Kelly Yang is a fabulous middle grade author and her books are auto-buys for me, but I was fortunate enough to get a sneak peak at this one and was super happy to read it and write a review. In this story 10 year old Lina arrives in LA from Beijing and must adjust to life in America. She is happy to be back with her parents and sister, but getting use to school in English is definitely more difficult than she expected. Yang's books tackle microaggressions, racism and discrimination in a way that middle grade readers (ages 7-12) can understand and connect with. I would highly recommend this and her other books to teachers or parents looking for good quality texts that feature diverse characters who persevere and overcome challenges. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

Kelly Yang is already a must-read author and this novel is another example of why. My heart broke (as a mother) at the premise but as I read I fell more in love with entire Gao family. This is an amazing book about love and family, but also about coming into ones own and find your place in the world. A brilliant book that is sure to engage readers and spark discussion among students. I also really really love the references to other books throughout - it would be so fun to make a Lina Gao inspired reading list as an added bonus.

I would also love an adult novel telling this story from the Mr. and Mrs. Gao point of view.

This was amazing!
I thought it was gonna be a cute middlegrade book with maybe some giggles from the cover.
It was sooo much more.
This book addresses bullying, racism, immigration complications, some family drama, and personal growth. Lina is an onion of a character and I was totally here for the layers she revealed.
Captivated from the very start, I highly recommend this to kids and adults alike!
Much love to NetGalley & Simon & Schuster Canada for my ARC.

Kelly Yang does it again with another excellant middle grades novel.
Books like hers are so important for kids to read as the magic of books is the ability to see the world through another’s lens. An idea that is beautifully dealt with in this book, the story of Lina who finally gets to rejoin her family in the US after her parents made the tough choice to leave her behind in China with her grandmother. She is excited to reunite with her family but misses the grandmother left behind as she discovers things in America are not as she was led to believe and she struggles with her English and fitting in with her peers. Hard work and books to the rescue this story will have you hooked and cheering for the whole family.
I highly recommend you pick it up or suggest to your local school/children’s librarian to make sure it gets added to the collection.

Another amazing middle grade novel by Kelly Yang. Our whole family listened to this one en route to a baseball tournament yesterday and all of us loved it! My boys are 10 and 14 and they had great questions about some of the themes in this book; money, immigration, being the 'new kid,' family dynamics, friendship and book banning.
That's what I really love about her books-she discusses timely topics in an age appropriate manner, and keeps the audience intetested. I loved that we listened to this as a family and were able to engage in meaningful dialogue.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an advanced review copy. All opinions are my own.

Middle grade isn't typically a genre I reach for, but after reading Finally Seen, I’m wondering why. I genuinely enjoyed this story and think its an important one. I like to tell my kids ‘do it scared’ and this novel embodies that sentiment through and through.

Lina’s mom, dad and baby sister immigrate to America in search of a better life for all of them, leaving Lina in China with her grandmother (and I truly cannot imagine the courage that had to have taken). 5 years later Lina joins them which is both happy and sad, as Lina’s grandmother must move into a nursing home. To watch as Lina had to be brave and gain confidence all while grappling with feelings of guilt and longing, was emotional and beautiful.

A definite must read for anyone looking to add to their personal (or classroom!!!) library.

Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster for a complementary e-book for review. As always, I am forever grateful!

Lina has spent the last 5 years in China with her grandmother, as her parents and younger sister went ahead to the US to get settled and then send for her. But the homecoming is not what she imagined. She is so lost in this strange world, a world that her younger sister fits in so perfectly. And her parents have made their life there seem much more wonderful than it really is. Lina faces what many immigrant children face - loss of culture, struggle to fit in, language barriers... Add to that her feelings that maybe her mom and dad didn't want her to come too badly.

One of the best of the year for me! Loved this MG story of an immigrant child who was initially left behind in China as her parents forged their way ahead in the US. Would make an excellent read-aloud for Gr. 3-6, and book club too!

Thanks to NetGalley, Simon and Shuster and the author for an advance reading copy.

This is a book that should be in every class room. Wow. Middle grade is not usually my go to, but this book was fantastic. It covered so many different topics. Things that I will never be able to understand myself, but I am so glad that someone like Kelly was willing to take the time to write so I could see a fraction of it. My heart ached for the difficult decisions that needed to be made, the injustices that take place and the blinders that people put on, thinking that their thoughts and feelings are above everyone else's.
All I can say is READ THIS BOOK. You will be so glad that you did and I guarantee that you'll be sharing it with all the middle graders in your life.

