See What I See

Publishers Weekly

In a modern drama of new beginnings and sad endings, National Book Award–winner Whelan (Homeless Bird) effectively contrasts the lives of two artists, the accomplished Dalton Quinn, who appears to care more about his work than people, and his less worldly, more compassionate daughter, Kate. Kate has not communicated with her father since he left the family more than a decade ago, but he's the only person she knows in Detroit, where she has won a scholarship to art school. Despite her mother's misgivings, Kate arrives on his doorstep, hoping her father will take her in. It doesn't come as a surprise that he is a reluctant host, but it is a shock for Kate to learn that her father is dying. After giving up her scholarship to take care of him full-time, Kate embarks on a journey to discover the man who abandoned her, while wondering if her painting will ever measure up to his. Beautifully expressing adolescent uncertainties and yearnings, this intimate novel will draw readers who, like Kate, have big hearts and big dreams. Ages 12–up. (Jan.)

Joyce Carol Oates

"See What I See is an absolutely riveting and heartrending work of fiction. I read it in a single session—-it contains numerous surprises and doesn’t shrink from the seriousness of its subject and from the wonderful integrity of its young heroine Kate."

Booklist

"With clear and elegant prose, Whelan portrays a gradually developing and complex relationship built on guilt, curiosity, love and a passion for art."

VOYA - Stacey Hayman

Applying to art school in nearby Detroit and earning a scholarship to cover tuition should be the start of Kate Tapert's dream come true, but she knows how hard this will be for her mother. Kate's dad chose the life of an artist over his family twelve years ago, and even after he became the wealthy and famous painter Dalton Quinn, he never looked back. Now Kate's hoping he will at least let her use a room in his house while she goes to school since she cannot afford the dorms. What she finds when Dalton answers his door is more than the angry painter she's seen in paparazzi photos or a stubborn, unrepentant father—Kate finds a person who needs more than she might be able to give. This book is engaging from the first page; the short chapters and wide margins keep the pages flying by. Artistic- and literary-minded girls may particularly appreciate Kate's passion for painting and the struggles she's willing to endure to live a creative life. There are also elements that could make this an interesting choice for a book discussion, thanks to sparse backstory details and almost no explanation for why characters make some of the choices that they do. The open-ended nature of this book might appeal to the imagination of teen readers—and their desire to discuss the who, what, and why of the story—but it is also possible that this lack of information will leave them feeling less than satisfied. Reviewer: Stacey Hayman

School Library Journal

Gr 9 Up—When Kate leaves the natural beauty of Michigan's Upper Peninsula for a scholarship to art school in Detroit, her intentions are twofold. She's set her sights on growing into the artist she's always known she could be, but she's also seeking her long-absent father's approval and affection. The second she'd never admit. In Kate's eyes, showing up on her father's doorstep is simply a means to an end. She has no money for housing and he lives in Detroit. Yet his status as a world-renowned artist-turned-recluse who unapologetically left the family years earlier complicates matters. When Kate arrives, she finds the man aloof and self-centered. She soon discovers that he dying of liver cancer and is racing against the clock to finish his crowning art show, and she has to decide how much of herself she's willing to sacrifice to help him. Detroit's air of lost possibilities serves as an apt background for this bittersweet story. Kate's tendency to view life through the lens of famous works of art and her continual references to the natural surroundings of her home help shape her into a unique, living and breathing character. Development of a few secondary characters and plots is not as strong, but the story as it stands is sweet and thoughtful and avoids neatly wrapped edges, as any title that captures the intricacies of family relationships must do.—Jill Heritage Maza, Greenwich High School, CT

Kirkus Reviews

Kate Tapert is caught between two consuming passions: a drive to capture on canvas the austere beauty of her rural Upper Peninsula hometown of Larch, Mich., and a devotion to her mother. In Larch, Kate and her mom eke out a loving if improvident life together in a tiny trailer after being abandoned by Kate's father, celebrated artist Dalton Quinn, years ago. Kate's portfolio and drive have netted her a full-tuition scholarship to art college in Detroit, but housing is not included. Kate resolves to stay with Dalton, even though her letters asking permission to live with him have gone unanswered. The Dalton Kate discovers is near death and desperately trying to complete work for a final retrospective in New York, forcing a choice between following in her father's footsteps—relinquishing family ties for a chance at fame and professional fulfillment—or doing the right thing by caring for and getting to know Dalton at last, on her own terms. Kate's journey from selfishness to selflessness and back to the healthy middle path is quietly touching, if not as powerfully moving as it could be. (Fiction.12 & up)