The Schwa Was Here by Neal Shusterman

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to be invisible? The Schwa doesn't need to wonder, because he just is, almost all the time, until he finds his way into Antsy's life. Antsy and his friends are intrigued by the Schwa (real name: Calvin Schwa) because he can seemingly pop up out of "nowhere," and almost everyone he comes into contact with ignores him completely or forgets about him immediately. For fun, they decide to test out "the Schwa Effect," and amazingly it appears that Calvin Schwa really is invisible -- at least to teachers and classmates. Could it be possible that money can be made off of the Schwa's ability to disappear and reappear virtually unnoticed? The course of events that take places are hilarious, but along the way the Schwa and Antsy develop a very serious friendship with each other and with Old Man Crawley and his blind granddaughter, Lexie, all of whom must try to help keep the Schwa from disappearing forever.

This book is recommended to all readers, middle school age and older, especially those with an interest in first kisses and ultimate adventures. The prolific Neal Shusterman offers titles that cover a wide range of interests for all ages; for more, try Unwind, Everlost, and The Schwa's sequel Antsy Does Time.
Call number: YA SHUSTERMAN (Teen Room)

Reviewed by kate the librarian