Invisible Child

From the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Andrea Elliott comes Invisible Child, an unforgettable and heart-wrenching narrative that dives deep into the life of Dasani Coates, a girl whose unwavering spirit battles against the heavy tides of homelessness, poverty, and systemic racism in an unequal America.

Based on nearly a decade of profoundly attentive reporting, Invisible Child spans eight turbulent years in Dasani's life. Dasani, born at the turn of a new century and named after the bottled water, becomes a living symbol of Brooklyn's gentrification and the shared aspirations of a divided city. Her boundless imagination and sense of hopeful curiosity provide a stark contrast to the harsh realities of moving from one homeless shelter to another, as she navigates the ups and downs of her challenging environment.

The book traces the lineage of Dasani’s ancestors from the days of slavery through the Great Migration north, encapsulating the historical struggles and persistent adversities faced by her family. Against this backdrop, Dasani matures during New York City’s escalating homeless crisis, leading her seven siblings through a maze of obstacles, including hunger, parental drug addiction, violence, housing instability, segregated schools, and the invasive scrutiny of the child protection system.

Dasani’s life takes a significant turn when, at the age of thirteen, she enrolls in a boarding school in Pennsylvania. This new chapter in her life brings a myriad of new challenges, testing her loyalty to her family and her commitment to escaping the grips of poverty. It poses an excruciating dilemma: can she pursue a better life without forsaking the family she loves?

By turns heartbreaking and revelatory, provocative and inspiring, Invisible Child eloquently depicts the profound power of resilience and the unwavering importance of family amidst the relentless panorama of inequality. Andrea Elliott's masterful storytelling not only captures the personal victories and heartaches of Dasani but also paints a broader picture of a society constantly grappling with profound disparities.