Thank you, NetGalley for the preview of this graphic novel.

Sincerely, Harriet is about a girl's summer in Chicago. She has Multiple sclerosis and circumstances have left her friendless and lonely.

This book took me some time to get into, but once I did, I went all the way in. You don't get to read many books where the protagonist deals with MS or such chronic illness. It was a very good read and I would recommend it to everyone.

A warm and moving graphic novel that follows the life of Harriet, a very creative teen, and her isolating summer in the heat of Chicago. There is a friendship with a old lady next door named Pearl, a mysteriously locked room on the third floor, some letters to friends left unanswered, and most importantly, the love and support that a family can bring in time of hardship. It reads like a long summer, slowly, smoothly, with a deep attention to details and to ephemeral emotions. I highly recommend it.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2603241963

A sweet and well illustrated graphic novel about living with chronic illness and becoming your own person. I enjoyed the characters and wished the story had continued!

In it's quiet way, Sincerely, Harriet accurately captures the feeling of what it's like to be on the cusp of adolescence, waiting to find your voice. Harriet and her family recently moved to Chicago from Indiana, and she spends the summer alone in her apartment, struggling to get through her required reading, pining for friends. We soon learn she's struggling with a chronic illness, and has been homeschooled for several years, adding to her isolation. With the help of her parents, and Pearl, a friendly neighbor, she is encouraged to tell her own story. Sincerely, Harriet is ultimately a story about the power of books and connecting to others through stories.

Review to be posted in April on all sources mentioned in my profile.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

I was quite intrigued by this cover and also by the blurb, I just had to try it out, and I am glad I had the chance to do so. However, it was hard to read at times, at times I was annoyed with Harriet's parents, other times with Harriet for not telling her parents what was going on (not just how she felt but also that her body was once again doing things that it shouldn't do). Plus the art....

But in the end, I am happy I have read this book as it was pretty gorgeous in the end. Not only is it about Harriet, how she had to move to Chicago and leave people behind, about her illness (which at first is unknown but then we slowly find out what is going on), about her "friends" at the camp, about her imagination), but also about the older lady who also lives in the house and about her son (who had polio back in the 50s).

I loved how the author wove both of these stories and made them just click together. How both of these illnesses made these two characters connect even if they don't know each other. Harriet has MS, Nicholas had/has polio. Being a kid and going to teenagehood isn't easy, and especially not if you have an illness. Harriet wants to make friends, but how is she going to do it if her body keeps failing, or what if she is having a sleep over and her body betrays her and she pees in a bed/sleeping bag? She is worried about things, and I just wanted to hug her.

The parents were really nice, but I was sad that they had to leave Harriet alone so much. Especially now so soon after the move and with Harriet's body not doing well. She really could use someone to be with her, so I was glad that she found someone in the older lady downstairs.

As for the topic of reading books for school, I do know all about that, it really destroyed my liking for that sort of book (the classics). It made me like reading a bit less. Plus I can only think back to those books with a form of dread. Being forced to read a book is just a no-no. So I am glad that the old lady understood and tried to help her out.

For the title? Well, she is writing letters to Nicholas, which I found adorable. I was happy that she could tell her feelings to someone, even if it was just on paper. 

The art, well, it was pretty nice, but I just didn't like how the characters went from looking very young to very old. At one point Harriet looked like she was in her sixties instead of being a teen. At times she looked more kid than teen. It just wasn't that consistent.

But all in all a beautifully told book. I am delighted I had the chance to read it.

I like the emphasis on the power of stories but I feel like Harriet is a bit underdeveloped. Something about the story seems incomplete to me. I think middle schoolers will like it, I just don't think it has the same power as other graphic novels meant for this age group.

In these pages, Harriet learns the benefit of friendship, through some very singular examples. She writes postcards to girls she met the previous year at summer camp – with not the expected result. She has an awkward relationship with other people, from thinking the postman is evil to making up similar slanders about the elderly coloured lady downstairs. She also seems to think she can write letters to a ghost. Trust me, all that combined makes for a pretty good read. It's just that that's not what the book is really about, and when I did find the other particular theme I'm thinking of, I found it a little shoehorned in. Which is odd – if I was expecting it, I might have liked the book more. As I wasn't, the friendship aspect, with the much-loved (and very winsome) girl lonely through home-schooling, had been more than enough. So I guess I'd just come out with it, and say the other aspect of the book is disease, and things that can disable people, if only temporarily, that others cannot see. In our day and age that might be ME, here it's MS, and a further one gets a look-in.

