What Not to Do If You Turn Invisible by Ross Welford

What Not to Do If You Turn Invisible by Ross Welford is a funny, mysterious, and imaginative children’s adventure about invisibility, friendship, family secrets, identity, and learning to accept yourself.

Ethel Leatherhead only wants to solve one problem.

Her acne.

Instead, an unusual combination of treatments gives her something completely unexpected.

She turns invisible.

About What Not to Do If You Turn Invisible

At first, becoming invisible sounds amazing.

Ethel can disappear whenever she wants.

She can move around without anyone seeing her.

With the help of her friend Boydy, she begins experimenting with her strange new ability.

But invisibility quickly becomes much more complicated.

One day, Ethel discovers she cannot become visible again.

Suddenly, the ability that felt exciting becomes frightening.

Meet Ethel Leatherhead

Ethel is curious, intelligent, and determined.

She is also dealing with the insecurities many young people experience while growing up.

Her attempt to improve her skin accidentally changes her entire life.

But becoming invisible also forces her to learn more about herself.

As the story develops, Ethel discovers that the mystery surrounding her ability may connect to an even bigger mystery.

Her own past.

Meet Boydy

Boydy is Ethel’s friend and partner in adventure.

When Ethel discovers her invisibility, he becomes one of the few people she trusts.

Together, they try to understand what is happening.

Boydy brings loyalty, humor, and courage to the story.

Their friendship becomes especially important when Ethel’s situation becomes dangerous.

7 Amazing Reasons to Read What Not to Do If You Turn Invisible

1. A Brilliant Invisibility Adventure

The central idea is instantly fun.

What would you do if nobody could see you?

At first, Ethel explores the possibilities.

But the story quickly shows that being invisible is not as easy as it sounds.

That makes the premise both entertaining and suspenseful.

2. A Strong Mystery

The book is not only about invisibility.

There is also a mystery surrounding Ethel’s identity and family history.

Questions slowly begin to appear.

Why did this happen to her?

Who can she trust?

What does her family know?

These mysteries keep the story moving.

3. Funny Moments

Ross Welford combines adventure with humor.

Even when the situation becomes serious, the characters often create funny moments.

This helps keep the book enjoyable for younger readers.

4. Friendship Matters

Ethel does not face everything alone.

Boydy becomes an important source of support.

Their friendship gives the story warmth.

It also shows how valuable it is to have someone you can trust when life becomes confusing.

5. It Explores Identity

Invisibility becomes a clever way to explore identity.

If nobody can see you, who are you?

How much of identity depends on appearance?

And what happens when you discover that the story you believed about yourself may not be complete?

These questions give the book emotional depth.

6. Family Secrets Add Suspense

Ethel begins discovering surprising information about her past.

This turns the story into more than a science-fiction adventure.

The family mystery becomes just as important as the invisibility.

7. It Mixes Humor and Emotion

What Not to Do If You Turn Invisible is funny.

But it also has serious moments.

Ethel must deal with fear, uncertainty, family relationships, and self-acceptance.

That combination makes the story enjoyable for both children and adults.

How Ethel Becomes Invisible

Ethel does not intend to become invisible.

She is trying to deal with her acne.

She experiments with an unusual skin treatment and a tanning bed.

Something unexpected happens.

Her body becomes invisible.

At first, she can return to normal.

That makes the ability feel exciting.

But then the rules begin changing.

When Invisibility Becomes a Problem

Being invisible creates practical difficulties.

How do you walk around without frightening people?

How do you hide clothes?

How do you explain where you are?

What happens if someone sees objects moving by themselves?

These problems create many of the book’s funniest moments.

But they also create real danger.

The Mystery of Ethel’s Birth

As the story continues, Ethel discovers that the biggest mystery may not be invisibility.

It may be her own identity.

She begins asking questions about her family.

The answers lead to secrets that have been hidden for years.

This gives the story a deeper emotional layer.

Friendship and Loyalty

Boydy stands beside Ethel even when the situation becomes strange.

That loyalty matters.

Ethel needs someone she can trust.

The story shows how friendship can make difficult situations easier.

It also shows that good friends sometimes need courage too.

Being Seen

The title suggests invisibility.

But the book is also about being seen emotionally.

Ethel is learning who she is.

She wants people to understand her.

She also wants to understand herself.

This makes invisibility a useful metaphor for growing up.

Self-Confidence

Ethel’s journey begins because she is unhappy with her appearance.

That makes self-confidence an important theme.

The story does not simply tell readers to stop caring about appearance.

Instead, it shows how complicated those feelings can be.

Ethel gradually learns that identity is much bigger than the way she looks.

Family

Family plays a major role in the story.

Ethel begins questioning what she has always believed.

Secrets come to the surface.

Relationships become more complicated.

But these discoveries also help her understand where she comes from.

Adventure and Danger

The story becomes increasingly adventurous.

Ethel and Boydy must think quickly.

They encounter people who may not have good intentions.

They also need to protect Ethel’s secret.

As the mystery grows, the stakes become higher.

Science and Imagination

The invisibility in the novel is fictional.

But Ross Welford uses the idea to create a believable adventure.

The science is playful rather than technical.

That makes the book accessible for younger readers.

Readers do not need scientific knowledge to enjoy the story.

Humor

One of Ross Welford’s strengths is humor.

Characters react naturally to strange situations.

Invisible Ethel creates awkward moments.

Plans do not always work.

The humor keeps the story light even when serious themes appear.

Who Should Read This Book?

What Not to Do If You Turn Invisible is ideal for children who enjoy adventure, mystery, science fiction, friendship stories, and funny books.

It may especially appeal to readers who enjoy stories with unusual powers.

Fans of time travel, magical realism, or clever family mysteries may also enjoy it.

Scholastic lists the book as suitable for readers aged around 9+.

About Ross Welford

Ross Welford is a British children’s author who previously worked as a journalist and television producer.

His books include Time Travelling with a Hamster, What Not to Do If You Turn Invisible, The 1,000-Year-Old Boy, The Dog Who Saved the World, and several other adventure novels.

His official site describes What Not to Do If You Turn Invisible as his second book, first published in December 2016.

Readers can learn more through the official Ross Welford page for What Not to Do If You Turn Invisible.

Product Details

Title: What Not to Do If You Turn Invisible

Author: Ross Welford

Genre: Children’s Fiction / Adventure / Mystery / Science Fiction

Language: English

Main Character: Ethel Leatherhead

Common UK Paperback Edition

Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books

ISBN-13: 9780008156350

Format: Paperback

Pages: 416

Publication Date: December 29, 2016

Collins confirms this UK paperback edition as ISBN 9780008156350 with 416 pages.

US Edition

A U.S. edition was later published by Schwartz & Wade.

ISBN-13: 9780399551536

Pages: 432

Publication Year: 2018

Google Books lists this U.S. edition at 432 pages.

Important Edition Note

Different editions may have different page counts, ISBNs, and covers.

For Bargain Books, use the ISBN printed on the physical copy in your stock.

Do not automatically use the U.S. ISBN if you are selling the UK HarperCollins edition.

Explore More Children’s Books

What Not to Do If You Turn Invisible starts with a funny idea.

A girl accidentally becomes invisible.

But the story grows into something bigger.

It becomes a mystery about family.

Identity.

Friendship.

And discovering who you really are.

Readers can explore more Children & Young Adult Books at Bargain Books.

For readers who enjoy funny adventures, mysterious powers, family secrets, and imaginative stories, What Not to Do If You Turn Invisible is an amazing and entertaining read.