Published: 2023
Author: Kim Johnson
Genres: Young Adult, Mystery, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Thriller, Social Justice, Family, Friendship
Audience (Grade Levels): Young Adult; Grades 9-12
Number of Stars: 5-Stars
Goodreads Link: Invisible Son
Triggers: Attempted murder, injustice, racism, murder, domestic violence
Review By: Nicole Nicosia
Publisher’s Summary
From the award-winning and critically acclaimed author of This Is My America comes another thriller about a wrongly accused teen desperate to reclaim both his innocence and his first love.
Life can change in an instant. When you’re wrongfully accused of a crime. When a virus shuts everything down. When the girl you love moves on.
Andre Jackson is determined to reclaim his identity. But returning from juvie doesn’t feel like coming home. His Portland, Oregon, neighborhood is rapidly gentrifying, and COVID-19 shuts down school before he can return. And Andre’s suspicions about his arrest for a crime he didn’t commit even taint his friendships. It’s as if his whole life has been erased.
The one thing Andre is counting on is his relationship with the Whitaker kids—especially his longtime crush, Sierra. But Sierra’s brother Eric is missing, and the facts don’t add up as their adoptive parents fight to keep up the act that their racially diverse family is picture-perfect. If Andre can find Eric, he just might uncover the truth about his own arrest. But in a world where power is held by a few and Andre is nearly invisible, searching for the truth is a dangerous game.
Critically acclaimed author Kim Johnson delivers another social justice thriller that shines a light on being young and Black in America—perfect for fans of The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas and Dear Justyce by Nic Stone.
Review
Readers will empathize with an unjustly convicted Andre, who wants his life to return to normal. He is tethered by an ankle monitor with a curfew of 9 pm, supervised by a probation officer and must complete community service hours at Parks and Rec where he worked when he was sent to juvie for a crime he did not commit. The additional mystery of Andre’s missing friend and next-door neighbor Eric Whitaker adds suspense to an already tense social justice thriller. The novel examines racial inequities, injustice, racism, the BLM movement, the George Floyd protests and gentrification while also showing the deep bonds of teenage friendship and love. The book carefully examines the importance of family and community. These social issues are also viewed through the tragic lens of the coronavirus pandemic and its far greater impact on black and brown neighborhoods.
Andre wants to find out who set him up and why Eric has disappeared. The story begins after his release as the coronavirus pandemic begins and social justice protests start occurring in his city. Andre also explores his feelings for Eric’s sister, Sierra. The author rounds out this amazing thriller by creating authentic teen characters who have a music review YouTube channel where they livestream or video their reactions to popular music of the past – each chapter is a song on DJ Andre’s playlist. The Youtube channel is also used later in the story to communicate a message. Andre’s full playlist with artists is included at the end of the novel.
This multi-layered narrative will appeal to all teens. I feel this will be as popular as read-alikes The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, All American Boys by Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds and Dear Justyce by Nic Stone. This is a must purchase for all school libraries and public libraries. It will never be checked in for long as it also boasts the most beautiful book cover of 2023. Plan on seeing this title on YA book award lists in the future. 5/5 stars. Must read, must purchase. I will have multiple copies on our library’s shelves.
Classroom & Curricular Connections:
- Social Studies / Modern US History (The Pandemic, Gentrification, and BLM): This novel offers a powerful, intersectional lens on recent history. Educators can use the text to discuss the disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Black and brown communities, the mechanics of neighborhood gentrification in Portland, and the social dynamics surrounding the George Floyd protests and the Black Lives Matter movement.
- English Language Arts (Nonlinear Chapter Structures & Curating Voice): Teachers can analyze the author’s unique narrative structure, where each chapter corresponds to a song on the protagonist’s playlist. This serves as an excellent mentor text for teaching students how to use multimedia elements, pop culture, and musical lyricism to establish character voice, build tension, and layer meaning in creative writing.
- Social-Emotional Learning (Rebuilding Identity and Coping with Systemic Injustice): The story centers on Andre’s struggle to reclaim his identity after being unjustly institutionalized and returning to a changed world. It serves as a strong focal point for counseling or advisory discussions on resilience, processing collective and personal trauma, and the power of family and community networks during crises.
- “DJ Andre’s Playlist” Creative Writing & Soundtrack Activity: Inspired by Andre’s music review YouTube channel and the playlist at the end of the book, have students curate a 5-to-10-song playlist representing their own lives or a major turning point in their history. Students will write brief “liner notes” or chapter summaries explaining why each song selection matches the emotional beats of their chosen events.
- Digital Literacy & Community Voice Workshop: Looking at how the characters use a livestreaming YouTube channel to communicate vital messages and search for the truth, host a library workshop on digital advocacy. Guide teens to brainstorm positive, constructive ways they can utilize social media, podcasts, or video creation to raise awareness about local issues, gentrification, or community needs.
Diversity & Representation:
Invisible Son stands out as a crucial work of contemporary representation by shining a bright, raw light on the realities of being young, Black, and unjustly targeted by the justice system in modern America. It deeply explores systemic racial disparities, the complexities of a racially diverse adoptive family, and the socio-economic challenges confronting marginalized Portland neighborhoods. In doing so, it provides a vital, multi-layered reflection of marginalized youth navigating the intersection of systemic racism and a global health crisis.
Readalikes
- The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
- Dear Justyce by Nic Stone
- All American Boys by Brendan Kiely and Jason Reynolds
