Things Not Seen
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| Author | Andrew Clements |
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| Language | English |
| Genre | Science Fiction |
| Publisher | Philomel Books, Puffin |
Publication date | 2002 |
| Publication place |  USA |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover, Paperback) |
Things Not Seen is a 2001 science fiction book written by Andrew Clements in which a teenage boy, Bobby, suddenly turns invisible. The story revolves around Bobby as he deals with his 'condition', meets new people, and tries to get back to normal. The book was originally released in 2002 by Philomel Books, but was re-released in 2006 as a platinum edition by Puffin. The platinum edition includes a short interview with Andrew Clements and a redesigned cover.
Plot Summary
15-year-old Bobby Phillips wakes up on what seems to be an average morning. After showering in the dark to get extra sleep, Bobby dries himself and looks in the mirror. He does a double-take before realizing that he cannot see himself; He is invisible. Bobby immediately goes to tell his parents, who initially don't believe him. After he proves to his parents that he really is invisible, it is decided that Bobby is to tell no one about the situation. After a small argument between Bobby and his parents, whom he believes are too controlling, Bobby returns to his room for a nap.
When he wakes up, both of Bobby's parents have left and gone to work. He is angered by a note left by his mom, and decides that his parents can't control him anymore, so he dresses in full-body cold weather clothing (the book takes place in February) and heads for the library. After spending some time there, Bobby decides to return home. While leaving through the library's main doors, Bobby accidentally bumps into a blind girl, whom he discovers to be named Alicia. He rushes home to find his father home. He strips his clothes off and sneaks through the other back door. His father finds out and Bobby throws a fit at him, runs upstairs into his room and locks the door. After his father leaves to go pick up Bobby's mother he comes downstairs to fix up something to eat. He goes into the family room covers himself with a fleece blanket and turns on the T.V. and finds out his parents were just in a car crash. Bobby then feels guilty for yelling at his father earlier.
A few days later, Bobby returns to the library (this time nude, as it was too warm for his cold-weather clothing). He notices Alicia in one of the library's soundproof listening booths and goes in to talk to her. After chatting for a while, the two decide to walk home together. On the walk, Alicia is pushed into Bobby and her hand brushes against his bare chest. Bobby is then forced to explain to Alicia that he is invisible, which is proven by a man who tells Alicia that no one is standing next to her. Alicia and Bobby part ways, planning to meet each other at the library the next day. When they do meet at the library's listening booth, Alicia's father, who followed her to the library, wonders who she is talking to and eventually walks into the booth. This is when Bobby is once again forced to tell someone about his invisibility. It turns out that Alicia's father is a respected scientist, so both he and Bobby's father (also a scientist) begin trying to find a cause for Bobby's invisibility. They think that it might be an electric blanket that Bobby had purchased from Sears. Bobby decides to do some investigation work.
Bobby later sneaks into the Sears building and prints out a list of the names of people that had called about the blanket. There was a controller malfunction, and it gave off high radiation. Bobby hides the list of people and their phone numbers, and heads home in a taxi with Alicia. He calls many people, but there is no luck. Finally, he calls a family whose daughter supposedly ran away "for the best of her and the family."
Bobby discovers that the girl, named Sheila, had left the family an e-mail message, and traces the e-mail to find Sheila's address and phone number. When he calls, Bobby is very vague, saying that the same thing that happened to her happened to him. He says that he disappeared. Soon Bobby angers Sheila and she hangs up. He leaves a message on her answering machine, and she picks up and asks Bobby if he is "really invisible" like her.
They discuss what happened, and Bobby finds out that when Sheila turned invisible, there was a solar storm. He also figures out that there was a solar storm when he turned invisible.
It is eventually discovered that the invisibility was caused by Bobby's electric blanket, which was defective. When the defective blanket's magnetic field combined with unusually high levels of the sun's particles, a reaction occurred, turning Bobby invisible. Bobby takes Alicia's suggestion, which is to recreate the event and possibly reverse the effects, which works. Bobby regains his visibility. He goes to see Alicia, whom he tries to kiss. Alicia gets angry at him, but emails him a poem later. The story closes with Bobby returning to Alicia's house to tell her that he "loves her poem."
Characters
- Bobby Phillips - The book's 15-year-old protagonist who becomes invisible at the beginning of the story.
- Alicia Van Dorn - A blind girl that meets Bobby. She is the first person besides Bobby's parents to learn that he is invisible.
- Mrs. Phillips - Bobby's mother, a professor of literature.
- Mr. Phillips - Bobby's father, a scientist.
- Mrs. Van Dorn - Alicia's mother.
- Mr. Van Dorn - Alicia's father, a scientist.
- Mrs. Pagett - A child services officer attempting to discover why Bobby is not in school.
- Sheila - A woman that Bobby contacts whom had also become invisible.
Sequel
The 2006 book Things Hoped For, also written by Andrew Clements and published by Philomel Books, is the sequel to Things Not Seen.