Finally Seen
by Kelly Yang
Embedded Files
SLG Best Book of the Year
Copyright: February 28th, 2023
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Grade level: 3-7
Reading level: 8-12 years
Summary:
Ten-year-old Lina Gao is excited to finally be reunited with her parents and younger sister, Millie. After all, it's been five years since they moved to California and left her behind in Beijing with her grandma, Lao Lao. But life in America isn't how her mom described it in her postcards. First, Lina wonders if her parents like Millie more than her since she isn't in any of the family photos. Her dad does grueling fieldwork for a racist organic farmer who says he'll help them get their green card and her mom runs an Etsy bath bomb business out of their one-bedroom apartment so that they can pay their back rent from the pandemic.
On top of that, Lina has been struggling at school after her classmates bully her for mispronouncing words in English. With the help of her caring, supportive teachers, Lina discovers graphic novels that make her feel like she belongs. But what happens when a parent tries to ban Lina's favorite book from the classroom? Will Lina find the courage to speak up so she's finally seen at school and home?
Immigration Chinese culture Bravery Finding a voice Right to Read
Resilience Courage Obstacles Bilingual
Mirror vs Sliding Glass Door
Student's Immigration Stories
An interview with the author Kelly Yang
The author, Kelly Yang reads the first chapter of "Finally Seen" for World Read Aloud Day!
ELA Standard: L.5.5-Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.
Suggested Delivery: Read Aloud, Independent Read
Key Vocabulary
Key Vocabulary
Immigrant: a person who comes to live permanently in a foreign country.
Lao Lao: one's maternal grandmother (Chinese decent)
Censorship: Limiting or removing access to words, images, or ideas (The removal of materials from a library based on the objections of a person or group).
Empathy: The ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
Inflation: a general increase in prices and fall in the purchasing value of money
Endeavor: Try hard to do or achieve something.
Devastation: Great destruction or damage.
Dedication: The quality of being committed to a task or purpose.
Compromise: Agreement reached by each side making concessions.
Sacrifice: Surrender of something for the sake of something else.
Reading Strategies
Reading Strategies
Before Reading:
When teaching students to new literary devices, it is important to include definitions and examples of each for students to have at hand. Having a flipbook of the different types of figurative language is a useful resource for students to refer back to when coming in contact with all forms of figurative language. It is the perfect resource for getting students started and organizing this new information!
Play the video below to further explain figurative language.
Figurative Language Techniques
During Reading:
When delving into a book to uncover its figurative language treasures, employing strategic reading methods can illuminate the richness of the text. Once student can identify the differences between the various types of figurative language, begin to pay close attention while reading "Finally Seen" aloud. Pay close attention to descriptive passages and dialogue, noting any phrases that evoke imagery or convey deeper meanings beyond the literal. Additionally, consider the context surrounding the figurative language to grasp its intended effect and relevance to the narrative. Engaging actively with the text through annotation and reflection can further enhance comprehension and appreciation of its figurative nuances. Note (preferably on post-its) any forms of figurative language down that have been read and as a class, discuss what type of figurative language is being used and the meaning it is trying to portray.
Example:
"She's always telling me to sew up my mouth," (Yang, 2023, p. 2).
Type of Figurative Language: Idiom
Meaning: Sew up my mouth means do not talk or stop talking.
After Reading:
After reading "Finally Seen," gather as a class and combine the list of figurative language sentences retrieved from the book. Display the figurative language organization chart on the board for the class to see. Ask students to share their thoughts reasoning behind why they think the sentence at hand is that form of figurative language. On a whiteboard or Prowise board, create a chart to organize sentences. Organize sentences into correct piles and encourage students to work together.
Extension:
If students are feeling creative, instruct students to draw pictures that match the figurative language sentence! Figurative language can be abstract, and drawing pictures helps students visualize and understand the meaning more concretely.
Writing Activity
Writing Activity
Lina's family does not have much; they have their imagination and they have hope. Hope is a powerful thing. If you can picture it, you can make it happen!
"Yang’s latest depicts Lina’s courage, kindness, and hard work to navigate her first year in the U.S. while building relationships new and old...a great novel that depicts the challenges of being a Chinese immigrant in the U.S. while highlighting universally relatable themes of feeling like an outcast for middle schoolers." -- School Library Journal
"In this involving, realistic chapter book, a likable character overcomes a series of obstacles while forging strong connections with her parents, her sister, and two friends. Yang...writes with a beguiling combination of clarity, simplicity, and immediacy in a new story exploring the practical and emotional challenges of immigration as experienced by children" -- Booklist
"Yang covers a lot of ground, from immigrant experiences and socio-economic inequities to climate change and middle school angst. The plotline that really stands out, however, is when Lina discovers that books can comfort the struggling, link people together, and create changes both internal and external. This theme propels the action through the book’s satisfying climax when she must decide whether to use her voice to stop a book that she loves from being banned in her classroom. Timely and pointed." -- Kirkus Reviews
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