Analysis of ‘The Invisible Book’

Genre: Realistic Historical Fiction

Historical fiction must be consistent with historical evidence and appropriate to the time (Thomas &
Thomas, 2021, pp. 330). This text explores a plausible story about people and themes from the
1970’s that draws on the social difficulty of the time to show how it impacts the life of the main
protagonist, Isabel.

Historical Context

Historical Context: The artifacts presented in the annotated images suggest to the reader that this
text is set in the 1970's. This era is consistent with history where citizens of the UK faced cost of
living increases of 190% between the years of 1970 and 1979. Historical events help propel the
narrative forward (Thomas & Thomas, 2021, pp. 330). In the text we can assume that the cost-of-
living increase is likely the cause of Isabel's family having to move into housing estates.

Social Context

Social Context: Learning how the social context is incorporated into the picture book helps children
to understand the critical literary position (McDonald, 2013). This text confronts social inequality and
poverty. It is set in a society where people less fortunate are out grouped into a different social class
that are socially isolated.

Cultural Context

Cultural Context: Picture books can be windows into how other people live in this world, this soft
exposure to different cultures helps children to understand and appreciate them (Thomas &
Thomas, 2021, pp. 413). This text has four major cultural components; poverty, invisibleness (social
isolation), hope, and community. Poverty and invisibleness set the context for the introduction, plot,
and conflict. Though it is hope and community that enculture the resolution and the coda.

Aesthetic features

Line – Lines: The use of sharp angles in the images suggest troubled emotions (Gamble, 2019, pp.
195) which is seen in the images to represent the harsh and dreary conditions of the housing estate.
We also see the dense clustering of lines to depict the weather is bursting with energy (Gamble,
2019, pp. 195). We see less use of line and more use of shape and colour as the text progresses
toward the resolution.

Shape – Shape: The illustrations use shape to show to the difference in living conditions. The sad and
depressing environment which Isabel must move to is very square, but emphasis is given to the way
they are set on an angle, this creates tension to which Isabel must succumb to (Thomas, Thomas,
2021, pp. 341). Conditions that are more beautiful and bring happiness to Isabel are illustrated in
images that have more circles as they create a sense of safety and comfort (Thomas, Thomas, 2021,
pp. 341).

Colour – Colour: Colour is used to show us the world through Isabel's eyes, which when she moves
to the housing estate is seen in less saturated cold blue tones to indicate her isolation (Gamble,
2019, pp. 193). As her hope returns and she begins to connect to her community we see the
illustrations gain full saturation and flat colour which indicates that Isabel feels a sense of joy and
happiness (Gamble, 2019, pp. 193)

Texture – Texture is used in the illustrations to contrast the feelings of social isolation to feeling a
part of community. In images where social isolation is present the textures are looser, have less
uniform, and leave the reader feeling uneasy, though as hope and community become the focus for
the reader, the textures become tighter, more consistent, and ground the reader in a feeling of
order and normality (Lewis, 2001, pp. 121).

Semiotic features

Interpersonal – The semiotic features of this text are used to show the power struggles that social
isolation has for Isabel. As the text progresses and Isabel feels less isolated and more connected, we
begin to see illustrations that give Isabel more salience and connection to her community around
her. Social signs and Isabel’s salience reinforce the readers view that Isabel has created community
and the use of colour helps the reader to feel her success (Harrison, 2003).

Literary features

Character – The characterisation in this text tells the story of Isabel's journey from being less
fortunate, to being socially isolated, and onto being proud and happy. The illustrations characterise
Isabel's struggles and accomplishments which helps the reader to empathise with her journey and to
relate to her experience (Nikolajeva & Scott, 2006, pp.83).

Setting – The setting in this text enhances Isabel's emotional state. The time and place of the setting
helps us to understand some of the larger societal issues that are going which would influence
Isabel's emotional state (Nikolajeva & Scott, 2006, pp.72). The settings themselves are quite realistic
which helps the reader to position themselves in the world within a very real situation that could,
and is, happening to many children.

These literary features reflect the category and genre of the text by situating the reader in the world
and telling us a story of how one young girl is affected by societies pressures. It helps the reader to
understand that social isolation is forced upon people, but those same people have the power to
create change, they are not a victim of society but rather constituents who can push and pull on it.

These literary features set the tone for a narrative because there is compelling reason for the
complication that convinces the reader of its reality, yet there is a strong truth depicted that when
people come together, they can bring joy and happiness to one another. A fantastic happy ending to
a painful problem.
Lesson Design

Year level: Grade 4

Theme of the unit: The lessons will examine poverty and developing a sense of self and belonging.

Intended learning outcomes:

To understand how poverty impacts peoples lives and wellbeing and how developing a sense of self
and belonging helps people experiencing poverty to overcome their challenges.

To understand the way that characters are constructed through text and image.

