Book excerpt: Our penultimate Translucent collection finds Shizuka Shiroyama struggling with her first romantic feelings, a bully, a competitive theater department, and a disease that's literally turning her translucent! Shizuka tries to overcome her greatest challenge yet when she turns completely invisible, with the danger of never being able to revert back to a "solid" form again! She's overwhelmed with fear and becomes reclusive, but her best friend - the hyperactive, hopeful Mamoru - isn't one to give up easily, and he certainly won't give up on Shizuka. Mamoru's enthusiasm for life and silly realizations will prove to be as infectious to readers of this series as they are to Shizuka herself. If only we all had "Mamoru tricksters" to cheer us up! While coping with the unpredictable Translucent Syndrome, Shizuka is determined to follow her dreams and have some fairly normal school years... despite the odd problems that life throws at her and her friends.