it matters that much – it certainly didn’t stop me enjoying her slowly discovering who exactly her parents are.
The other issue that makes this book stand out for me, is the way Welford depicts the adults in Ethel’s life. She lives with her grandmother and regularly visits her great-granny, now living in a residential home. Welford shows the adults as doing the best they can in some tricky situations – a refreshing change when all too often adults are shown to be bumbling idiots or unthinking tyrants in otherwise excellent children’s books. I liked the fact that Ethel frequently refers to her grandmother’s sayings and ways of doing things as she evidently is trying to work out which of her opinions and approaches to life are applicable to herself.
The ending was one of the strengths of this book – it takes the story onwards and wraps up the main problems without being unduly sentimental or too tidy. All in all, this is an enjoyable adventure that packs an emotional punch and one I shall be introducing to my granddaughter in due course.
Receiving a copy of 'What Not To Do If You Turn Invisible' from the publisher via NetGalley has in no way affected my honest opinion of this book.
9/10
In fact, Ethel is a wonderful protagonist. At a spiky twelve years old with a bumpy background, she is as wary as you’d expect – yet also with the vulnerabilities that come with being twelve. Having a twelve year old granddaughter, it’s an age I’m very familiar with and Welford has absolutely nailed it. There are a whole host of complexities that come with finding herself invisible, as well as a handful of desperate, harebrained opportunities that seem like a good idea at the time. I sniggered in an appalled way all through the Talent Show, while catching myself muttering, ‘Oh no!’ a couple of times.
The trick of writing good farce is for the people in the middle of the mess to take the whole situation utterly seriously – and there’s no reason why Ethel would want to find any of this remotely funny, anyway. The book teetered between making me want to laugh and cry, as I found myself invested in her situation. I guessed one of the main reveals very early on, but I don’t think it matters that much – it certainly didn’t stop me enjoying her slowly discovering who exactly her parents are.
The other issue that makes this book stand out for me, is the way Welford depicts the adults in Ethel’s life. She lives with her grandmother and regularly visits her great-granny, now living in a residential home. Welford shows the adults as doing the best they can in some tricky situations – a refreshing change when all too often adults are shown to be bumbling idiots or unthinking tyrants in otherwise excellent children’s books. I liked the fact that Ethel frequently refers to her grandmother’s sayings and ways of doing things as she evidently is trying to work out which of her opinions and approaches to life are applicable to herself.
The ending was one of the strengths of this book – it takes the story onwards and wraps up the main problems without being unduly sentimental or too tidy. All in all, this is an enjoyable adventure that packs an emotional punch and one I shall be introducing to my granddaughter in due course.
Receiving a copy of 'What Not To Do If You Turn Invisible' from the publisher via NetGalley has in no way affected my honest opinion of this book.
9/10
Read
March 24, 2017Sweet, uplifting, though with some deeper questions than might be suggested in the blurb.
Certain things were predictable to this definitely-not-a-middle-grader, but would likely be more on point for the target group.
Review to come.
Certain things were predictable to this definitely-not-a-middle-grader, but would likely be more on point for the target group.
Review to come.
November 14, 2018
Todo lo que no debes hacer cuando seas invisible es el segundo libro que leo del autor Ross Welford, y al igual que el primero (Viaje en el tiempo con un hámster), me ha encantado. Este autor parece tener una cierta afinidad por tratar el tema de la pérdida de familiares y la búsqueda de uno mismo, que es fundamentalmente sobre lo que trata este libro, además de tratar el tema de la amistad y la generosidad. Está enfocado principalmente a edades entre los 12 y los 14 años, pero al igual que su anterior libro, se trata de una historia que también disfrutarán los adultos. Tengo claro que si lo hubiera leído con 12-13 años, lo habría disfrutado enormemente.
Ethel Leatherhead es una chica que sufre un problema de acné y tiene que hacer frente a las burlas que día tras día sufre por parte de sus compañeros de colegio. En su búsqueda por una solución a este problema, se topa con un medicamento que la hace invisible. Ethel aprovechará esa invisibilidad para hacer determinadas cosas para las que no se creía capaz, y se dará de bruces con su verdadera identidad. Además, en su camino se cruzará Boydy, un chico que también sufre el acoso por parte de sus compañeros de colegio, y juntos vivirán una gran aventura.
El argumento del libro me ha parecido muy original, y al igual que en su anterior trabajo, Ross Welford aborda temas muy importantes y necesarios en la vida de los más jóvenes, como son por ejemplo los complejos, la soledad, la pérdida de algún familiar, la búsqueda de la personalidad, la amistad o el amor. De esta manera, muchos de los lectores pueden sentirse identificados con estos temas, y no hay nada mejor a esas edades que descubrir que hay otras personas con quienes comparten los mismos miedos e inquietudes. Es un libro que se lee muy rápido y de manera cómoda, ya que sus capítulos son muy cortos, lo que permite que cada lector lleve el ritmo que desea. Es cierto que al principio puede generar algo de confusión saber quién es quién, y es que parece que no queda claro el grado de parentesco que hay entre los personajes, pero se termina aclarando. El final es bastante optimista.
Los personajes son todos muy profundos y están muy bien desarrollados. Ethel es una chica muy dulce y algo solitaria que vive con su abuela, y poco a poco iremos descubriendo quién es ella. También encontramos a Boydy, un chico introvertido con quien Ethel hará amistad. Ambos se complementan muy bien y es fácil sentir empatía por ellos.
En cuanto al estilo del autor, destacar que utiliza un vocabulario sencillo y adaptado a los más jóvenes. Welford consigue algo increíble, y es que incluye en sus libros contenido de carácter didáctico, por lo que además de leer, se aprende. En general es un libro que tiene una estructura muy fácil de seguir y es perfecto para que los lectores noveles no se agobien ni se cansen de leer.
En conclusión, Todo lo que no debes hacer cuando seas invisible es un libro que me ha gustado muchísimo y que he disfrutado. Me parece un regalo perfecto para jóvenes de entre 12 y 14 años (y en adelante, por supuesto), para conseguir despertarles el gusto por la lectura, y ahora se acercan unas fechas perfectas para regalar libros e ilusión.
