Q&A with Sally J. Pla

 

 

 

Sally J. Pla is the author of the new middle grade novel Invisible Isabel. Her other books include The Someday Birds. She lives in Southern California.

 

Q: What inspired you to write Invisible Isabel, and how did you create your character Isabel?

 

A: As a child, I’d sit on the school bus each morning, wondering why my heart pounded and fluttered in my chest. Wondering why my stomach cramped and curdled. I had no clue these body symptoms were related to my feelings of anxiety. I just thought that weird things were going on with my body.

 

When I tried to describe my worries to adults, they were dismissed or minimized. Well-intentioned adults would say “Don’t be silly—that’s ridiculous!” and “You’re worried over nothing!” and “You shouldn’t feel that way—just put it out of your mind!” 

 

So, I wanted to write a story that validated the feelings and worries of children. A story that helped adults, too, to understand their anxious children better. And that helped kids better understand their mind-body connection. That gave them tools to deal with their feelings.

 

Because record numbers of children are dealing with anxiety today.

 

As for Isabel herself? Well, one day, I was feeling a little bit low. I was idly doodling and sketching and suddenly, a shy little girl with downcast eyes appeared upon my paper—as if by magic!

 

I am no great artist, but I loved my little girl-drawing. She was perfect. I imagined her saying, “Please don’t look at me! I just want to be Invisible.” Which, I guess, was how I was feeling at the time.

 

Anyhow, I immediately loved her, and perceived exactly who she was and what her personality should be. And that’s how the character was born.

 

I highly recommend letting your pen just doodle idly on paper, and seeing what comes out—It’s a great creativity exercise, and very meditative! You don’t have to be good at art to give it a try.

Q: You tell most of the story from Isabel's point of view, but we also see things from her classmate Monica's perspective. Why did you decide to include Monica's point of view too?

 

A: I don’t like cardboard-cut-out bullies, so I wanted to be sure to give Monica just enough nuance and dimension. Readers still may not like her, but they can understand some of her motivations, they can understand where she is coming from a little better. Rounding out characters and giving them enough nuance is important.

 

So, we have Monica’s point of view, and Isabel’s, and the views of the other classmates, too. I hope this approach enriches the story and gives it some multidimensionality.  

 

Q: The Booklist review of the book says, “Pla balances Isabel's struggles with subtle yet lovely levels of humor and offers a thoughtful, sensitive depiction of anxiety and autism.” What do you think of that description?

 

A: Well, I am very glad the dry humor in the story comes through. And I’m very grateful for their kind review, and think their summation is pretty much spot on!

 

Q: How was the book's title chosen, and what does it signify for you?

 

A: The title came before the story. I couldn’t stop thinking about the character I’d doodled, about the idea of this sensitive, delicate little girl who felt invisible from the world, who felt the world was too much for her sometimes, and that she needed to retreat, to hide herself from it. But who also longed, so deeply longed to connect, and to feel seen.

 

When I thought what to name my “Invisible” girl, the alliteration of the name “Isabel” made perfect sense.

 

And there she was.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: A dual point-of-view love story, set in a small, friendly Midwestern town that suddenly finds itself divided by two warring school board candidates (who happen to be our loving couple’s mothers).

 

It will be published by Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins in about a year or so. Like the rest of my novels, it has neurodivergent main characters! (Representation matters! )

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: If you’re interested in finding more stories with neurodivergence and/or mental health themes, I run a website called A Novel Mind. It’s a great resource for helping to connect the right book with the right child. It’s been called “a gold mine of information” by librarians and teachers.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb