Curiosity is one of those traits that come so naturally to children. When you have so much to learn, you want to learn everything. Isabel and the Invisible World by Rick Allen is a book that nurtures this curiosity, particularly for science. And its young hero, Isabel, shows readers how to develop that curiosity into knowledge. Below is my review of Isabel and the Invisible World followed by an interview with the author.
Isabel and the Invisible World plot synopsis
Isabel is a young detective who loves to use her magnifying glass to solve mysteries about the tiny things that make big things happen. But when she sees the water glowing on a night trip to Mosquito Bay, her magnifying glass alone isn’t enough to solve the mystery. So, she borrows some of her father’s science equipment and sets out to solve the mystery.
The story
Isabel and the Invisible World is an engaging picture book that embraces curiosity and encourages young readers, particularly girls, to pursue a love of science. Isabel is about looking at the world in order to find the small things that cause big things to happen. She then digs even deeper when her magnifying glass just won’t magnify large enough so see what’s causing the water in the bay to glow.
This book is an introduction to Isabel and her inquisitive nature. In fact, she’s originally referred to as a detective who uses her powers of observation to see what others can’t. It makes her unique and useful in helping to solve mysteries and fix problems, big or small.
The characters
The story mainly focuses on Isabel, a multifaceted girl. She wears a girly pair of pink overalls and oversized glasses. At the same time, she isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty or explore new territories. She loves to be outside, but she will gladly retreat to the lab to further study her findings. And her little dog is often along for the ride.
I like how the first part of the story tells Isabel’s backstory in terms of her personality and natural curiosity. It relates some of the past mysteries that she has solved with her magnifying glass. And this story shows her transition from detective to scientist.
Isabel’s parents are encouraging of their daughter’s interest. They are the ones who take her out on the water to see the bioluminescence, and her father, a microbiologist, has the tools and resources that help her to research the answers to her questions without feeding them directly to her. After all, science is about figuring things out, not being told the answer outright.
The design and illustrations
The book in its hard copy form is a large, 35-page book with big, clear type that sometimes literally waves its way across the page. Each page contains no more than a sentence or two which keeps the story flowing and is the perfect length for early grade school readers.
The illustrations are bright and colorful which blow up tiny and microscopic objects to a size that we can see when Isabel views them with one of her instruments. I love the green, leafy backgrounds of nature and the bright blues of the skies and glowing water. It makes these scientific discoveries an intriguing fantasy world that is rooted in reality and makes it an enticing place for Isabel to explore.
Isabel herself is drawn with simple but enthusiastic expressions. Her big glasses and crooked smile make her an enthusiastic main character who looks like a real kid but with eye-catching cartoonish features.
My recommendation
I recommend Isabel and the Invisible World to young girls who love to explore, get outdoors, and are naturally curious about the world. It promotes an interest in science without spoon feeding the reader into its message.
I do feel like it ended kind of abruptly and would have liked a little more personalization with certain elements, such as the name of her dog and her favorite detective. But otherwise, the story has a great message, fun illustrations, and a well-rounded hero to want to emulate.
My rating
An interview with Rick Allen
How long did this story take to write?
Isabel’s story began as an impromptu bedtime story for my daughter. I really enjoyed it myself so went and wrote an outline that evening after she fell asleep.
Even though the Isabel character was a new creation, simplifying the educational aspects into situations children can relate to was something I had been working on steadily over a four-year period as a volunteer at a kelp forest ecosystem exhibit at the California Science Center. Feeding sharks and eels was pretty cool, but fielding questions from curious youngsters was definitely the most rewarding part of my day.
Who or what was your best science teacher?
Without a doubt, nature has been, and continues to be, my best science teacher. I’m a tactical learner so there’s just no substitute for engaging all my senses when being introduced to something new. People often describe it as the difference between knowing something and understanding something. I want my stories to get people excited about seeking these experiences for themselves.
What advice do you have for kids who want to get interested in science, particularly microbiology?
Ask questions. Seek answers. Take notes. Everything goes back to the steps outlined in the scientific method. That’s what Isabel does in her book after she encounters glowing waves.
First, she wonders what might be causing the water to glow. Next, she hypothesizes that the glowing is probably caused by something very small. After that, she collects data (her water sample in this case). She uses dad’s microscope to analyze that data. Finally, she draws conclusions by comparing what she sees to a photograph in a textbook.