Ethel Leatherhead es una chica que sufre un problema de acné y tiene que hacer frente a las burlas que día tras día sufre por parte de sus compañeros de colegio. En su búsqueda por una solución a este problema, se topa con un medicamento que la hace invisible. Ethel aprovechará esa invisibilidad para hacer determinadas cosas para las que no se creía capaz, y se dará de bruces con su verdadera identidad. Además, en su camino se cruzará Boydy, un chico que también sufre el acoso por parte de sus compañeros de colegio, y juntos vivirán una gran aventura.
El argumento del libro me ha parecido muy original, y al igual que en su anterior trabajo, Ross Welford aborda temas muy importantes y necesarios en la vida de los más jóvenes, como son por ejemplo los complejos, la soledad, la pérdida de algún familiar, la búsqueda de la personalidad, la amistad o el amor. De esta manera, muchos de los lectores pueden sentirse identificados con estos temas, y no hay nada mejor a esas edades que descubrir que hay otras personas con quienes comparten los mismos miedos e inquietudes. Es un libro que se lee muy rápido y de manera cómoda, ya que sus capítulos son muy cortos, lo que permite que cada lector lleve el ritmo que desea. Es cierto que al principio puede generar algo de confusión saber quién es quién, y es que parece que no queda claro el grado de parentesco que hay entre los personajes, pero se termina aclarando. El final es bastante optimista.
Los personajes son todos muy profundos y están muy bien desarrollados. Ethel es una chica muy dulce y algo solitaria que vive con su abuela, y poco a poco iremos descubriendo quién es ella. También encontramos a Boydy, un chico introvertido con quien Ethel hará amistad. Ambos se complementan muy bien y es fácil sentir empatía por ellos.
En cuanto al estilo del autor, destacar que utiliza un vocabulario sencillo y adaptado a los más jóvenes. Welford consigue algo increíble, y es que incluye en sus libros contenido de carácter didáctico, por lo que además de leer, se aprende. En general es un libro que tiene una estructura muy fácil de seguir y es perfecto para que los lectores noveles no se agobien ni se cansen de leer.
En conclusión, Todo lo que no debes hacer cuando seas invisible es un libro que me ha gustado muchísimo y que he disfrutado. Me parece un regalo perfecto para jóvenes de entre 12 y 14 años (y en adelante, por supuesto), para conseguir despertarles el gusto por la lectura, y ahora se acercan unas fechas perfectas para regalar libros e ilusión.
May 14, 2024
Eff is 12 going on 13 with acne skin.
She is being bullied because of her skin condition. She got one friend, who she doesn't really like that much but has no other option.
She wants to get better skin. She tried a herbal medicine with UV tanning bed. That's turned her invisible.
She is having trouble convincing her grandmother that she is invisible.
Instead of having fun, she tried find help.
The story is more about coming of age, cruelty of other children and how family secret is not that good for mental health.
She grow up with her grandmother and great grand mother. She lost her mother when she was very young and the father is not in the picture. She grieved for her loss even if she doesn't know her mother or father. She wants to be happy to be herself and she seems to depends on healthy skin to do so.
It does make a pretty good story.
She found out how she could use her invisibility with good. And also use it to uncover family secret.
4 stars read.
She is being bullied because of her skin condition. She got one friend, who she doesn't really like that much but has no other option.
She wants to get better skin. She tried a herbal medicine with UV tanning bed. That's turned her invisible.
She is having trouble convincing her grandmother that she is invisible.
Instead of having fun, she tried find help.
The story is more about coming of age, cruelty of other children and how family secret is not that good for mental health.
She grow up with her grandmother and great grand mother. She lost her mother when she was very young and the father is not in the picture. She grieved for her loss even if she doesn't know her mother or father. She wants to be happy to be herself and she seems to depends on healthy skin to do so.
It does make a pretty good story.
She found out how she could use her invisibility with good. And also use it to uncover family secret.
4 stars read.
July 7, 2024
This is a warm cozy book for kids from 7 upwards (including adults). Ethel is a 12 year old girl facing bullying in school due to her heavily acned face. She lives with her gran who is too busy. Pushed to the edge, she resorts to a Chinese concoction and UV treatment which makes her invisible.
With such a premise, it handles the points that every YA book goes through about finding a friend, resolving a family situation and punishing bad guys who are eventually just kids too. Told from the POV of Ethel, there is a lot of regret and worry that seems far beyond her age.
The initial parts are funny, where she tries to use her invisibility to help her friend win a Ripley's believe it or not level contest. Or when she thinks her grandmom has a boyfriend and she tries to open the secret box with all combinations from 0000 to 9999.
Warm and feel good, the book uses the invisibility trope to narrate a coming of age book.
With such a premise, it handles the points that every YA book goes through about finding a friend, resolving a family situation and punishing bad guys who are eventually just kids too. Told from the POV of Ethel, there is a lot of regret and worry that seems far beyond her age.
The initial parts are funny, where she tries to use her invisibility to help her friend win a Ripley's believe it or not level contest. Or when she thinks her grandmom has a boyfriend and she tries to open the secret box with all combinations from 0000 to 9999.
Warm and feel good, the book uses the invisibility trope to narrate a coming of age book.
May 3, 2020
I would actually rate this book 4 stars and 1/2 as it had a really interesting plot but the reason why it isn’t 5 stars is because some parts were just a tiny bit slow, well not slow, but just a bit too much detail; some pieces of information weren’t necessary. Another reason is because you were able to easily guess some things that were going to happen. But overall, this book was very good and I would really recommend to ages 10 to 12.
November 26, 2018
I raced through this read, partly because of a deadline, but mostly because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. Love the plot and the style it's written in and my head is swirling with ideas for how this book can be discussed with my bunch of kids next year.
Lots of fodder to discuss coming-of-age themes for a P6/Grade 6 class from acne to relationship and personal identities.
Lots of fodder to discuss coming-of-age themes for a P6/Grade 6 class from acne to relationship and personal identities.
February 27, 2017
A good book that I can recommend to the children at school. It's a great adventure but the relationships are what sing out of this book. How families work...or don't. How friendships blossom or fracture.
