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Reviewed by Golder Hazelton for Readers' Favorite
Seen by C.M. Harris follows best friends Elisha and Ariana through a day of bike riding adventure in Feather Town. As they visit the local bakery, flower shop, and ice cream shop in town, Ariana consistently goes unnoticed by the various proprietors as the more outgoing Elisha interacts with them. Along the way, Ariana encounters a mailman who, in attempting to work his way through a problem of his own, disregards Ariana when she needs his help. Although none of the people Ariana encounters wishes to make her feel insignificant, she finishes the day feeling frustrated and unseen. It takes her best friend Elisha to turn things around.
While the story is appealing and fresh when taken at face value, there are tremendously important underlying messages for young people on every page. Tough subjects like identity, racism (Ariana is a child of color, while her friend Elisha is Caucasian), marginalization, and self-esteem are alluded to throughout the narrative. Though not explicitly referenced, these themes are implied and are potentially valuable for opening a dialogue between caring adults and children trying to make sense of a complex world. Seen concludes with a brief explanation of the symbolism of feathers and an invitation for young readers to go back through the illustrations to find blue feathers cleverly hidden in the images. The author provides four essential tips for being a good friend, as Elisha was for Ariana. Ratu Megawangi’s beguiling illustrations complement the text perfectly, maintaining an upbeat tone that does not obscure the story’s deeper meanings. A link to the author’s website, complete with a QR code, adds a much-welcome interactive component to the book. Seen by C.M. Harris is both an engaging story and an essential primer for children seeking to understand nuanced human interactions.