Finally Seen

Stories about emigrating to a new country often reveal the protagonist maneuvering unfamiliar situations and places while surmounting obstacles such as language barriers and cultural differences. Conflicts result from juxtaposing the character’s familiar setting and their new, unfamiliar location or situation; as the character navigates the new setting, they face confusing conditions and misinterpret circumstances. By comparison, stories with new-in-town characters, time portals, quests or journeys, and role switches often feature a “fish out of water” element with parallel conflicts based on unfamiliar surroundings. With immigrant characters, however, others’ unfair biases, prejudices, stereotyping, and racism often propel additional conflicts. Moreover, immigrant stories often reveal the necessity of leaving behind a home and family members, prompting the emotional weight that accompanies difficult farewells.

Middle grade (MG) immigrant stories are rich in conflict, as this element of unfamiliar surroundings combines with common MG concerns like middle school, friendship, new interests, and parents and siblings. In Finally Seen, Lina’s initial conflicts result from her unfamiliar surroundings and uncertain path; for example, having never traveled internationally, she needs the airline escort’s help to navigate customs. Later, her conflicts deepen as peers react unsympathetically to her developing English skills. Lina also must reconcile with her difficult choice to leave her grandmother in China when she emigrates. Like Jasmine Warga’s Other Words for Home (2019) and Thanhha Lai’s Inside Out and Back Again (2011), Finally Seen places a young female protagonist in an unfamiliar American setting where home, school, family, culture, and setting all contribute to a mixture of conflict and establish the proving grounds on which the main character will learn and grow.