A review by saidtheraina
Sincerely, Harriet by Sarah Winifred Searle

4.0

Moving is already tough... without piling on a bunch of other things.

It's hard to talk about this book without spoiling aspects of the story.
Searle reveals the circumstances around this kid and their life bit by bit.
But the things revealed are largely what make the book unique.

Spoiler

This is a story about invisible disability. And chronic illness. Not so much the medical details of chronic illness - more about how having chronic illness affects everything else in life. In Harriet's case, her chronic illness has led to her family having to relocate to a bigger city where she can get treatment. She has left her friends. Her parents had to leave jobs they loved to get worse jobs that pay less in the bigger city.
This book is a good demonstration of the compounding effects of different kinds of marginalization. Harriet is Latinx, and disabled, and even though both of her parents have jobs (Papa's a nurse, Mom's a mechanic :)), it's tough to keep up with the various bills that come from living with chronic illness.

Like so many fictionalized autobio pieces (I get the drift that this is marginally along those lines), this is a piece about the human need to connect. And be seen. And to find your place in the world.

Give it to the Telgemeier fans who are aging up a bit.