INVISIBLE ISABEL

A quiet, anxious young girl finds her voice.

With five rambunctious siblings at home, a bully at school, and a formidable teacher who puts an outsize emphasis on “Extremely Important Testing,” Isabel Beane is more worried than ever; fading into the background feels easy—and safer. The worry-moths she imagines inside her are making her stomach hurt all the time, although Mama tells her it’s all in her head. As Isabel deals with the “Too-Muchness” of the world, she tries to figure out how to get Mama to understand her and how to win back her classmates, whom new girl Monica has turned against her. When the stomach pain feels different one day, it culminates in Isabel finally being heard and learning more about herself. Told in compelling free verse and peppered with black-and-white illustrations, this heartfelt and accessible tale showcases neurodivergence, specifically anxiety and autism. Although the focus is mostly on lovable Isabel, the narrative sometimes shifts to Monica, providing insight into her cruel behavior. These moments add tension to the story, but the tale truly shines when Isabel is in the spotlight. Readers may not feel as forgiving as Isabel toward the ineffectual adults in her life who initially fail to listen to her, but the clarity and paths to solutions offer much-needed optimism. Isabel and Monica are cued white. Final art not seen.

A compassionate insider’s perspective of neurodivergence.