Huge thank you to Simon and Schuster for the gifted e-copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received an e-galley of Finally Seen by Kelly Yang from Simon and Schuster Canada via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of Kelly Yang’s middle grade books - Front Desk, Three Keys, Room to Dream, Key Player, and New From Here. And while Kelly Yang is an automatic-read author for middle grade fiction, I am in awe again by the emotional power that is behind her stories. I honestly didn’t think that Kelly Yang could do write a book that I would love more than Front Desk - and I was so wrong. Finally Seen is my absolute new favourite middle grade novel written by her - and I just have so much love for Lina Gao, the main character in this story. Don’t worry, Mia Tang, I still adore you.

Finally Seen is about Lina, a young girl from China who has been waiting to be reunited with her parents and little sister for five years. Her parents had taken Millie with them when they first went to America to start a new life - while Lina waited patiently in China with her grandparents. While she loves her grandparents, she misses her parents terribly and wants to join them in their perfect life in America. Finally, she is able to fly over to the States - she’s ecstatic about the reunion but also heartbroken about leaving behind her grandmother, who moves into a nursing home. In America, life is not quite what Lina’s parents had written and told her about. The beautiful two-story home is actually a little apartment. Her parents are not quite working in careers that they had mentioned. And Millie, Lina’s younger sister is able to fluently communicate in both English and Mandarin. Lina’s confidence in her own abilities to speak and communicate slowly deplete especially when she starts school and some of her peers are not too kind when Lina speaks - and errs - in English. This story is about Lina’s life as she tries to find her role in the family, as she makes friends who will help and understand her, and as she realizes that her voice is important in both the literature and community that she is part of.

In the story, Lina finds refuge in the school library where she learns that books can be mirrors and sliding doors. For me, Finally Seen definitely felt like both a window and a sliding door. As an ELL teacher, I see so many of my students in Lina. Those who were left behind or sent to China for a few years before reuniting with their parents. The struggles, challenges, joys, and desires my students face when it comes to learning English, making friends, and adjusting to life in Canada. It made me feel seen when Lina’s ELL teacher, Mrs. Ortiz, is a teacher that Lina is able to connect to, learn from, and confide in. It makes me want to work harder to be that sort of teacher for my own students. I cannot wait for my students to discover Finally Seen - to see their stories reflected in Lina’s. And I also really want all the students who are not ELLs to read this story - as a way for it to be a sliding door for them to better understand their peers who may share similar stories and experiences as Lina.

Lina finds and reads books that she is able to then share with her new friends in this story. When she shares a particular meaningful book with her teacher, Mrs. Carter chooses it as the next read aloud for the class. But soon, a parent attempts to have it banned because she claims that it’s not relateable or appropriate. This discussion and story development of banning books is unfortunately a real issue that continues to exist in schools today. I love that Kelly Yang incorporates it into this story as Lina must also make decisions about how to use her voice to fight for her love of books that make her feel seen.

I have read every single one of Kelly Yang’s books and they never fail to disappoint. Finally Seen is no exception. Kelly Yang tells the stories of immigrant children and their families and their unique struggles and dreams. These stories aren’t told often enough and it is wonderful that Kelly Yang shines a spotlight on them.

This book is the story of young Lina who moves to America years after her parents and sister emigrated there to start a new life. Lina, who stayed behind with her grandmother in China, is now making the move to America and to a life with new challenges and goals.

This book, in true Kelly Yang fashion, highlights the everyday injustices that immigrant children face. In this case, Lina has to grapple with bullying, economic hardships, a language barrier and also the potential banning of a book that really resonates with her.

Lina is a strong character with a lot of determination and resolve, and you can’t help but fall in love with her. I really hope we see more of her and this book becomes a series!

I’m very interested in hearing more from Kelly about the origins of this book. I know she has spoken about the rampant book banning in the US (including her own book) that inspired her newest novel, Finally Seen, and those scenes were certainly among my favourites in the book though I would say this was not the central theme of the book. Kelly also has a lot of love for librarians and transformative teachers in her books and this one is no exception.

