Book: Invisible Emmie (2017)
Author: Terri Libenson
Genre: MG, Contemporary (Illustrated)
Opening lines from the book …
This is me. You’re probably wondering how I became a puddle of slime. Eaily explained. It happened in a day. Okay, five hours, If you want to get technical. It also involved a really embarrassing incident. I’ll get to that.
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK…
1) This is the story of two girls. Katie’s life is perfect. She’s popular and everything goes her way, but she’s not nasty about it. On the other hand, Emmie is … well, she’s invisible. The main plotline follows Emmie as she tells her story. Then we get snippets of Katie’s perfect life. It’s a nice contrast.
2) I love that Emmie does have a good friend Brianna, even if she can be a little bossy toward Emmie. I like how their relationship plays out, especially with regards to the disaster of the letters they write.
3) And then there’s the boy. Tyler is the love-interest for both Katie and Emmie! (Of course, Emmie’s love is the quiet kind. Tyler doesn’t even seem to really remember that she exists.) What I like is that we do get to know him through Emmie’s chapters, especially when the whole disaster comes to a head.
4) Joe! Argh! What a troublemaker. He’s the guy responsible for all the turmoil in the book. Every book has to have a bad guy, right?
5) I loved the little twist at the end of the story. I won’t spoil this, but it was quite nice how everything fits into place.
THINGS THAT BOTHERED ME…
1) The only tiny little thing is the joke about the dead rats at the school. I’m not sure if I’m supposed to think this is supposed to be real or just symbolism. In my schools, I’m sure there were mice (maybe even rats), but I never saw them, dead or otherwise. Maybe I just never noticed. OR maybe I’m just being too literal!
FINAL THOUGHTS
I LOVED this book. I think this might be one of the best books I’ve read this year. Definitely loved that little twist at the end.
YOUR TURN…
Have you read this book? What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
Note: I’m posting this for Greg Pattridge’s Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday…
Of Maria Antonia 
I hadn’t heard of this book. But the first lines really caught my attention. Glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for featuring it this week.
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I’ve only seen the cover of this book, but didn’t know anything about it. If it is the best piece of fiction that you’ve read this year, it must be an excellent choice. I know I could identify with feeling invisible with the popular kids at school. Need to get a copy! Thanks for sharing!
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It’s definitely in the top 10 books I’ve read this year!
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I enjoyed this one, though it might actually be my least favorite in the series. I thought it was learning more towards the Wimpy Kid style by sort of making fun of other students, and I didn’t really appreciate that. The other books get away from that model, though. Becoming Brianna is probably my favorite so far.
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Oh, I was worried about the books that come after this one. I’m glad you enjoyed them too. I just got the next two out. I will definitely look forward to Becoming Brianna now!!
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Oh yeah, they’re great! I really liked Just Jaime, too, because we get to see the Gossip Girl (that no one else likes because, you know, she’s a gossip) from her perspective. It was interesting to see how she perceives herself as maybe just chatty and friendly, and doesn’t realize other people are hurt by her.
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I read this one a few years back and share your enthusiasm. I’ve always wanted to read all the Emmie and Friend’s books but never seem to find the time. Maybe they will make this series into a move some day. Thanks for featuring on MMGM.
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My students love this because it’s almost a graphic novel, but has some more text. I have the whole series, even though they aren’t my personal favorites.
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I’m so glad you enjoyed this book! Your thoughts are on-point—the twist at the end in particular is brilliant! Like Krysta, I actually like the other books in the series more than this one—book 2, Positively Izzy, is amazing (and has another fantastic twist), and books 3 and 4, Just Jaime and Becoming Brianna, are really clever as well! I didn’t love book 5 (Truly Tyler) as much, but the 6th comes out in the spring, so we’ll see if that works for me! Also, I didn’t get a chance to say that your photo on Saturday is lovely! Thanks so much for the great post!
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Wow. This does sound great. I will have to find a copy. I love the first lines. I would have certainly been captured by that first paragraph. Thanks for the review.
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