August 16, 2024
Alright, I'm going to start this by saying that this review moght not be very helpful. It's certainly long, but whether everything's equally relevant lr not remains up for debate. I've not got much experience in writing reviews, and after reading Time Travelling with a Hamster (also by Ross Welford) I am most definitely biased. That said, I want to help people and I also want to tell people my opinion(s) on it. Preferably to more than one person. (I tried that, and my friend suddenly received 52 pictures of various lines from the book and my comments. She had no idea what to do with the images or the captions and pretty much ignored them.)
I'm not going to include a summary for multiple reasons, the main ones being:
1. I'm sure you can find it back on this page. I'm not posting this on a different blog without a source.
2. That would involve copy-pasting it and as I'm typing this on a tablet via the goodreads app, I can't do that right now.
I'm also going to try and do this spoiler-free, so if I'm being excessively vague, sorry.
Edit - 31 dec '16: Be sure to read all the way down. After the TTWAH extras there's another small paragraph of side notes & edits.
So now that's out of the way, let's get onto the review. I'll also be including general things that people might want to know.
It took me two days to read this book. A while at night, a few hours during the day, and another little while the day after. It probably took longer than it had to (as aforementioned, I took way too many pictures of the lines I found interesting) but for 400 pages I think it went pretty quickly. (I was secretly hoping that it would be exactly 400 pages long, just like Time Travelling with a Hamster, but it wasn't. Oh well.)
It's written in first person and it's incredibly realistic. It switches between being detailed (extensive details of a house) to very little detail ("I take the dog to the dog-sitter Nd then go home"). Nevertheless, I'd have no problem believing Ethel is a real, living, breathing person.
Ethel, as a main character, is very good. She makes a lot of risky (and sometimes plain bad) decisions (which is probably why this book is titled "what NOT to do if you turn invisible"), but it keeps the story interesting and every single one bad decision adds to the plot. She's a very well-made character, with a lot of details added in. The subplot of Ethel figuring out who she really is is pretty good, if a little predictable. I find it hard to relate to Ethel, but I don't think it's because of the book. It's just because we're so different.
Elliot Boyd is also a fun character and I'm happy he's in the book. I love how their friendship evolves throughout the book. In the end we get to learn a lot more about him which I like. It doesn't end with a list of questions like TTWAH.
The other characters are also nicely done, especially the twins. The only bad thing about them is their names ("Jarrow"?? Seriously?! And you named the dog "Lady"?!), which I can't really blame Ross Welford for.
What I quite liked was that we finally get a description of the main character, even if it's quite late in the book. What got on my nerves was how I never knew what Al looked like in Time Travelling with a Hamster. Here we get a small description. The description of Ethel's not much (hair colour, eye colour), but it's enough. It's more than we get of Al in his debut book.
The plot is fast-paced and sometimes it's a little hard to keep up, but I've only had to go back twice to read the previous page, and I'm almost certain that was just because I wasn't focused, not because of the way it's written. The plot itself is rather predictable ("Problem? Ah yes we can solve that with invisibility") but the way it's filled in isn't.
It's like explaining a Disney film to someone. A Disney film (or DreamWorks, for that matter) looks like this:
There's a scene where you meet the characters, 20 minutes in the plot starts. The main character(s) think they'll be able to defeat the bad guys, but their plan fails. They learn a valuable lesson about teamwork or friendship or something, and then they go back and win. Their smartness is usually what gets them out of the problem.
And yet, when you watch a Disney film it's like that doesn't matter. It's not something you think about and it's just a rough outline, like a sketch. Like concept art. The end product is (and feels) completely different.
It's a bit like this book, though it doesn't follow the Disney buildup. Just like TTWAH, it gives you a page or two of the "current" situation, before giving you backstory and then continuing on. The end is quite predictable, but how it gets there isn't. There's a lovely twist, and there's a summary of what happens next at the end. It's incredibly satisfying. (Sadly, this means we probably won't be getting a sequel, as there are no loose ends.)
One downside of the plot, though, is how the characters both understand and don't get technology. I read once that if you make a world, you have to believe in it to make the reader believe it. Ross Welford does just that, but I overthink it too much. For example (Slight spoiler alert for the next paragraph)
There's a part where someone edits something, and Elliot Boyd decides that they must've used a PC for it. On one hand, this shows he understands technology - editing software is usually for computers. On the other hand, ever heard of mobile apps?
On the science frontier:
Shaky, definitely. But the invisibility stuff is believable. The one thing that annoys me is how she's able to see (your eyes absorb light, which is something they can't do if they're transparent), but that's about it. The food aspect is also a little annoying to me, but I'll let it slide. (If you've read the book and want to talk to me about it, send me a message.) A lot of books just blame magic, and I have to hand it to Ross Welford for actually trying to make it plausible using science.
For the TTWAH fans:
In case you were wondering: Yes, it does have references to Time Travelling with a Hamster. Once again, it's set near Culvercot, and there are even a few trips to Culvercot bay. I caught 3 references (one with a spelling "mistake"(?), as it was a name, one thing that was a small detail in TTWAH (and an even smaller detail in WNTDIYTI), and one that just mentioned the same sliproad from TTWAH. The one at the bay - if you've read it you'll know which one I mean.) These are all very minor details, though, and they're not important in the slightest to the plot.
Side notes that are only slightly relevant:
- I got this book two days before it was officially published, on the 29th. That's the only reason I've finished it now.
- Ethel states she has nothing against men crying. Good.
- Another reason I can't relate to Ethel is because she's so short. I'm 1m72-ish (about 5ft 8in) so I really don't get her.
- "One Last Time" and "Helpless" from Hamilton were on repeat in my head when I read this book. Not sure about One Last Time, but Helpless was stuck because "One week later" gets used a few times in the book.
- I like using double quotation marks for dialogue more than single ones. I looked it up once, and apparently the double ones are more common in American English, but neither is wrong. TTWAH was written with double ones (I went back and checked) but this one has single ones. I'd like to know why.
(Edits)
31 dec '16 - I'd like to note that I've seen this marketed as 9+. It has alcohol and drugs mentions, and albeit not that many, I still wouldn't classify it as 9+. I'd put it a year or two higher. As a 16-year-old I can say even I found it pretty intense.