There were moments when I questioned the dialogue because I wondered if it was realistic how rapidly Lina’s language skills developed but then I realized I taught a Lina. There was a girl I once had in my grade 2 class who did not know a single word of English. There was no English language support and she was very frustrated all the time. However, over a mere few months, she began to understand me more and her brilliance started to shine. She was a talented artist and very bright, and she loved school, learning and her teacher. It was sad to say goodbye to her at the end of the year and also taught me how important it is to never count out a single student who isn’t able to demonstrate their true selves quite yet.

I love the way Kelly teases out evolving family dynamics and brings up a type of family separation (child left behind with grandparents while parents migrate elsewhere) that is unheard of to some but more common than many of us realize. I adored the closeness between Lina and her Lao Lao. It’s what got me crying so early on in the book (page 38!).

Finally Seen delivers what we have come to expect from Kelly Yang: fast-paced plot, themes of injustice, hopes and dreams, and each chapter ending with a tug at your heart. I am curious about some of the unresolved parts of the family’s life. It seems like there is great potential for a sequel.

(Review written by my 12-year-old daughter.)

Five stars for sure! I loved this book! Another amazing book by Kelly Yang (every book I've read by her is amazing and 5 golden sparkly amazing dazzle-y stars)

I enjoyed the character development, and that I was entertained even when it wasn't the climax of the story! The way everything comes together in the end was great too, I had no "what about (something)?"s. I would recommend this book to everyone, as it is amazing and this book needs to be Finally Seen!!!

The settings were amazing too, and this book is inspiring for artists and writers alike. :)

I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Kelly Yang's story tugs at my heart and resonates with me in so many ways. I requested this book to read with my daughter and teared up myself at many parts.

Regardless of you can put yourself in the shoe of a "left behind kid", if you said goodbye to a loved one, if you experienced discrimination, had family difficulties, and worried about acceptance, this is the book for you.

Wonderful wonderful story by the brilliant Kelly Yang.

Teacher-Librarians, this is one for you!

10 year old Lina is finally coming to America to join her parents and little sister. 5 years ago, they left her with her grandparents while they established themselves in the US. She is excited and terrified and overwhelmed, all at once. When her family's reality in post-pandemic California doesn't match with the postcards she's been getting for years, things seem even more confusing.

It takes new friends, some caring teachers and some really great graphic novels to help Lina figure out that she does have a place with her family. She also gets the chance to support the people who have helped her when a very topical book challenge comes into play.

@kellyyanghk does her usual remarkable job of putting us right in the shoes of her main character. Modern language learners in your classes will really appreciate this, and feel seen. A 5 star read that I am looking forward to sharing with kids as both print and audio. This is a book that will lead to more books for readers. Publication date is February 28.

4.5/5 stars

Finally Seen is a middle grade book featuring 10 year old Lina as she arrives in America from China.

This book was so good! Lina's parents and 7 year old sister have been in the US for 5 years while Lina was left in China with her grandparents. Seeing her struggles arriving in a new country were so moving.

I loved seeing Lina connecting with her family. I loved seeing her at school (with the librarian and her teachers). I loved seeing her friendships and struggles. Overall this felt like such a realistic look at what it must feel like being a child arriving in a new country. Would definitely recommend!

Finally Seen is probably my favourite Kelly Yang book yet. This is definitely one of those books that should be in every classroom, every library, and every home as it's enriching, powerful, and important.

Our MC is Lina Gao. Five years ago, she was left behind in China with her grandmother as her parents and younger sister flew to America to start a new life. Lina finally gets the chance to be reunited with them in America, but it isn't all sunshine and rainbows like she's been led to believe. And living in America isn't a walk in the park either.

This story takes place post-pandemic and shares some of the struggles of low-income and immigrant families, particularly pertaining to limited relief programs, job loss, and inflation. It was sad to see the stress and struggles that Lina's family and their neighbours are going through as their back rent comes due.

Thankfully, the pandemic struggles were limited to that area. In terms of school, Lina dealt with old-school racism - sadly something that happens no matter the decade (though it's very well countered in this story). When she first arrives in America, Lina's English is broken through disuse and lack of practice, but she soldiers through despite her struggles with the language and the ridicule she experiences from her peers. As she learns more English, we get to see her appreciate diversity in books and understand how much courage it takes to speak your truth. I loved the impact that books and reading had on Lina, her family, and her friends, with this story also touching on the impact of banned books and removing diversity from the classroom curriculum.

