MTM: The Invisible Boy

This week, my mentor text is The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig. I don’t know about you, but it sure seems that each year I teach, the kids are becoming more and more ruthless with one another. Why do they treat one another so poorly? I know my generation with its ratted hair-sprayed hair, and stone washed, rolled up jeans weren’t exactly saints, but I’m pretty sure the bullying has gotten worse! I guess that is why I am always looking for books that are combating that. Anything that will provide an opportunity to explore empathy and teach kindness.

I'm sure there are some students in your classroom with the behavior of feeling like they don't exist or matter! This mentor text is perfect for teaching empathy and kindness when you are teaching about classroom citizenship!

 

This story begins by introducing us to Brian, a boy who feels like he’s invisible — and justifiably so. His teacher often doesn’t notice him because of all the students who have behavioral issues, he is picked last or not at all during recess games and overhears all the fun others had a party he wasn’t invited to.

Then one day a new student, Justin, arrives. He is instantly being evaluated by the class to determine if he is “cool” or not. During lunch one day, Justin ate with chopsticks and was laughed at. Brian wondered which was worse, being laughed at or being invisible.

Brian decides to reach out to Justin and they become friends. When a teacher assigns a special project, Brian tries to work with Justin, but another student snatches him up. Justin suggests they work together as a group of three. Through this process that another student realizes Brian is actually pretty “cool” and “maybe, just maybe [he’s] not so invisible after all.”

 
Click here to download my "The Invisible Boy" mentor text freebie!

GRAB YOUR FREEBIE!

To grab the sheet above to use in your classroom for free, click here or click on the image.
 
 
 
As previously stated, it would definitely be a good mentor text to have students practice empathy and discuss how we should be treating others. I believe it could easily be used as a writing piece (click on the picture above to download). The theme that one small act of kindness can change everything, would create discussion and can be an open to further projects, such as random acts of kindness and character development/classroom citizenship. Further, students could discuss (explore?) how else they could have handled some of the situations in the book.
 
Another book, Just Kidding by Trudy Ludwig, is more related to bullying and would be a great book to read along with this one. You could have students compare the characters in both stories and how they changed as they progressed through it. Both of these texts are perfect for reading during bully prevention month. You can read about the book Just Kidding in my post MTM: Just Kidding.
 
(aff. link) Don’t forget to pick up this book, The Invisible Boy, for your classroom library today!

 

 

3 Responses

  1. In the beginning of the book, there is a comment that says “nathan and sophie take up too much space”. My second graders took that part to heart. If anyone was acting up or not following directions all I had to ask was “how much space are you taking up?” whoosh! Quick behavior changes!

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