I'm not going to include a summary for multiple reasons, the main ones being:
1. I'm sure you can find it back on this page. I'm not posting this on a different blog without a source.
2. That would involve copy-pasting it and as I'm typing this on a tablet via the goodreads app, I can't do that right now.
I'm also going to try and do this spoiler-free, so if I'm being excessively vague, sorry.
Edit - 31 dec '16: Be sure to read all the way down. After the TTWAH extras there's another small paragraph of side notes & edits.
So now that's out of the way, let's get onto the review. I'll also be including general things that people might want to know.
It took me two days to read this book. A while at night, a few hours during the day, and another little while the day after. It probably took longer than it had to (as aforementioned, I took way too many pictures of the lines I found interesting) but for 400 pages I think it went pretty quickly. (I was secretly hoping that it would be exactly 400 pages long, just like Time Travelling with a Hamster, but it wasn't. Oh well.)
It's written in first person and it's incredibly realistic. It switches between being detailed (extensive details of a house) to very little detail ("I take the dog to the dog-sitter Nd then go home"). Nevertheless, I'd have no problem believing Ethel is a real, living, breathing person.
Ethel, as a main character, is very good. She makes a lot of risky (and sometimes plain bad) decisions (which is probably why this book is titled "what NOT to do if you turn invisible"), but it keeps the story interesting and every single one bad decision adds to the plot. She's a very well-made character, with a lot of details added in. The subplot of Ethel figuring out who she really is is pretty good, if a little predictable. I find it hard to relate to Ethel, but I don't think it's because of the book. It's just because we're so different.
Elliot Boyd is also a fun character and I'm happy he's in the book. I love how their friendship evolves throughout the book. In the end we get to learn a lot more about him which I like. It doesn't end with a list of questions like TTWAH.
The other characters are also nicely done, especially the twins. The only bad thing about them is their names ("Jarrow"?? Seriously?! And you named the dog "Lady"?!), which I can't really blame Ross Welford for.
What I quite liked was that we finally get a description of the main character, even if it's quite late in the book. What got on my nerves was how I never knew what Al looked like in Time Travelling with a Hamster. Here we get a small description. The description of Ethel's not much (hair colour, eye colour), but it's enough. It's more than we get of Al in his debut book.
The plot is fast-paced and sometimes it's a little hard to keep up, but I've only had to go back twice to read the previous page, and I'm almost certain that was just because I wasn't focused, not because of the way it's written. The plot itself is rather predictable ("Problem? Ah yes we can solve that with invisibility") but the way it's filled in isn't.
It's like explaining a Disney film to someone. A Disney film (or DreamWorks, for that matter) looks like this:
There's a scene where you meet the characters, 20 minutes in the plot starts. The main character(s) think they'll be able to defeat the bad guys, but their plan fails. They learn a valuable lesson about teamwork or friendship or something, and then they go back and win. Their smartness is usually what gets them out of the problem.
And yet, when you watch a Disney film it's like that doesn't matter. It's not something you think about and it's just a rough outline, like a sketch. Like concept art. The end product is (and feels) completely different.
It's a bit like this book, though it doesn't follow the Disney buildup. Just like TTWAH, it gives you a page or two of the "current" situation, before giving you backstory and then continuing on. The end is quite predictable, but how it gets there isn't. There's a lovely twist, and there's a summary of what happens next at the end. It's incredibly satisfying. (Sadly, this means we probably won't be getting a sequel, as there are no loose ends.)
One downside of the plot, though, is how the characters both understand and don't get technology. I read once that if you make a world, you have to believe in it to make the reader believe it. Ross Welford does just that, but I overthink it too much. For example (Slight spoiler alert for the next paragraph)
There's a part where someone edits something, and Elliot Boyd decides that they must've used a PC for it. On one hand, this shows he understands technology - editing software is usually for computers. On the other hand, ever heard of mobile apps?
On the science frontier:
Shaky, definitely. But the invisibility stuff is believable. The one thing that annoys me is how she's able to see (your eyes absorb light, which is something they can't do if they're transparent), but that's about it. The food aspect is also a little annoying to me, but I'll let it slide. (If you've read the book and want to talk to me about it, send me a message.) A lot of books just blame magic, and I have to hand it to Ross Welford for actually trying to make it plausible using science.
For the TTWAH fans:
In case you were wondering: Yes, it does have references to Time Travelling with a Hamster. Once again, it's set near Culvercot, and there are even a few trips to Culvercot bay. I caught 3 references (one with a spelling "mistake"(?), as it was a name, one thing that was a small detail in TTWAH (and an even smaller detail in WNTDIYTI), and one that just mentioned the same sliproad from TTWAH. The one at the bay - if you've read it you'll know which one I mean.) These are all very minor details, though, and they're not important in the slightest to the plot.
Side notes that are only slightly relevant:
- I got this book two days before it was officially published, on the 29th. That's the only reason I've finished it now.
- Ethel states she has nothing against men crying. Good.
- Another reason I can't relate to Ethel is because she's so short. I'm 1m72-ish (about 5ft 8in) so I really don't get her.
- "One Last Time" and "Helpless" from Hamilton were on repeat in my head when I read this book. Not sure about One Last Time, but Helpless was stuck because "One week later" gets used a few times in the book.
- I like using double quotation marks for dialogue more than single ones. I looked it up once, and apparently the double ones are more common in American English, but neither is wrong. TTWAH was written with double ones (I went back and checked) but this one has single ones. I'd like to know why.
(Edits)
31 dec '16 - I'd like to note that I've seen this marketed as 9+. It has alcohol and drugs mentions, and albeit not that many, I still wouldn't classify it as 9+. I'd put it a year or two higher. As a 16-year-old I can say even I found it pretty intense.
May 19, 2017
Having loved Time Travelling With A Hamster I was looking forward to this one.
Ethel lives with her grandmother as her mother is dead, and she knows nothing of her father. She has such severe acne that she resorts to online purchases from China. This ointment, unfortunately, plays a large part in the trouble she gets into during the course of the story when she becomes invisible.
There's some lovely comic scenes where Ethel attempts to help someone out while she is invisible There's an endearing quality to Ethel that shines off the page, and it was good to a genuine friendship between a boy and a girl.
Family, just as in Welford's debut, is central to the book and there's many links to it here.