To demonstrate an understanding of how visual techniques are used to create meaning that is
consistent with the major themes of the text.

Lesson sequence:

Lesson 1 Responding to literature: Explore the themes of poverty, sense of self, and belonging
Lesson 2 Examining Literature: Deep study of Genre
Lesson 3 Responding to literature: Students undertake a Role-on-the-wall activity to describe
Isabels character traits during the orientation, complication, and resolution.
Lesson 4 Context and Literature: Deep study of Context
Lesson 5 Responding to literature (cross over with HASS): Study the similarities and differences
of poverty in the 1970’s and the current day to develop a critical understanding of how
common poverty is to the human experience.
Lesson 6 Examining Literature: Deep study of the visual feature: Colour
Lesson 7 Creating Literature: Using the colour features of the text students will create an image
and caption of a time when they felt like they did not belong and another image of
when they felt like they did belong.
Lesson 8 Examining Literature: Deep study of the literary feature: Setting
Lesson 9 Study on point of view: students select an invisible character other than Isabel in the
text and then hot seat their selected character to explore their point of view
Lesson 10 Creating Literature: Using the visual techniques in the text create three images with
text that tell the story from the point of view of another invisible character within the
text.

Assessment: Students will create three images with short text that tells a story from the point of
view of another invisible character within the text other than Isabel.
Deep study of Genre

Outcome and specific learning focus: Students will develop their understanding of Realistic Historical
Fiction and how the author/illustrator’s uses narrative to develop the themes within the text.
ACARA Content Descriptor:
Examining Literature: Discuss how authors and illustrators make stories exciting, moving and
absorbing and hold readers’ interest by using various techniques
identifying pivotal points in the plot where characters are faced with choices and commenting on
how the author makes us care about their decisions and consequences

Lesson Stage Learning Experience Resources

1. Building the WALT – How the The mentor text
Field (activating author/illustrator uses
background narrative to represent
knowledge) realistic historical fiction.
Historical Fiction is a story
that is set more than 30
years ago. Realistic Fiction is
a story that is possible
within the world that we
live.
WILF – For students to be
able to explain what
historical fiction is, and to be
able to describe how history
can be realistically
represented in narrative.
Questions –
What are the stages of a
narrative?
What do you think makes a
story realistic?
Why is it historical fiction?

2. Modelling (I Deconstruct the stages of The annotated image for genre provided in my
do) the text (orientation, analysis.
(Including complication, resolution)
deconstruction Explain the plausibility of the
of grammatical themes as represented in
or literary the text as real possibilities.
concepts)
3. Joint Students will be walked https://www.thesmithfamily.com.au/stories/tales-
Construction through the viewing of the of-the-one-in-six
(We do) four short, animated stories
(or from the series ‘tales of the
shared/guided one in six’. I will draw
construction) attention to the four major
themes poverty,
invisibleness, hope, and
community, and students
 will be asked:
How are these themes
represented in these short
stories?
How do these themes make
you feel?
4. Independent Students will storyboard the Appendix A
Construction four major themes of the
(You do) mentor text (poverty,
(Collaborative invisibleness, hope, and
(peer-peer) or community) by drawing an
independent image of themselves in a
construction) historical time that depicts
the major themes of the
text.

Deep study of Context

Outcome and specific learning focus: Students will be able to identify the similarities and
consistencies of the major themes in the text from the time of the texts setting to stories of the time
that they themselves live in.
ACARA Content Descriptor:
Make connections between the ways different authors may represent similar storylines, ideas and
relationships
commenting on how authors have established setting and period in different cultures and times and
the relevance of characters, actions and beliefs to their own time
Lesson Stage Learning Experience Resources
1. Building the WALT – How the context of Mentor text
Field (activating the text helps the reader to
background enhance the meaning of the
knowledge) ideas present in the images
and words.
WILF – For students to
explain how the
author/illustrator has used
context to represent the
themes of the text
Questions:
What are the different types
of contexts?
How do we use context of
the images to get a richer
understanding of the words
in the text?

2. Modelling (I Using the annotated images Annotated images on context.

do) on context I will draw the
(Including students attention to the
deconstruction three contexts and how the
of grammatical author has represented
or literary them in the text.
concepts) Thinking aloud I will answer
these questions:
How do we know this is in
the 1970’s?
What is a social pressure
and how do they effect
people?
What cultures has the
author used and how do
they represent the themes?
3. Joint As a class we will discuss https://www.thesmithfamily.com.au/stories/tales-
Construction how the context of the of-the-one-in-six
(We do) mentor text differs from the
(or context of the short stories
shared/guided from the series ‘tales of the
construction) one in six’ drawing to their
attention that the mentor
text is set in England and
the short stories in
Australia, using the
following questions.
Are there similarities in the
contexts of the stories?
What kind of ideas and
relationships are consistent
in the contexts of these
stories?
Do you think poverty exists
only in history?
4. Independent Students will write a report
Construction that compares how the
(You do) themes relevant to Isabel
(Collaborative are also relevant to one of
(peer-peer) or the four stories from the
independent ‘tales of the one in six’
construction) children. The report will
compare the three contexts.