As always, Kelly Yang touches on very relevant and important topics without the story being overwhelmed with over-explanation. Instead, there's a strong focus on friendships, family relationships, and finding your voice. An absolutely pertinent story that I think everyone should take the time to read.

TW: bullying (countered), racism (countered), parental neglect, toxic masculinity (countered), gaslighting; mentions death of parent, death of grandparent, miscarriage, divorce

Rep: Chinese MC

Plot: 5/5
Characters: 4.5/5
World Building: 5/5
Writing: 5/5
Pacing: 5/5
Overall: 5/5

ARC gifted by Simon and Schuster Canada and eARC gifted via NetGalley by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers via Simon and Schuster Canada in exchange for an honest review.

“My sister got to grow up with my parents. Me? I grew up with postcards from my parents.”

With a description like that how can you not request this book!

Five years ago Lina’s parents and baby sister left China for the US in hopes of a better life while Lina stayed behind with her grandparents. One day she asks her mom if she can come and live with them. Upon arriving in US, Lina struggles with leaving behind her grandmother while also realizing that not everything her mom had told her about was true.

The story explores many themes including the importance of family, friendship, the difficulties of immigrating, racism, bullying and so much more! I was drawn into the troubles Lina’s family goes through and was so happy for the ending.

This is a fantastic middle grade book that can be read by all ages.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. Look for it on bookshelves February 28, 2023!

I have to say this was my favourite non series book of Kelly’s so far! It felt relatable and not only did it cover the story of a girl and her family adjusting to life together as they try to make it through the everyday complexities of life, there was more. I loved the educational part of it in relation to the farm job they worked at. It talked about and showed the struggles of farming and all the issues that come with organic farming and what that it and what it does to the earth.

I want to start off this review by saying I want to give Lina Gao a big bear hug. The author really pulled at my heartstrings with this one and there were so many times I just wanted to do something, anything so Lina and her family could be happy and united.

Lina Gao lived with her grandparents in China while her parents had left with her little sister to the USA. For five years, Lina has felt lonely until one day she asks her mother if she could come to America. Leaving behind her grandma, Lina reunites with her parents and little sister only to realize not all is as mentioned in the letters. Her parents are struggling due to unfortunate circumstances and to make things worse, Lina struggles with English at school and gets bullied whereas, her little sister seems to fit in more than she does.

I absolutely loved the undertone of topics discussed in this story. An evident one was bullying but this story also touches on family, trust, immigration, confidence, racism, acceptance and so much more. I didn’t even have to look really hard to find these because they were woven into the story so beautifully with meaning and impact.

The characters felt realistic to me and I enjoyed their stories. Each character had reason to be there and a story to tell. Lina is an angel who is very nice and considerate but also understands when she needs to take that step forward to stand up for herself. I loved her family because not only did they have their good times but they also had their rough moments. The list could really go on but I do want to mention that it wasn’t just the characters, it was the situations they were put through and how they handled them realistically that made me like them even more.

The only complaint I had with this story was that the description indicated a book that “deeply resonates with Lina was “facing challenges” to be read in a school setting. To me, that indicated the book would likely be banned from classrooms as in our current world, which was the scenario. However this specific event didn’t occur until the last 15-20% of the book. The rest of the story did mention the book but I would not say it a build up to the book getting banned, instead it was how and why Lina related to the book.

Overall, this book has a happy ending yet there is an unfinished reunion waiting. I really hoped we could witness it in the book but I guess some things are meant to be left with an open ending. I definitely recommend this book of heartfelt family reunions, new beginnings and strong bonds!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an advanced electronic copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Lina has spent her whole life living in China. When she was five years old, her parents left for the USA with her little sister, while she stayed with her grandmother. Now she's ten years old and she's going to live in America with her mom and dad and sister Millie!

Except, not everything is like her parents said. How can she fit in after missing five years together? What will school look like without perfect English?

Oh my goodness, the amount of times I felt an urge to pull Lina through the book and just hug her. This story pulled at all of my heart strings, and then wrapped them up in its fist. Lina's journey with her family, friends, and even teachers looking out for her, wasn't ideal but was realistic without being traumatic. I knew this would be a five star read before I even finished the book.

Don't let the "middle grade" classification make you think this book isn't for you. If you like being in touch with your feelings, and feel sympathy/empathy for people working their way through life, pick this up. Trust me.

Out February 28th, 2023!

CW: bullying