It is an absolute pleasure to kick off the blog tour for Kelly Yang’s latest story. I devoured this story in one afternoon and absolutely loved it.
I adored Kelly Yang’s Front Desk series and the main character, Mia Tang. The whole crew in those books represents the true American dream- ordinary people searching for bigger and better things for themselves and their families. When Finally Seen was announced as a new book, I had a feeling it too,would be a wonderful story.
This feels more based on Yang’s own experiences with moving to the US as a child and she too carried a note about her own progress, as does Ms. Ortiz, Lina’s special teacher. It is those true life experiences that shine through with empathy in this book.
Having been left with her Lao Lao in China, Lina’s parents and sister Millie moved to California. It is only 5 years later that Lina joins them and on top of being new to a language, culture and country, she also needs to find her feet within her own family. Jealousy, uncertainty and worries abound for Lina and she discovers that her parents are still fighting for the American dream, working hard, saving every penny and imagining the life they want.
Lina wants to feel that sense of belonging, within her family and in the greater context of her new life. Working with Ms. Ortiz, Lina gains some confidence and begins to feel safe in questioning the world around her.
Beautifully written, I felt just what books intend, to be “a sliding glass door” into Lina’s experiences. As a massive fan of graphic novels myself, I was thrilled to see these used, recommended and shared with friends. I also found the battle over banning a title very relevant, considering the constant battle in the US to still ban books.
As Lina decides what to add to her own graphic novel, she considers fake panels showing her happy all the time but she decides, “I want the truth. There is freedom in truth. Yes, there is pain. But there is also joy. The joy of not being afraid to talk about it…the courage not to erase it.”
I found that such a powerful thought and it has stuck with me all week. Add this to your wish lists and TBR piles, it is entirely brilliant!
My Shelves Are Full 