Deep study of Colour

Outcome and specific learning focus: Students will be able to accurately demonstrate how colour
can be used to depict different feelings, emotions and moods.
ACARA Content Descriptor:
Explore the effect of choices when framing an image, placement of elements in the image,
and salience on composition of still and moving images
examining visual and multimodal texts, building a vocabulary to describe visual elements and
techniques such as framing, composition and visual point of view and beginning to understand
how these choices impact on viewer response
Discuss how authors and illustrators make stories exciting, moving and absorbing and hold
readers’ interest by using various techniques, for example character development and plot
tension
examining the author’s description of a character’s appearance, behaviour and speech and noting
how the character’s development is evident through his or her dialogue and changing
relationships and the reactions of other characters to him or her
Lesson Stage Learning Experience Resources
1. Building the Field WALT – How the author/illustrator has used colour Appendix B
(activating in the text to represent the major themes of the
background text.
knowledge) WILF – For students to be able to use colour to
represent the feelings, emotions, and moods that
are present in the themes of the text.
Using the colour wheel in the appendix I will
introduce students to the idea that colours can be
associated with feelings and mood.
2. Modelling (I do) Using the annotated image on colour I will draw Annotated image on
(Including students attention the composition of the images, colour
deconstruction of particularly to how saturation can be used to
grammatical or represent the characters, behaviours, and
literary concepts) development of the plot.
3. Joint Construction Using the colour wheel and the mentor text we Annotated image on
(We do) will examine the contrasting double page spread colour and Appendix
(or shared/guided on the second slide of the annotated colour B
construction) images to describe the difference in feelings and
mood.
4. Independent Students will draw three images in the style of the
Construction (You artist using colour that responds to the following
do) (Collaborative questions:
(peer-peer) or How does poverty make you feel?
independent What would you do to help someone who is poor?
construction) How do you think they would feel after you have
helped them?

Deep study of Setting

Outcome and specific learning focus: Students will be able to distinguish setting transitions and be
able to distinguish the features of the setting that represent the themes of the text.
ACARA Content Descriptor:
Discuss how authors and illustrators make stories exciting, moving and absorbing and hold
readers’ interest by using various techniques, for example character development and plot
tension
examining the author’s description of a character’s appearance, behaviour and speech and noting
how the character’s development is evident through his or her dialogue and changing
relationships and the reactions of other characters to him or her
identifying pivotal points in the plot where characters are faced with choices and commenting on
how the author makes us care about their decisions and consequences

Lesson Stage Learning Experience Resources

1. Building the Field WALT – How the author/illustrator uses the setting Mentor text
(activating to represent the themes within the text
background WILF – For students to be able to distinguish how
knowledge) the setting transitions at pivotal points in the plot
and the effect that it has on the characters.
Questions:
What are the setting transitions in the text?
How are the characters being depicted in each
setting?
2. Modelling (I do) Using the annotated image and think aloud Annotated image on
(Including strategies, I will draw attention to how the settings setting.
deconstruction of are depicted using colour and saturation to
grammatical or represent how the emotional state of the text
literary concepts) changes through the plot.
3. Joint Construction Students will be guided through the setting
(We do) transitions and asked to answer the following
(or shared/guided questions:
construction) How many setting transitions are there in text?
How do the transitions depict the themes of the
text?
What would the settings look like in modern
Australia?
4. Independent Students will use the visual techniques of the text Appendix A and
Construction (You to draw the different settings of the text as if it Appendix B
do) (Collaborative were set in their local city. They will be asked to
(peer-peer) or make sure that they remember to use colour to
independent represent how Isabel feels in her new settings.
construction)
References

Gamble, N. (2019) Exploring Children’s Literature (4th ed.). SAGE Publications, Ltd. (UK)

Harrison, C. (2003). Visual social semiotics: understanding how still images make meaning. (Applied
Theory). Society for Technical Communication, 50(1), 46-61

Lewis, D. (2001) Reading Contemporary Picturebooks. Taylor & Francis Group

McDonald, L. (2013). Project 40 Essay 2: Literature as the key to imagination, language, and
meaning. https://www.petaa.edu.au/w/Teaching_Resources/P40/McDonald_essay.aspx/#Top

Nikolajeva, M., & Scott, C. (2006). How Picturebooks Work. Taylor & Francis Group

Thomas, D., & Thomas, A. (2021). Teaching and Learning Primary English. Oxford University Press
Australia.
Appendix A
Appendix B