All in all, an entertaining read.
Ethel lives with her grandmother as her mother is dead, and she knows nothing of her father. She has such severe acne that she resorts to online purchases from China. This ointment, unfortunately, plays a large part in the trouble she gets into during the course of the story when she becomes invisible.
There's some lovely comic scenes where Ethel attempts to help someone out while she is invisible There's an endearing quality to Ethel that shines off the page, and it was good to a genuine friendship between a boy and a girl.
Family, just as in Welford's debut, is central to the book and there's many links to it here.
All in all, an entertaining read.
February 28, 2017
I received a copy of this title from HarperCollins Australia for review.
Ten Second Synopsis:
Ethel lives with her grandmother, is plagued by terrible acne and has become the unwilling friend of new boy Elliot (Smelliot) from London. When Ethel discovers she has the ability to become invisible via her new skin treatment and the generous application of UV light, her life suddenly becomes a lot more complicated.
If you are looking for a story with charming characters, a solid friendship and some shenanigans involving a sunbed and seriously dodgy alternative medicine this is the book for you. On immediately finishing the book I felt that I didn't feel this one as much as Time Travelling with a Hamster, but with a bit of distance since the time I finished it, I've decided that I'm actually more fond of the main characters of this novel than the previous.
Ethel lives with her grandma and is bullied for having terrible acne. Elliot is a recent blow-in from London and seems unaware of his status as social pariah. An unlikely but heartwarming friendship is formed over the course of the book (and I mean that in the least vomit-inducing way possible) and by the end one can really believe the bond between Ethel and Elliot is authentic. Did I mention that Ethel also suffers from spells of invisibility now and then? Well, she does, and that's where most of the humour comes in, but really, this is a story about family past and present and the family you build for yourself.
I did have one niggle though. Hailing as I do from the country with the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, I have a natural and pathological aversion to sunbeds given the fact that they are proven to increase rates of deadly skin cancers and have rightly been banned here. It did grate on me that Ethel happily gets into one multiple times throughout the story and I feel there should be some author's note at the end (or the beginning, or throughout) that plainly points to the dangers of placing your naked skin under intense UV radiation for any period of time for the sake of a bit of a tan. It will kill you people.
Admittedly, this is not a good enough reason not to read the book though.
Apart from sunbed irritation, this was a thoroughly enjoyable story that skilfully incorporates elements of magical realism to lift the plot out of the expected boundaries for contemporary middle grade and YA "issues" books. Yes, Ethel is dealing with some difficult issues about identity, bullying, loyalty and honesty, but the inclusion of the invisibility works both as a humorous side plot, and a metaphor for escaping one's problems and taking decisive action. Elliot is a fantastic character who, it seems, can only be himself and this provides a nice foil for Ethel's desire to become someone different. All in all this is a strong contemporary story about growing up, with the added bonus of fun and fantasy woven in.
Ten Second Synopsis:
Ethel lives with her grandmother, is plagued by terrible acne and has become the unwilling friend of new boy Elliot (Smelliot) from London. When Ethel discovers she has the ability to become invisible via her new skin treatment and the generous application of UV light, her life suddenly becomes a lot more complicated.
If you are looking for a story with charming characters, a solid friendship and some shenanigans involving a sunbed and seriously dodgy alternative medicine this is the book for you. On immediately finishing the book I felt that I didn't feel this one as much as Time Travelling with a Hamster, but with a bit of distance since the time I finished it, I've decided that I'm actually more fond of the main characters of this novel than the previous.
Ethel lives with her grandma and is bullied for having terrible acne. Elliot is a recent blow-in from London and seems unaware of his status as social pariah. An unlikely but heartwarming friendship is formed over the course of the book (and I mean that in the least vomit-inducing way possible) and by the end one can really believe the bond between Ethel and Elliot is authentic. Did I mention that Ethel also suffers from spells of invisibility now and then? Well, she does, and that's where most of the humour comes in, but really, this is a story about family past and present and the family you build for yourself.
I did have one niggle though. Hailing as I do from the country with the highest rates of skin cancer in the world, I have a natural and pathological aversion to sunbeds given the fact that they are proven to increase rates of deadly skin cancers and have rightly been banned here. It did grate on me that Ethel happily gets into one multiple times throughout the story and I feel there should be some author's note at the end (or the beginning, or throughout) that plainly points to the dangers of placing your naked skin under intense UV radiation for any period of time for the sake of a bit of a tan. It will kill you people.
Admittedly, this is not a good enough reason not to read the book though.
Apart from sunbed irritation, this was a thoroughly enjoyable story that skilfully incorporates elements of magical realism to lift the plot out of the expected boundaries for contemporary middle grade and YA "issues" books. Yes, Ethel is dealing with some difficult issues about identity, bullying, loyalty and honesty, but the inclusion of the invisibility works both as a humorous side plot, and a metaphor for escaping one's problems and taking decisive action. Elliot is a fantastic character who, it seems, can only be himself and this provides a nice foil for Ethel's desire to become someone different. All in all this is a strong contemporary story about growing up, with the added bonus of fun and fantasy woven in.
November 16, 2017
My 11 year old son's rating: 5 stars
My 5 year old son's rating: 30 out of 30 (go figure)
My 16 year old son's rating: 3 stars
I'm leaning towards 3 stars. Maybe 3.5. It seemed a bit too long, so I guess that means it was slow in some parts.
My 5 year old son's rating: 30 out of 30 (go figure)
My 16 year old son's rating: 3 stars
I'm leaning towards 3 stars. Maybe 3.5. It seemed a bit too long, so I guess that means it was slow in some parts.
May 25, 2020
This is a children’s book, suitable for children 10+, as with all children’s books, because it’s well written it’s still enjoyable.
Set in the north east of England, in Whitley Bay, it involves 2 children who feel excluded and their adventures as one of them finds a way to become invisible. It’s always got something happening, there are lots of entertaining characters and plenty of moments of tension. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Set in the north east of England, in Whitley Bay, it involves 2 children who feel excluded and their adventures as one of them finds a way to become invisible. It’s always got something happening, there are lots of entertaining characters and plenty of moments of tension. Thoroughly enjoyable.
December 27, 2016
Two out of two hits for Ross Welford. Intelligent, genuinely funny and warm writing for a young audience.