Using a simple tool, like a magnifying glass, is a great way to begin observing tiny details. A lot of kids start with a bug collection. I was a rock nerd. I really enjoyed looking closely at different types rocks, noting how they were shiny, dull, smooth, or rough. Did they break easy or were they very hard to break?
I’ll never forget the time my parents put some tadpoles in a terrarium for us to watch grow. It was fascinating seeing them start out looking like small fish, then developing hind legs, front legs, and eventually losing their tails and looking like how we normally see frogs.
I didn’t need any special tools to see the changes, but it was a wonderful entry into understanding how life can start small as one shape and morph into another shape. I think that’s a pretty fantastic building block to comprehending complex microbiological processes.
Isabel likes exploring in the field. What would be a good career for her to pursue?
Great question! Most scientists love being in the field. Whether the “field” is a saltwater marsh, the arctic tundra, or the inside of a volcano, being in nature is the best way to engage all of your senses.
For instance, you can’t smell a photograph, but maybe smelling something in the field clues a researcher into chemicals that might be present at the site. It gets really interesting when the location is somewhere like outer space or the deep ocean.
Researchers have to think of clever ways to gather comprehensive data. Some scientists focus on a single environment type, such as marine biologists or glaciologists. Others might focus on topics like soundwaves or light.
All of that said, field work and gathering data is just the beginning. Many scientists end up finding careers that are defined by a term often called cross-specialization. For instance, someone may get a degree in biology, studying how life moves and interacts with the environment, and then they may go on to study engineering and apply what they learned from biology to the design of the things they want to build. We would call that career bio-mechanics.
Biomechanical engineers who are interested in nanotechnology often study insects like bees to understand how groups of organisms communicate with one another. In another instance, perhaps a young scientist falls in love with the rainforest. Their research leads them to discover the origins of pollutants that could be harming the rainforest.
They decide to go back to school and study policy or law in order to protect the rainforest that they loved spending time in. They use their scientific data to back up changes they want to see happen in environmental policy.
Isabel’s two biggest heroes are Dr. Jane Goodall and Dr. Sylvia Earle. Each of these women were pioneers in their respected research fields. However, their fieldwork was just the beginning. They’ve both since gone on to be internationally recognized advocates for the environments and animals they fell in love with early on.
Do you have any suggestions for scientific instruments that are good for kids (a particular microscope set, brand of magnifying glass, etc.)?
I don’t have any particular brands to recommend, but some basic places to start might be: butterfly nets, caterpillar/butterfly houses, ant farms, terrariums, and of course magnifying glasses! Microscopes can be a big expensive, but with proper adult supervision, there are some really cool microscopes out there that send the magnified image to a screen or even your smart phone, making it easier to study and share the things you find.
How closely did you work with illustrator Nadia Ronquillo on the illustrations that are featured in the book?
Nadia and I worked closely on designing the characters and setting. From there, most of the illustration layouts were entirely her design. She’s based in Ecuador while I live in Los Angeles so there was a lot of Skyping and sharing images online to review work and make small suggestions.
One of the really interesting things that came up was Isabel’s eyeglasses. I hadn’t considered having her wear glasses, but it was one of the potential looks Nadia came up with. We had a quick talk and came up with this great backstory where Isabel’s poor eyesight gives her this deeper understanding of how important optics can be; whether that’s eyeglasses, a microscope, or even a space telescope!
Do you have a favorite page?
My favorite page is the one with the reflection of Isabel staring into the water. I think it really gets across that crucial sense of wonder we experience when seeing something amazing for the first time. My daughter often has that same awe-struck look in her eyes. I know that’s how I felt the first time I saw bioluminescence, too!
What’s next for Isabel?
In Isabel’s next outing we’ll see her go underwater, exploring tropical reefs, and how certain microscopic organisms factor into the ecosystem there!
Author links
Links will open in a new tab.
Buy it!
Buy a copy of Isabel and the Invisible World here and help support local bookstores! This is an affiliate link, and I will earn a commission on any sales.
Pin it!
Love the sounds of this curiosity-driven book and the colorful illustrations!
Yes, the illustrations make it very eye catching!
great job of showcasing these illustrations and how they enhance the reading experience. As someone who loves visual storytelling, this was a big selling point for me. Can’t wait to read this with my Daughter!
Yes, the fact that some pages actually seem to glow make it a really eye catching book and really helps to sell the STEM message to young readers, particularly little girls.