The world is full of stories. Some are as long as lizards, others so short that they never even make it to The End. But the invisible story is unlike any other story because no one has ever read it! It lives hidden in the darkest corner of the library, far from where the famous tales, written in gold letters, shine. One day, a blind reader approaches the story’s trembling pages. This reader is unlike any reader the invisible story has ever encountered. And when she runs her fingertips over the book’s white pages, it is astonished by what she finds. A beautifully inclusive tale about sight-loss in which we learn that not all stories are meant to be read with the eyes.
Carnegie Medal for Illustration Nomination 2025
A Books for Keeps Book of the Year
A BookTrust Book of the Month
Outside In World Book of the Month
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Jaime Gamboa is an award-winning Costa Rican author and musician. His books have been translated into English, Danish, Korean, Japanese, Turkish, Chinese and French.
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Wen Hsu Chen is a Costa Rican artist and architect who graduated with BFA Honors from the Rhode Island School of Design. Her watercolor and cut-out paper technique has earned her multiple awards, including the Grand Prize at the NOMA Concours 2008.
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Daniel Hahn is a celebrated British writer, editor and translator. In 2020, he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to literature and in 2023, he won the Ottaway Award for the Promotion of International Literature.
“A clever, unforgettable creation.”
- Ferelith Hordon, Books for Keeps
“The Invisible Story is a quiet campaigning story. It gently raises young readers’ awareness to a visually-impaired person’s perspective, and to the braille system, which can act as a visually-impaired person’s access to a colourful world of reading and imagination, as represented in Wen Hsu Chen’s watercolour paper cuttings. It is great to know Lantana Publishing has collaborated with the Royal National Institute for the Blind and that accessible formats will be available.”
- World Kid Lit
“I'm BLOWN AWAY by The Invisible Story! Reading this, we were drawn into a world where mysteries unfurled like delicate petals. This important book teaches about Braille, a language new to my daughters, and reveals the importance of inclusivity and the hidden treasures of untold tales. The book's profound message resonated deeply, showing us that some narratives are felt instead of read.”
- Read With A Rescue
“It’s probably much too early in 2024 to start talking about which picture book will be my favourite of the year but I’m willing to put a large bet on the likelihood that The Invisible Story by Jaime Gamboa, illustrated by Wen Hsu Chen will be somewhere near the top of that list. This is an absolute cracker!”
- Terry Potter, The L:etterpress Project
“This is a memorable picture book with a timeless quality, beautifully translated from Spanish by Daniel Hahn. Through its gentle lyrical story, it highlights the power of braille, reminding us that not all books are intended to be read with eyes. Braille, it tells us, deserves to be brought out of the shadows and celebrated. There's also a lovely universal message about the power of a great story – the best books can be re-read time and time again, meaning they essentially never end. Wen Hsu Chen's distinctive illustrations feature a highly effective cut-out paper technique in which little splashes of watercolour gradually seep out of the white folds to flood the page as the 'hidden' story emerges from the lonely book.”
- BookTrust
“Chen’s cut-paper illustrations are striking. Most objects and people, the blind girl included, are the white of the page, which evokes a sense of invisibility, while jewel-toned creatures suggest enticing adventures as they swirl from open books.”
- Kirkus Reviews
