Invisible Lines

"Invisible lines are everywhere in Trevor Musgrove's life―lines between social and economic class as well as lines where teasing tips over into bullying, good-natured humor become irritation, and competitiveness transforms into jealous, destructive anger. Trevor has two talents―drawing and soccer―that allow him to pass through some barriers, but the invisible lines become tripwires for Trevor as he moves into low-income housing but gets bused to a good school nearby. An accident with his schedule puts him in a science class with advanced, mostly wealthy students; though he begins to dream about becoming friends with them and joining their travel soccer team while hiding his impoverished circumstances, he ultimately must come to terms with some of his limits. Amato’s light hand in treating heavy circumstances is a true blessing here, and her characterization of Trevor, an engaging underdog who's savvy enough to know how to navigate urban poverty without compromising all of his dreams, is sympathetic and appealing. His science teacher's obsession with mushrooms and their underground growth patterns provides a handy opportunity for metaphorical exploration of different kinds of invisible lines, including those that connect, nourish, and heal in the aftermath of environmental trauma. This is therefore a teacher's dream: a high-interest sports and school story with a multicultural cast that contains entertaining science lessons while providing an accessible introduction to symbolism in literature. Though the print is big enough to suggest a much younger-aimed book, it adds to the story's accessibility; Trevor's included drawings are both humorous and decent scientific illustrations, which may inspire doodling students to put their talents to cross-disciplinary uses as well." ―The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"An upbeat teen with a talent for drawing and soccer who hails from the wrong side of the tracks learns to bloom where he's planted. When seventh grader Trevor moves to the trashy Hedley Gardens project with his single-parent mom and younger siblings, he decides 'it's going to be my year.' Entering a new school in a rich neighborhood, Trevor is accidently placed in an advanced science class. Encouraged by the eccentric teacher to discover the world of mushrooms, Trevor applies humor and evasive tactics to fit in. He draws original designs on his classmates' shoes, and he tries out for an elite soccer team knowing he can't pay the fees. However, Trevor's plans for success derail after the star soccer player sabotages him. Narrating in the present tense, Trevor instantly engages readers with a resilient and infectious can-do attitude that eventually enables him to turn the tables on his rival. Amato's mushroom metaphor aptly fits her young hero, who emerges from unpromising surroundings by following his mom's advice 'to rise above it.'" ―Kirkus Reviews

"Trevor, a seventh-grader, lives in a tough, run-down housing project, but his school is in a rich neighborhood nearby, and it is hard for him to fit in. He is thrilled to join the soccer team, even though he cannot afford cleats, and his spoiled, rich classmate, Xander, won't pass him the ball. With his father in jail and his mom searching for work, Trevor has to balance soccer practice with babysitting for his beloved, irritating younger siblings. A gifted artist, he finds escape from his life's pressures when he begins to keep a required notebook for science class, which he fills with drawings, facts, and observations. With its exciting mix of soccer, science, art, friends, and enemies, Trevor's first-person narrative will pull in readers, and the story's class differences, a topic seldom addressed in YA fiction, dramatize the invisible lines of the title. Without heavy messages, Trevor's anger and tenderness are heartbreaking, and readers will appreciate that he is realistically flawed, especially in his attempts to get into the rich crowd." ―Booklist