Like his first, this doesn't dumb down the science for children/young people, and faces issues head on. In 'Time Travelling with a Hamster' he braved the subject of a parent's death. Here is it the angst of adolescent acne, a dead mother and even dementia.
Ethel Leatherhead wishes she wasn't so noticeable - her acne has lately made her a target for bullies, her friends have found new cliques, the grandmother she lives with is old-fashioned (if loving). In trying out different skin remedies, she finds a tanning machine has a rather unexpected effect. She is made invisible!!
Every child's dream come true? Ethel discovers that not only does it have its drawbacks, but is it controllable?
A well-written new friendship with a fellow misfit and some interesting scientific concepts thrown in make this a smart read. Ethel's story is more than just a 'wish-fulfilment' tale, with several strands weaving together to give this depth and heart.
I'm very impressed with Ross Welford's work and will be adding this to my school library shelves. Some wonderful scenes with bullies, the logical effects of invisibility (and how you would cope), and some second half family dramas that make this a potential TV series.
A recommendation for ages 10-14.
With thanks to Netgalley for the advance e-copy, sent for review purposes.
Like his first, this doesn't dumb down the science for children/young people, and faces issues head on. In 'Time Travelling with a Hamster' he braved the subject of a parent's death. Here is it the angst of adolescent acne, a dead mother and even dementia.
Ethel Leatherhead wishes she wasn't so noticeable - her acne has lately made her a target for bullies, her friends have found new cliques, the grandmother she lives with is old-fashioned (if loving). In trying out different skin remedies, she finds a tanning machine has a rather unexpected effect. She is made invisible!!
Every child's dream come true? Ethel discovers that not only does it have its drawbacks, but is it controllable?
A well-written new friendship with a fellow misfit and some interesting scientific concepts thrown in make this a smart read. Ethel's story is more than just a 'wish-fulfilment' tale, with several strands weaving together to give this depth and heart.
I'm very impressed with Ross Welford's work and will be adding this to my school library shelves. Some wonderful scenes with bullies, the logical effects of invisibility (and how you would cope), and some second half family dramas that make this a potential TV series.
A recommendation for ages 10-14.
With thanks to Netgalley for the advance e-copy, sent for review purposes.
November 20, 2017
Okay, so I am only part way through this book, but WOW! I really love the author's writing style and the way she portrays the main character, Ethel, is so relatable and funny. Even though I think the book is aimed at 10+ children, I am really enjoying this easy and lighthearted book for a change.
June 3, 2018
3.5
Since Goodreads doesn't provide half stars, I was more torn than I should be as to whether I should put a three star rating or a four star one. Ultimately, I couldn't put a four star on it despite liking the book. It was more than alright but I didn't like it enough. Some parts were good but it could be better. When judging it, I found it was missing something. I wanted either more humour or emotion, something more. I was just thinking back on books aimed at younger audiences I've read and this one fell a bit short in comparison. As I've said, I wanted that little something that makes the book really special. I mentioned humour and emotion because I compared it to Sue Limb's and Melina Marchetta's works. While this book had the imaginative hook going on, I found that it missed that something to cinch the deal.
The positives, I like the hook of an invisible girl. I like the school intrigue of her finding her place in the school's pecking order. My favourite part of the book is her travelling around with Boydy. I felt that was the best part of the book, both of those children just figuring out what to do with her invisibility.
With that said, I wish there was more humour in how the blackmail situation was treated. I felt like the situation was rife for that thing. However, time and time again, I felt a bit deflated that the invisible ability was a bit wasted. I mean it was novel in that her reaction was realistic but still, I wish she didn't get pushed over so much.
The negatives, I found myself tuning out in places. Mainly, I was a bit baffled by the emotional turn towards the end. She found out about her parents' identity and felt betrayed it had been kept secret from her. She ends up run over by a car because she was running while invisible. I was just baffled that the book turned towards that direction. I mean the author can write whatever they want but the emotional turn was a bit weak. It doesn't really deliver any punch. Whimsy is all good but I felt like the book needed that one thing to really cement that it is a good book.
I felt bad about Boydy. I hope he gets everything he wants from the world. He seems really sweet.
The story revolves around Ethel. Mortified by being branded pizza face because of her crater-like face, she goes to great lengths to banish her acne troubles. She orders an off-brand Chinese medicine, which she couples up with other treatments like sun beds. She ends up turning invisible.
Her life as an invisible person went through several stages. Her first time was in accident. She panicked and contacted people for help. Nobody believed her and she weathered through. Her invisibility wore off in due time. The second time was deliberate. It was to help a friend with a talent show. She started a sort of school riot and barely made it out without full discovery. The third time was intentional again to burglarize the bullies, who were blackmailing her. She turned invisible to destroy evidence of her invisible nature, which she didn't want to be made public. Unfortunately for her, her invisibility didn't wear off.
She contacted her father. She confronted her grandmother and greatgrandmother. She ran off and got run over by a car on her way to Boydy's event. Boydy performed CPR on her, presumably because he was the only one who could see her. She was visible when she woke up.
Boydy was seen in a new light. His friendship with Ethel is now official, although he would like it be more. He has a crush on her and had been trying to lose weight after he heard her harsh words. She reunited with her father and made up with her grandmother and greatgrandmother.
Since Goodreads doesn't provide half stars, I was more torn than I should be as to whether I should put a three star rating or a four star one. Ultimately, I couldn't put a four star on it despite liking the book. It was more than alright but I didn't like it enough. Some parts were good but it could be better. When judging it, I found it was missing something. I wanted either more humour or emotion, something more. I was just thinking back on books aimed at younger audiences I've read and this one fell a bit short in comparison. As I've said, I wanted that little something that makes the book really special. I mentioned humour and emotion because I compared it to Sue Limb's and Melina Marchetta's works. While this book had the imaginative hook going on, I found that it missed that something to cinch the deal.
The positives, I like the hook of an invisible girl. I like the school intrigue of her finding her place in the school's pecking order. My favourite part of the book is her travelling around with Boydy. I felt that was the best part of the book, both of those children just figuring out what to do with her invisibility.
