The School for Invisible Boys (The Kairos Files #1)

by Shaun David Hutchinson (Author)

Reading Level: 6th − 7th Grade

What would you do if no one could see you? In this surreal adventure, a boy who is used to being overlooked literally becomes invisible, only to realize there may be far more dangerous threats in his school than bullies.

Sixth grade takes a turn for the weird when Hector Griggs discovers he has the ability to turn invisible. Sure, ever since Hector's former best friend Blake started bullying him, he's been feeling like he just wants to disappear...but he never thought he actually would. And then, Hector meets another invisible boy, Orson Wellington, who has an ominous warning: "I'm stuck here. Stuck like this. It's been years. The gelim's hunting me and it'll get you, too." It turns out, there is more than meets the eye at St. Lawrence's Catholic School for Boys, and if Hector is going to save Orson--and himself--from the terrifying creature preying on students' loneliness and fear, he'll need to look deeper.

With the help of a mysterious new classmate, Sam, can Hector unravel the mysteries haunting his school, and discover that sometimes it takes disappearing to really be seen?

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$17.99

ALA/Booklist

If the climax collapses in a heap with the timely arrival of a secret society of monster hunters, a deus ex machina if ever there was one, there are still enough creepy bits and quirky twists to keep readers engaged.

Kirkus

Invisibility offers no protection in this well-paced, multilayered horror story. 

None

A captivating combination of dark fantasy and tween drama built on a cast of nuanced characters, methodical world-building, and suspenseful storytelling.

Publishers Weekly

An 11-year-old navigating friendship troubles, mercurial blended family dynamics, and questions surrounding his sexual identity wishes to disappear--and abruptly does--in this heartwarming adventure by Hutchinson (Howl). Hector Griggs, who attends St. Lawrence Catholic School for Boys, isn't a sports star like his older stepbrother. Instead, Hector prefers solitary activities such as reading, playing piano, and hanging out with his only friend, Blake. But Blake's new pals constantly bully Hector, and when a major fight puts Blake and Hector's friendship on the outs, Hector discovers that he can turn himself invisible at will. Now undetectable, he encounters invisible classmate Orson, who everyone believes has been missing for three years. As rumors of ghosts and rampaging monsters start swirling around school, Hector must save Orson and win back Blake from his unsavory new crew, all while evading frightening creatures. A subplot involving an undercover agent from a supernatural organization is somewhat thinly developed. Hutchinson nevertheless populates this optimistic novel with an organically diverse cast that helps to ferry insightful lessons about empathetic listening and problem-solving, broadening one's horizons, and dealing with bullies, delivered via an entertaining series opener. Ages 8-12. Agent: Katie Shea Boutillier, Donald Maas Literary. (Feb.)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

A kid with a secret superpower who triumphs over his bully and saves the school from a monster? Sign me up to be friends with Hector — and fight by his side. An exciting, creepy story.
—Delilah S. Dawson, New York Times Bestselling author of Mine

A tale with equal parts horror and heart, The School for Invisible Boys proves that even those of us who feel forgotten by society are made of the stuff of heroes.
—KR Alexander, bestselling author of Gallowgate and The Collector

This well-structured story is threaded with themes of misjudgment, misunderstanding, forgetting, and forgiveness. Both the visible and invisible worlds are evocatively described, and the characters are believably flawed.... Invisibility offers no protection in this well-paced, multilayered horror story.
—Kirkus Reviews
Shaun David Hutchinson
Shaun was born in West Palm Beach, Florida on the first of May 1978. He was a bad student who enjoyed sleeping through class, debate, theater, and being a pain in the ass. In college, he studied medieval and renaissance literature before abandoning his degree to work in I.T. doing database design. Shaun is now a full-time author living in Seattle.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780593646298
Lexile Measure
700
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Labyrinth Road
Publication date
February 06, 2024
Series
The Kairos Files
BISAC categories
JUV039060 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Friendship
JUV037000 - Juvenile Fiction | Fantasy & Magic
JUV058000 - Juvenile Fiction | Paranormal, Occult & Supernatural
JUV060000 - Juvenile Fiction | LGBT
Library of Congress categories
Schools
Fantasy
Fantasy fiction
Monsters
Private schools
Invisibility
Novels
Bullies and bullying

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