Seen


Children - Picture Book
28 Pages
Reviewed on 05/27/2024
Buy on Amazon

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Author Biography

Living in Southern California, Charity is an award-winning author, and founder of Purple Diamond Press, Inc. Charity loves traveling to schools for author visits, spreading the importance of friendship, acceptance, and disability awareness. In 2019, she founded her children's book publishing company, Purple Diamond Press, Inc. We publish picture books that make a difference.

    Book Review

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.

Anne-Marie Reynolds

Seen by C M Harris is a charming children's picture book. Elisha and Ariana are having a great deal of fun as they explore Feather Town on their bikes. From mouthwatering cakes at the bakery to the riot of color at the flower shop, the two girls are having the adventure of a lifetime. But things get a little more exciting when the postman has a mishap with all his letters. When the girls arrive home, they pick up Teddy, the dog, and head to the park, where they settle down to watch the ducks. It’s the perfect end to a perfect day. Ariana is glad she was with her best friend because no one seemed to notice her, but Elisha made sure Ariana was noticed by everyone. Because, at the end of the day, that is all Ariana has ever wanted – to be noticed and not ignored.

Seen by C M Harris is a marvelous story of friendship with some beautiful illustrations by Ratu Megawangi. This is a heartwarming tale of the adventures two best friends can have, a cute story with some lovely characters. But it’s also about the connection between friends and how what seem like small acts of kindness are actually very important. When it comes down to it, the most important thing for Ariana was to be seen, to be accepted as part of society, and for her best friend to see her for who she was. There is much to learn here for children, mainly that no matter who we are or what we look like, we are all human and deserve to be noticed. Just because we may look different or have a different skin color, it doesn’t make us any less of a person, and this book will teach children that inclusivity is a very important part of life. Lovely story; kids will thoroughly enjoy this.

Philip Van Heusen

C. M. Harris understands how it feels to be unseen and shares her wisdom in Seen. Elisha and Ariana are best friends and spend a lot of time together. The youngsters enter various stores, and the clerks don’t even see Ariana. Elisha helps, and they end up getting their treats. Ariana just wanted to be seen, and since Elisha sees and helps Ariana, they have become best friends. At times, Ariana needs a wheelchair, and that puts her into the category of differently-abled children. Those who are differently-abled are often overlooked. As the father of a differently-abled son, I am familiar with how many people overlook those with special needs. This book will be a wonderful boost for those who are differently-abled and those who want to befriend them. The list of how to help others and be a good friend at the back of this book is priceless.

Seen by C. M. Harris, is a book for those who are differently-abled and those who befriend them. In a delightful story, the author shares how many differently-abled children and adults are ignored in society. This book fills a much-needed slot in helping children understand that we all deserve respect and kindness. As parents, we need to help our children learn to be empathetic and understanding to everyone around them. We all need help sometimes, and friends are those who are supportive. Ratu Megawangi provides beautiful illustrations emphasizing the abilities even the differently-abled possess. I highly recommend this book. Teach your children to accept and interact with those who may be different than they are. As we encourage and support each other, this world becomes a better place to live.