As a result, this could well be a book that speaks to many a youngster, frustrated at their 'other' status (it's no surprise the girl here is a fan of Beetlejuice). It could have had quite a gothic tone, but the very gentle art style here is much more bright and breezy, almost pastel. It's just I was putting my own spin on things, finding a more supernatural reason for the trips etc, and therefore, from my ignorant point of view I found the sudden illness topic a little jarring. That said, that may well make this one of those rare graphic novels that deserves a second read – and a unique book in benefiting from people having read the blurb first. Still, Harriet must be unique among girls who refuse to read anything but know what a dumb waiter is. Either way, her world is certainly worth a look.

I was so excited to read this one - it sounds like a book right up my alley. Unfortunately, it wasn't until after I requested it that I discovered there is not a Kindle option. Sadly I was not able to read this one!

Harriet is a young teen struggling to find a niche for herself as she copes with ongoing health issues and an unfamiliar city. We follow her in her first few weeks in her family's new (and possibly haunted?) apartment as she bonds with her kindly landlady and comes to terms with her own reality.
Searle's art is beautiful and there are lots of lovely little details (like her parents sharing a t-shirt across scenes, or the very nostalgic Lisa Frank-esque binders).
A heartwarming tale of a young person learning to express themselves through story.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Harriet is a girl who move to Chicago with her family. Harriet has MS. I liked how the author included teenage struggles like making friends and people not liking the same things as her. I liked how Harriet is creative. I liked Pearl and her relationship with Harriet.

I gave this a three out of five stars. I enjoyed this but the plot didn't offer a lot but I think a younger audience might enjoy it more than I did.

This is the story of Harriet, whose parents just moved to Chicago and are both working full time during the summer. Left at home until school starts again, she tries to write to her friends at home, and uses her imagination to pass the time in the most creative ways. Over the weeks, she starts a friendship with her neighbor, Pearl, and even though the young kid and the old grandmother don't have many things in common, it helps Harriet to overcome her loneliness and disappointment in her "friends" that never seem to be bothered to write her back.
I really liked the artwork in this book, but some parts of the story felt a bit underdeveloped - especially the focus on Harriet's MS diagnosis. The characters are very likeable, and the story is easy to read ,which I appreciate a lot in a graphic novel for children 9 to 14 years old. All things considered, this is a book I would definitely recommend.

I really wanted to love this book. The second I saw that it had chronic illness representation, I jumped at it. I've lived with chronic illness my entire life so there were certainly parts I could relate to in this story but it really just didn't convey the difficulties of being different and how isolating it can be. Yes, it showed that she had trouble making and keeping friends due to her illness but everything was glossed over too fast and it didn't really get to the heart of anything. The illustrations were fine, but sometimes a little off. This isn't one I'd personally pick up or recommend sadly.

Firstly I'd like to thank NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this graphic novel in exchange for an honest review.

This comic wasn't exactly what I thought it would be when I read that it was based around a girl living with a chronic illness. I think I expected the illness to be more present in the story, whereas it was actually more focused around Harriet's everyday life over the summer holidays and dealing with boredom while finding new hobbies and new friends. There were aspects of chronic illness throughout the story, and very often the consequences of these sometimes invisible illnesses, but it seemed to be more a story of Harriet, than a story of illness, which I really like.

Having a chronic illness myself, and an often invisible one at that, I was really able to relate to Harriet and her feelings of despair, loneliness and not being 'normal'. I liked how the author dove into the challenges that sufferers face and how difficult it can make life, not just for the sufferer, but for those around them too. I found this very realistic and very relatable.

I really liked the illustrations and the character of Pearl, as well as the big role that books played in the story, especially the healing aspects they can give to sufferers. I found the ending a little abrupt, but otherwise this was a really thought-provoking and enjoyable read.

Mini review:

Trigger warning: None that I can think off. If any come to mind please leave it in the comments.

I received this E-ARC via Lerner Publishing Group and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Sincerely Harriet was recommended to me on Netgalley based on my previous requests. I didn't know much about it. It looked nice so I requested it. I'm happy to say that I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Sincerely Harriet addresses MS and polio while taking place in the 1990's. Harriet is struggling with her families move to Chicago. It's still summer so she hasn't had a chance to make any friends. Whilst her old friends are back home. Upon the advice of Pearl, Harriet began's writing her experience's.

This was so cute! I loved all the issues it tackled in a graphic novel format! Harriet was a joy to read about as were the other characters. I also loved how classic's such as The Secret Garden were integrated. There is also a large focus on family which was done so well.

I highly recommend everyone read this!

Moving away from home and starting a new school are big enough events, but Harriet also has something else to contend with: a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis. Dealing with her chronic illness, a scorching hot summer in Chicago, and longing for her friends from summer camp, there's a lot to discover for the titular character of Sincerely, Harriet.

