Publication Date: 6 July 2023

The Blurb

Lina leaves China to live with her parents and sister in the US, after five years apart. She’s been waiting for this moment, but it’s not exactly like the postcards… As Lina reckons with the big change and feeling left out, she learns about family, friendship, and the power of belonging. And when her teacher starts facing challenges for her latest book selection, a book that deeply resonates with Lina, it will take all of Lina’s courage and resilience to get over her fear in order to choose a future where she’s finally seen.

The Review

I am a huge fan of the Front Desk series and was desperate to get my hands on Finally Seen, and wow, was I blown away!

Kelly has poured her heart onto the page in an utterly gripping tale of family, friendship, and the power of reading and imagination. Heartbreaking, hopeful and honest, we get to walk in Lina’s shoes as she leaves behind the life she knows and enters a world that is both alien in it culture and language, and in the portrayal she has glimpsed in letters sent back to China. I have children in school that this would resonate so clearly with – if only I had copies in Mandarin and Cantonese for our older newly arrived children!

I loved seeing graphic novels already in our library referenced within the story, such as Pie In The Sky by Remy Lai, celebrating how they can help children to access the world around them and learn their new language. It also made me appreciate how lucky I, and our children are, in not to have to walk the tightrope of book censorship that seems to be rife in part of the US right now.

Huge thanks to Knights Of and ed public relations for sending me a copy, and inviting me to take part in the Blog Tour. Do make sure you check out all of the other stops.