Things Not Seen Comprehension Questions & Reading Journal
4.3 out of 5, (11 ratings on Open Library)
Things Not Seen has 27 chapters · 251 pages
Bobby Phillips is an average fifteen-year-old-boy. Until the morning he wakes up and can't see himself in the mirror.
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Inside the journal: 27 chapter pages, one question each · 3 example answers · a cover for your reader’s name
Chapter by chapter Each question is about its own chapter.
Bobby wakes up and discovers something impossible has happened to him. What clues show him that this is real and not just a dream?See all 27 questions ↓
About the book
Bobby Phillips is an average fifteen-year-old-boy. Until the morning he wakes up and can't see himself in the mirror. Not blind, not dreaming-Bobby is just plain invisible. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to Bobby's new condition; even his dad the physicist can't figure it out. For Bobby that means no school, no friends, no life. He's a missing person. Then he meets Alicia. She's blind, and Bobby can't resist talking to her, trusting her. But people are starting to wonder where Bobby is.
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Things Not Seen questions by chapter
We know this book well. Every question asks about something that happens in its chapter, a moment, a choice or a character, without giving away what comes next. One question per chapter, across all 27 chapters, and every one is editable before you print. The example answers under 3 of the chapters are the ones printed at the front of the booklet.
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Chapter 1
Bobby wakes up and discovers something impossible has happened to him. What clues show him that this is real and not just a dream?
Example answer: I think Bobby knows it is real because he cannot see his own body, even when he is fully awake. He tries to do normal things, but everything feels strange and scary because he is really invisible. If it were a dream, he might wake up quickly, but the problem keeps going. This makes the first chapter feel surprising and serious.
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Chapter 2
How do Bobby's parents react when they learn he is invisible? What does their reaction tell you about their family?
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Chapter 3
Bobby and his parents start making a plan. Why do they decide to keep Bobby's condition a secret, and do you think that is a wise choice?
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Chapter 4
How does being invisible make everyday things, like being at home or thinking about school, feel different for Bobby?
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Chapter 5
Bobby's problem becomes more serious when his parents cannot help him in the usual way. What new responsibilities does Bobby have to face?
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Chapter 6
What does Bobby learn about taking care of himself while he is mostly on his own? Use details from the chapter.
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Chapter 7
Bobby has to follow rules to stay safe and hidden. Which rule or problem would be the hardest for you, and why?
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Chapter 8
Bobby meets Alicia at the library. Why is this meeting important to the story?
Example answer: I think meeting Alicia is important because Bobby finally has someone outside his family to talk to. Alicia is blind, so she does not react to him the way other people might. She listens to him and notices him in a different way. This meeting starts an important friendship that helps Bobby feel less alone.
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Chapter 9
Alicia is blind, so she understands the world differently from Bobby. How does that change the way she notices and talks to him?
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Chapter 10
What details show that Bobby is beginning to trust Alicia? Why is trust important in this chapter?
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Chapter 11
Bobby keeps a huge secret from Alicia. Why might keeping this secret protect him, and why might it also hurt their friendship?
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Chapter 12
When Alicia learns more about Bobby, how does her reaction help you understand her character?
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Chapter 13
The title is Things Not Seen. What is something in this chapter that is not seen with eyes but is still important?
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Chapter 14
What outside pressures make it harder for Bobby's family to keep the secret? How do these pressures raise the tension?
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Chapter 15
Bobby's parents try to solve the problem in a logical way. How does science or careful thinking help them search for answers?
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Chapter 16
Based on the clues so far, what do you predict caused Bobby to become invisible? Explain your thinking.
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Chapter 17
Compare Alicia's family with Bobby's family. How are they alike or different in the way they try to protect their children?
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Chapter 18
What does Bobby learn about Alicia's feelings and struggles? How does this change the way he sees her?
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Chapter 19
One theme of the book is that being seen can mean being understood. How does this chapter show that idea?
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Chapter 20
Bobby takes risks to look for answers. Which risk seems the biggest to you, and why does he take it anyway?
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Chapter 21
How do phone calls, records, or small clues help Bobby and the others move closer to solving the mystery?
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Chapter 22
New information makes Bobby's situation seem connected to a larger problem. How does this change the stakes of the story?
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Chapter 23
How do Bobby, Alicia, and the adults work as a team in this chapter? What does each person add?
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Chapter 24
Which character shows the most courage in this chapter? Use one example to support your answer.
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Chapter 25
As the solution gets closer, what worries or dangers still remain for Bobby?
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Chapter 26
During the most intense part of the story, what does Bobby have to do, and what emotions do you think he feels?
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Chapter 27
By the end of the book, how has Bobby changed? What lesson or message do you think the author wants readers to remember?
Example answer: By the end of the book, I think Bobby is braver and more honest than he was at the beginning. He learns that hiding from everyone does not solve every problem. He also learns that people can care about you for who you are, not just how you look. I think the author wants readers to remember that everyone wants to be truly seen and understood.
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How to use this Things Not Seen reading journal
At home, as a discussion guide
After each chapter your reader writes a few lines on that chapter’s question. Read the answer together at bedtime: it shows what they understood and gives you something real to talk about, without a quiz.
In class, as a novel study
Print a class set (booklets fold from plain letter paper) and use one question per chapter as the reading-response or literature-circle prompt. The example answers at the front show what a full answer looks like.
Homeschool
One booklet covers the whole book, 27 chapters, so it doubles as the reading log for Things Not Seen. Reword any question before printing to match your reader.
Printing
The booklet PDF prints on ordinary 8.5 × 11 paper: print double-sided (flip on the short edge) at 100%, fold the stack in half and staple on the fold. There is also a one-page-per-sheet PDF and A5 binder pages.
Where the questions come from
Each question is about its own chapter. We know this book well. Every question asks about something that happens in its chapter, a moment, a choice or a character, without giving away what comes next. The questions were drafted with AI from what is known about the book and checked before publishing; every one is editable before you print.
Browse: All books by Andrew Clements