Harriet's summer has been trying, what with moving to a new state, figuring out her feelings regarding her M.S. diagnosis and the symptoms, plus being mostly alone all day as her parents work hard at difficult and/or multiple jobs. Her imagination runs wild at times, making up stories about the mailman, the landlady/neighbor downstairs, and the possibilities of a haunted third floor.

Telling tall tales is something that might be familiar to middle grade readers. Harriet shares this trait with another Harriet in literature (Harriet the Spy). Fans of Louise Fitzhugh's novel may well find themselves entertained with this graphic novel. Harriet of Sincerely also finds comfort in writing, although her attempts are in postcards that include a fantasy life in Chicago and letters to a fictional version of her landlady Pearl's son, Nicholas.

The letters to Nicholas, Harriet's exploration of the third floor (where Nicholas stayed while ill and in quarantine), and some panels along the way help to tell a story of chronic illness across not only generations, but across race lines as well. Harriet is a young Latinx girl whose parents are taking her to the best doctors they can find. Nicholas is an African-American boy who grew up in the 1950's and contracted polio. There's more about what that might have been like, such as segregated medical care, in the author's note, but in the text itself there are glimpses of what Harriet and Nicholas have in common, such as the use of a wheelchair as necessary and isolation from friends/potential friends.
Reading the book was very pleasant. The writing flowed very well and kept my interest along the way. The emotional moments were conveyed, at times, fairly quickly and without as much discussion as I'd have liked, but they were still strong. Art wise, the look of the graphic novel was skillful and suited nicely to the narrative, although I thought that there were some issues pertaining to details that looked a bit off.

I'd recommend this book for people looking for stories about dealing with chronic illnesses as well as good stories involving figuring out one's place in a new neighborhood. Harriet had her difficulties, but I liked her, even when those around her were criticizing her exaggerations. Figuring out her feelings regarding her M.S., figuring out how to deal with friends that aren't replying to postcards, all of this figuring was intense, but her strength showed through. She's a good heroine that should have her story shared and enjoyed, hopefully by many age groups (it's that good).

Definitely focused on a younger demographic than me. Nice clean art and colorwork. The story was too tame for me though.

This has a lot of heart with an open ending. It felt like a second volume should be coming. A contemporary story of a young girl with many life struggles and showcases how writing and reading can help us all.

#SincerelyHarriet #Netgalley

3.5 stars

Sincerely, Harriet follows Harriet, a young Latinx girl who has found herself bored and lonely after moving to a new place. Not only does she not know anyone in her new town, but her parents both have to work overtime or multiple jobs, and her friends from summer camp aren't even taking the time to write her back.

We quickly learn that her loneliness has caused her to become this habitual liar with a poor attitude, so she isn't the most likable protagonist, but there's definitely some growth to be had as she explores her own feelings and fears regarding her recent MS diagnosis. She befriends the elderly woman downstairs who teaches her about her oldest son's experience with polio in the 50s, and begins to find an outlet for her imagination as well as her loneliness. She's also forced to come to terms with feelings she seems to have for a girl from her summer camp the year before, which is a little painful to watch, but I appreciated what felt to me like a subtle tell of some sort of queer representation.

The artwork is cute, and I liked the representation a lot, but the plot itself doesn't have much to offer, so I have a hard time deciding when I would or would not recommend Sincerely, Harriet.

Thank you so much to Graphic Universe for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was so interesting! It was a quick read and I really enjoyed! I love the artist and the story overall. It was definitely fun to see a 90s summer portrayed in this story!

This is one of those slow burn sort of graphic novels, where you don't know why the main character is behaving the way she is.

We only know that she keeps trying to read classics that don't speak to her, that her parents have had to leave her alone at home, while the¥ work, and that the only person she has to talk to is her landlord/downstairs neighbor, an elderly black woman Pearl.

Pearl tries to find her books that she <strong>can</strong> relate to, as she certainly doesn't relate to The Great Gatsby. She is lonely, hispanic, and has some kind of chronic illness, that isn't disclosed until much later in the story.

Each book that Pearl picks, is still white, and privileged, and out of touch with Harriet's world. She tries her on The Secret Garden , and Harriet just can't get into it. Then she tries her on Wendy and Peter Pan, and it comes a little closer, but still isn't there. It isn't until she comes up with The Color Purple, that she feels as though she has connected.

The pictures are lovely, as evident below.

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4696" src="https://g2comm.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Screen-Shot-2018-11-05-at-9.05.09-AM.png" alt="Sincearly henrietta" />

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4697" src="https://g2comm.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/Screen-Shot-2018-11-05-at-9.04.00-AM.png" alt="Sincderly, Henrietta" />

A bit slow going, and there are things that are never quite explained, but not bad.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.