Invisible by Eloy Moreno is a haunting middle grade novel about bullying, bystanders, and what happens when a child begins to believe no one can—or wants to—see his pain. Originally a bestselling novel published in Spain, the novel is now available in English.
AUTHOR: Eloy Moreno
GENRE: realistic fiction
SETTING: unnamed city in Spain
THEMES: abuse, bullying, invisibility, special powers, friendship, trauma, mental health, Spanish language, flashbacks, siblings
PROTAGONIST: male, age 13
RECOMMENDED FOR: Grades 4-8
STARRED REVIEWS: Kirkus, BCCB, and SLJ
RELEASE DATE: August 4, 2026
NOTES: Originally published in Spain in 2020. Also available in Spanish.
An unnamed thirteen-year-old boy wakes in a hospital with fragmented memories of what happened to him. He does remember one thing: he has a superpower. He can become invisible.
As the story unfolds, readers discover the heartbreaking truth behind that belief. After months of relentless bullying, the boy finds it easier to believe that people cannot see him than to accept that his classmates, friends, and adults can see his suffering but fail to intervene.
The premise reminded me of Andrew Clements’s Things Not Seen (2002), in which a fifteen-year-old boy inexplicably wakes up physically invisible. Moreno takes the idea in a very different, darker direction, using invisibility as a metaphor for isolation and neglect.
Short chapters, flashbacks, and alternating perspectives gradually reveal what led to the boy’s hospitalization. Readers hear not only from him but also from friends, parents, a teacher, and the bully himself.
This will be easy to booktalk and is a great choice for reluctant readers and fans of books/ TV series like 13 Reasons Why.
This almost mystery-like structure asks readers to consider everyone’s role in what happened. Invisible isn’t only about a bully and his victim. It’s also about the classmates who laugh, the friends who look away, and the adults who fail to recognize how serious the situation has become.
Despite its heavy subject matter, Invisible also offers hope through the people who truly see the boy—especially his six-year-old sister, Luna.
The novel earned starred reviews from Kirkus, BCCB, and School Library Journal (for the earlier Spanish-language edition). With its intense depiction of bullying and emotional distress, I would recommend it primarily for upper middle grade and middle school readers and especially for discussions about bullying, bystanders, empathy, and the importance of speaking up when someone needs help.
