But these special powers make Katie unusual, and it's hard to make friends when you're unusual. Katie knows that she's different, but she's never done anything to hurt anyone, so why is everyone afraid of her? Maybe there are other kids out there who have the same silver eyes... and the same talents... and maybe they'll be willing to help her.
Tropes present in The Girl with the Silver Eyes include:
- Alliterative Name: Jackson Jones, the paper boy.
- Badass Bookworm: Katie is quiet and loves to read, but she's also telekinetic, and her powers are growing as she learns how to use them.
- Bizarre Baby Boom: It only affects a small group, but a group of women who try an experimental fertility drug give birth to children with silver eyes who have Psychic Powers.
- Bookworm: Katie prefers books to most people. And can you blame her?
-
Broken Aesop: Despite the entire message of the story being that people can look different and still be accepted, most of the protagonists are not unattractive, unlike Mr. P. and Nathan, who are portrayed in a negative light. Then there's Mr. C., who started out as a handsome stranger, subverted when it begins to seem like he's trying to get Katie arrested and seems to further cement the aesop, but double subverted when it turns out at the last moment he's actually a nice guy. Katie's disgust of her babysitters also seems to be based on their appearance. - Child Hater: Mr. P., who loathes Katie and constantly avoids paying Jackson.
- Cool Old Lady: Mrs. M., a neighbor in Katie's apartment complex, who she befriends.
- Crazy Cat Lady: Well, it's only one cat. His name is Lobo.
- Creepy Child: How Katie comes off to most adults. She's intelligent, quiet, and fairly antisocial, and has a habit of staring at people longer than they find comfortable.
- Informed Attribute: It's mentioned twice that Jackson is teased for his mismatched eyes, but this is never seen in action.
- Loners Are Freaks: Or at least considered such by disconcerted adults.
- Mind over Matter: Katie is telekinetic.
- Mundane Utility: Katie uses her powers to push her glasses up and turn off the lights from bed without effort.
- Nerd Glasses: Katie's are huge, with thick rims.
- Oven Logic: Katie burns a meatloaf, attempting to cook it faster by moving the temperature up from 350 to 500.
- Speaks Fluent Animal: Another one of Katie's gifts. She uses it to talk to Lobo.
- Technicolor Eyes: As a result of an experimental drug, to which the mothers of the affected kids (including Katie) were exposed while pregnant. This caused them develop powers. Jackson Jones also has mismatched eyes, one blue, one green, though his are natural.
