The Invisible Friend by Louise Arnold
Published by Hodder Children’s Books, 2005

The Invisible Friend tells the story of Tom, starting a new school and being bullied. Readers aged nine or ten and upwards will immediately empathise with Tom, in school scenes of humiliation, and some unfortunately will identify with his struggle to go to school each morning. There is also a generous helping of humour in this story which is probably necessary to dispel readers’ worries, especially those who may be about to change schools.
However, there is help at hand for Tom. Grey Arthur, the ghost, finds the perfect job in becoming his invisible friend. The sound of Tom’s crying makes Arthur spring into action and his ghostly mission is sealed.
Too normal for his own liking, Arthur has up to now had difficulty belonging to any paranormal group.
Not scary enough to be a Screamer and not naughty enough to be a Poltergeist, he identifies immediately with Tom.When he senses Tom's unhappiness he realises he has found someone like himself. He doesn't feel he fits in with the other ghosts, either and that is when he realises what he is going to be. He's going to be Tom's official Invisible Friend who will help him solve his problems.

‘A great story, vividly portrayed, humorous and engaging, with a real sense of threat from the school bullies but with a very real and satisfactory ending.’
The School Librarian

‘Louise Arnold manages to tackle important issues like self esteem and bullying without being patronising and does so in a quirky amusing way. Her great sense of humour shines through in The Invisible Friend’
Amazon

Visit Loise Arnold's informative and amusing website at http://www.greyarthur.com/

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