With that said, I wish there was more humour in how the blackmail situation was treated. I felt like the situation was rife for that thing. However, time and time again, I felt a bit deflated that the invisible ability was a bit wasted. I mean it was novel in that her reaction was realistic but still, I wish she didn't get pushed over so much.
The negatives, I found myself tuning out in places. Mainly, I was a bit baffled by the emotional turn towards the end. She found out about her parents' identity and felt betrayed it had been kept secret from her. She ends up run over by a car because she was running while invisible. I was just baffled that the book turned towards that direction. I mean the author can write whatever they want but the emotional turn was a bit weak. It doesn't really deliver any punch. Whimsy is all good but I felt like the book needed that one thing to really cement that it is a good book.
I felt bad about Boydy. I hope he gets everything he wants from the world. He seems really sweet.
The story revolves around Ethel. Mortified by being branded pizza face because of her crater-like face, she goes to great lengths to banish her acne troubles. She orders an off-brand Chinese medicine, which she couples up with other treatments like sun beds. She ends up turning invisible.
Her life as an invisible person went through several stages. Her first time was in accident. She panicked and contacted people for help. Nobody believed her and she weathered through. Her invisibility wore off in due time. The second time was deliberate. It was to help a friend with a talent show. She started a sort of school riot and barely made it out without full discovery. The third time was intentional again to burglarize the bullies, who were blackmailing her. She turned invisible to destroy evidence of her invisible nature, which she didn't want to be made public. Unfortunately for her, her invisibility didn't wear off.
She contacted her father. She confronted her grandmother and greatgrandmother. She ran off and got run over by a car on her way to Boydy's event. Boydy performed CPR on her, presumably because he was the only one who could see her. She was visible when she woke up.
Boydy was seen in a new light. His friendship with Ethel is now official, although he would like it be more. He has a crush on her and had been trying to lose weight after he heard her harsh words. She reunited with her father and made up with her grandmother and greatgrandmother.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 30, 2021
L’età dei dodici anni è un traguardo che segna la fine dell’infanzia e introduce nella preadolescenza, aggiungendo tutti gli annessi e connessi che comporta quel periodo di crescita.
Ethel sa bene che quello che sta vivendo è un periodo difficile, si è accorta che gli ormoni stanno trasformando il suo corpo e le relazioni con gli altri coetanei sono difficili, il suo problema è che non sa come gestirli e prende decisioni affrettate e non ponderate per bene. Come comprare una lozione anti acne da un dottore cinese e un lettino solare prossimo dall’essere smaltito.
Dopo la morte della madre la piccola cresce con la nonna, che Ethel definisce una persona a modo e dal comportamento eccelso, e viene educata secondo le regole di una volta e con una mentalità chiusa. La ragazzina è ribelle a suo modo, vorrebbe vivere felice, avere degli amici, non essere derisa per il suo aspetto e non avere il soprannome di faccia da pizza che i bulli fratelli gemelli Jesmond e Jarrow Knight le hanno affibbiato, deridendola davanti a tutta la scuola.
Decisamente è temeraria quando assume la lozione anti acne cinese, ma è un gesto di frustrazione che deriva dai precedenti rimedi che non hanno portato miglioramenti alla sua pelle se non peggiorarla ulteriormente e la spavalderia viene sostituita con la paura quando si accorge dell’effetto collaterale che le accade: diventa invisibile.
Se all’inizio tutto la spaventa, quando scopre come funziona l’attivazione dell’invisibilità, il coraggio e la determinazione crescono dentro di lei e le fanno stringere un amicizia con Ellion Boydy e l’apprendere che, forse, la nonna le nasconde qualcosa sulla sua famiglia.
Il personaggio di Ethel è caratterizzato molto bene perché dimostra la fragilità della fanciullezza che ancora è presente, ma anche la voglia di dimostrare di essere grandi e avere il proprio posto nel mondo. Il suo trovarsi invisibile la porta ad avere un atteggiamento istintivo verso gli ostacoli che dovrà affrontare e in questo Boydy sarà un valido alleato, oltre che prezioso amico.
Accanto a lei ci sono i compagni di scuola e ognuno riporta un esempio di come i caratteri prendono forma e troviamo gli arroganti, le ochette, i nerd e quelli che vengono definiti gli ‘ultimi’. È una descrizione reale che parallelamente riporta la visione che si ha degli adulti che vengono percepiti come distanti, distratti, e non al passo.
La tematica del bullismo e del rispetto verso gli animali sono inseriti in maniera efficace e intelligente: Ethel li riporta con ingenuità ma anche con trasporto trasmettendo al lettore il giusto messaggio e considerazione.
Le ambientazioni che mi hanno colpita di più sono quelle scolastiche e il faro. Nella prima si respira l’aria dei ragazzi e le loro dinamiche, mentre sul mare si percepisce la potenza della natura, il suo fascino e anche, in senso metaforico, una ricerca di un punto fermo, il faro per l’appunto, che indichi a Ethel la strada che la conduca verso suo porto sicuro.
La narrazione in prima persona presenta una buona dose di rottura della quarta parete, come se Ethel avesse bisogno dell’approvazione del suo lettore e una sorta di conferma che quello che combina sono cose che capitano, è trascinante, ironica e molto fresca. Vedere il mondo attraverso gli occhi di Ethel è, non solo come tornare preadolescenti, ma un approccio diretto alla vita che in un secondo sembra terribile mentre l’altro appare piacevole.
Il libro si legge con scorrevolezza, la storia lascia una bella sensazione e quello che rimane alla fine è una domanda: si diventa invisibili per davvero, o come sostiene la nonna di Ethel, ci si sente invisibili agli occhi degli altri?
Ethel sa bene che quello che sta vivendo è un periodo difficile, si è accorta che gli ormoni stanno trasformando il suo corpo e le relazioni con gli altri coetanei sono difficili, il suo problema è che non sa come gestirli e prende decisioni affrettate e non ponderate per bene. Come comprare una lozione anti acne da un dottore cinese e un lettino solare prossimo dall’essere smaltito.
