Preteen girl looking at a cell phone with her parents

Personalized picks at your fingertips

Get the mobile app on iOS and Android

Get the app
Parents' Guide to

The Amanda Project: invisible i

By Debra Bogart, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 12+

Compelling, quirky onion of a mystery.

Book Amanda Valentino , Stella Lennon , Melissa Kantor Mystery 2009
The Amanda Project: invisible i Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this book.

Community Reviews

See all
age 12+

Based on 1 parent review

Kristils
Kristils Parent of 9 and 11-year-old
January 5, 2010
age 12+

Great for kids 12+

I thought it was a great book. I cannot wait for the 2nd 1!
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

Callie and two other random ninth-graders are called to the vice-principal’s office to explain an act of vandalism -- or give up the girl who did it. The girl who did it, Amanda, has disappeared only months after arriving at their school, but she left many messages behind. As they pursue why she implicated them they discover many lies. Convinced that the lies had a higher purpose of uniting them, they seek more clues, and the truth about where Amanda has gone.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1 ):
Kids say (5 ):

The writing and the book design are both beautiful. Main characters are smart, resilient, and optimistic -- Kantor’s dialogue is spot on, and the characters will resonate with readers. Callie’s life is a roller coaster, and yet her new-found friendships empower her. Amanda’s disappearance seems to lead to more secrets and more revelations at the same time, and Callie finds the strength, and the support, to make some big changes in her life. Courage leads to confrontations that help many people; but Amanda is still missing.

This is a cliffhanger that will have readers anxiously awaiting the next book, and the Web site may inspire them creatively.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why Amanda wanted to bring Callie together with her two new friends.

  • Does the intent behind Amanda's actions justify the results (detention for Callie and two others)? How about the anxiety and worry she causes them?

  • Why does Callie drop her old friends, and is she right?

  • Does it help Callie or hurt her to keep the secret about her missing mother?

  • What is the biggest mystery in the book?

Book Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended book lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate