Quill Tree – Mom Read It

Invisible Isabel, by Sally J. Pla/Illustrated by Tania de Regil, (July 2024, Quill Tree Books), $19.99, ISBN: 9780063268852

Ages 8-12

Isabel Beane is an introverted girl lost in the chaos of her home: her two younger siblings are “toddler tornadoes”; her teenaged older sisters chase her away, and her middle schooler older brother just wants to play video games and have his stinky friends over. It isn’t much better at school: her militaristic teacher doesn’t understand the “worry-moths” that cause Isabel to freeze up during class, and new girl Monica has managed to get all Isabel’s former friends to ignore her. Isabel’s parents don’t really hear or see her, either; waving away her fears as normal kid blues. Abandoned by her friends, ignored by her family, Isabel yearns to find her voice, but her fears threaten to overpower her. A sensitive story in verse with soft black and white illustrations, Isabel’s story unfolds as a journey of discovery. The reader gets clues to Isabel’s neurodiversity with mentions comforting routines like rocking, or her sensitivity to sound and scent. Mean girl Monica, Isabel’s antagonist, has reasons for her behavior and has a father who tries to steer his daughter in a better direction. Readers will spend a good part of this book frustrated with everyone around Isabel as they continue ignoring or disregarding her; Pla creates a feeling of responsibility in the reader – we want to protect her! Pla and de Regil create a story of kindness and discovery for all. An excellent choice for realistic fiction and books in verse collections.

Love & Resistance, by Kara H.L. Chen, (July 2023, Quill Tree Books), $19.99, ISBN: 9780063237834

Ages 13-17

Enough is enough for one Taiwanese-American teen who goes up against her school’s VIPs – with the help of some new friends. Olivia Chang, daughter of a military mom, is at her fourth school in seven years; she’s created rules for survival: stay anonymous. Embrace isolationism. Soon enough, she’ll be out of this little Ohio town and off to college, and leave this toxic mess behind. But she ends up on the In Crowd’s radar when she hears Mean Girl leader Mitzi Clarke make a racist comment about how certain students skew test results; Livvy speaks up, and war is declared, taking place on the social media battlefields that Mitzi and her minions dominate. Until NerdNet comes to the rescue: a quietly operating group of students who use their know-how to defend the bullied, they take up Livvy’s cause and bring her into the group. Empowered by their friendship, Livvy and NerdNet work together to upend the system: but Livvy may push too hard, go too far. Taking on the cult of social media and casual racism, Love & Resistance is reading teen readers will dive into. Livvy is a complicated heroine who risks becoming the type of bully she’s pushing back against, and her fellow NerdNet members have fully realized backstories, making them as realistic and likable as our heroine. The pace moves quickly and the book is compulsively readable, with much food for thought and discussion. Add this to your Fall purchases if you haven’t yet.

Tag: Quill Tree

Invisible Isabel wants to be seen