Dopo la morte della madre la piccola cresce con la nonna, che Ethel definisce una persona a modo e dal comportamento eccelso, e viene educata secondo le regole di una volta e con una mentalità chiusa. La ragazzina è ribelle a suo modo, vorrebbe vivere felice, avere degli amici, non essere derisa per il suo aspetto e non avere il soprannome di faccia da pizza che i bulli fratelli gemelli Jesmond e Jarrow Knight le hanno affibbiato, deridendola davanti a tutta la scuola.
Decisamente è temeraria quando assume la lozione anti acne cinese, ma è un gesto di frustrazione che deriva dai precedenti rimedi che non hanno portato miglioramenti alla sua pelle se non peggiorarla ulteriormente e la spavalderia viene sostituita con la paura quando si accorge dell’effetto collaterale che le accade: diventa invisibile.
Se all’inizio tutto la spaventa, quando scopre come funziona l’attivazione dell’invisibilità, il coraggio e la determinazione crescono dentro di lei e le fanno stringere un amicizia con Ellion Boydy e l’apprendere che, forse, la nonna le nasconde qualcosa sulla sua famiglia.
Il personaggio di Ethel è caratterizzato molto bene perché dimostra la fragilità della fanciullezza che ancora è presente, ma anche la voglia di dimostrare di essere grandi e avere il proprio posto nel mondo. Il suo trovarsi invisibile la porta ad avere un atteggiamento istintivo verso gli ostacoli che dovrà affrontare e in questo Boydy sarà un valido alleato, oltre che prezioso amico.
Accanto a lei ci sono i compagni di scuola e ognuno riporta un esempio di come i caratteri prendono forma e troviamo gli arroganti, le ochette, i nerd e quelli che vengono definiti gli ‘ultimi’. È una descrizione reale che parallelamente riporta la visione che si ha degli adulti che vengono percepiti come distanti, distratti, e non al passo.
La tematica del bullismo e del rispetto verso gli animali sono inseriti in maniera efficace e intelligente: Ethel li riporta con ingenuità ma anche con trasporto trasmettendo al lettore il giusto messaggio e considerazione.
Le ambientazioni che mi hanno colpita di più sono quelle scolastiche e il faro. Nella prima si respira l’aria dei ragazzi e le loro dinamiche, mentre sul mare si percepisce la potenza della natura, il suo fascino e anche, in senso metaforico, una ricerca di un punto fermo, il faro per l’appunto, che indichi a Ethel la strada che la conduca verso suo porto sicuro.
La narrazione in prima persona presenta una buona dose di rottura della quarta parete, come se Ethel avesse bisogno dell’approvazione del suo lettore e una sorta di conferma che quello che combina sono cose che capitano, è trascinante, ironica e molto fresca. Vedere il mondo attraverso gli occhi di Ethel è, non solo come tornare preadolescenti, ma un approccio diretto alla vita che in un secondo sembra terribile mentre l’altro appare piacevole.
Il libro si legge con scorrevolezza, la storia lascia una bella sensazione e quello che rimane alla fine è una domanda: si diventa invisibili per davvero, o come sostiene la nonna di Ethel, ci si sente invisibili agli occhi degli altri?
November 24, 2020
Stars: 4.4
■What Not To Do If You Turn Invisible by Rose Welford in my opinion is an absorbing and spellbinding read with well crafted plot and well presented characters .
□This book is well written and a good choice for young readers as well as anyone who loves humour and realistic fiction with a touch of fun .
□This book is a delightful read I never felt bored while reading this book .
□ Every situation in this book is briefly explain which makes reading satisfying.
□The Chapters are short which is the main thing that I absolutely love because it makes reading fast-paced.
□This book is in first person which makes us feel like we are in the story.
□ Good read and Reccomented for young readers.
Happy reading !
Find more reviews @ My booktube Channel Jp Kid Studio
■What Not To Do If You Turn Invisible by Rose Welford in my opinion is an absorbing and spellbinding read with well crafted plot and well presented characters .
□This book is well written and a good choice for young readers as well as anyone who loves humour and realistic fiction with a touch of fun .
□This book is a delightful read I never felt bored while reading this book .
□ Every situation in this book is briefly explain which makes reading satisfying.
□The Chapters are short which is the main thing that I absolutely love because it makes reading fast-paced.
□This book is in first person which makes us feel like we are in the story.
□ Good read and Reccomented for young readers.
Happy reading !
Find more reviews @ My booktube Channel Jp Kid Studio
June 1, 2021
This book arrived in my mailbox yesterday afternoon, and I finished it late last night. I would usually read a book of this length for a few chapters at a time, spreading it out over the course of a few days, but Welford's writing style is so casual and engaging that I just kept reading. The plot is fairly predictable, yet it still holds an air of suspense, like you know what's going to happen, but you can't wait for it to all play out. Invisibility stories always amuse me more than I expect, but I especially enjoyed this first-person, conversation-like account. Welford's other books seem a little wild from their descriptions, but after yesterday, I'm pretty sure I will be reading another of his books before long.
August 22, 2021
3.5/5 An enjoyable read suitable for confident readers aged 9+ that does a great job of exploring different relationships in the protagonist's life in a heartfelt but humorous way. Though the pace is a little slow in places and the books is maybe a bit too long over all, I thought the writing style was spot on, relatable and entertaining in equal measure. I can see this becoming a firm favourite with many of my 4th/5th class pupils.
June 30, 2017
You might think turning invisible every so often would be brilliant. But Ethel, the heroine of this unusual, funny book soon realises that it's got its downsides - for example, if you really don't want anyone to see you, you can't be wearing any clothes. There are some great characters and very funny moments in this book. The ending was a bit too 'happy' for me, but see what you think!
Read
July 11, 2017this book was really imaginative and had a really good story line. as well as Ethel (main character) turning invisible, she also learns who she really is.
March 22, 2018
Amaze
This book is amazing! A bit confusing at times, but very addictive! I read this in one night, and missed 3 hours of sleep!
This book is amazing! A bit confusing at times, but very addictive! I read this in one night, and missed 3 hours of sleep!
October 17, 2018
Ethel leather head is a clever and funny character who engages you throughout the book. It’s funny and clever, yet still covers down to earth problems.
April 30, 2020
Best book of the year!
October 12, 2020
This is an amazing book
I recommend it for kids 10+
I recommend it for kids 10+
February 23, 2021
It book is in top 10 of my favorite books.
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