Discover → Children's

Seeing Is NOT Believing

By Sebastian Gallardo

Buy it nowBuy nowBuy

Enjoying this book? Help it get discovered by casting your vote!

Worth reading 😎

A young boy embarks on his first solo train ride to meet with his beloved grandmother, changing his perception of the world.

Synopsis

In this stunningly illustrated book, conceived and written by teen debut author, Sebastian Gallardo, and illustrated by Dan McGeehan, children will learn something about diversity—and the beauty of the individual.

In Seeing Is Not Believing, Jose rides the subway alone for the first time. He goes to meet his grandmother for a birthday outing. They are going to see the giant who stands on Ellis Island.

As he rides the subway, Jose discovers that a person can be lonely in a crowd. So many people. And no one stops to look at him or talk to him. They are all rushing here or rushing there.

And Jose discovers that a person can also be lost in a crowd. So many people. How will Jose find his little Abuela when people are hurrying and scurrying all over the station?

But Jose makes one more discovery; when you take time to notice people, you make new friends. A crowd is just a bunch of people, in the end. Each one has a history—a point of view—and a sorrow to share or a joy.

And each person adds color to our world.

In Sebastian Gallardo’s debut picture book, a little boy named Jose is excited to open his pile of birthday presents. His favorite gift is a much-wanted metro card which allows him to venture out for his first solo train ride to meet his grandmother so they can visit The Statue of Liberty together. Jose’s enthusiasm wavers as he’s thrust into a crowd of strangers on the platform. As the train arrives, he skittishly makes his way through the open door and finds a seat on the crowded train. He uses his curiosity to connect and make conversation with other commuters as he notices the commonalities between himself and each person he meets along the way. 


Through a visually rich story that combines black and white and colorful illustrations, Gallardo reminds us how delightful meeting and getting to know a new person can be. Without using a single line of dialogue, the characters that Jose meets during his adventure on the train go from being black and white and bidimensional strangers, to becoming colorful and tridimensional humans as Jose finds a reason to connect and share a brief, meaningful interaction with each one of them.


Seeing is Not Believing is a compelling and enjoyable tale. The story highlights very relatable topics such as curiosity, courage, adventure, connecting with others and the value of family. It opens the door for parents to have a conversation with their little ones about the importance of connecting and reserving judgment of others, reminding us of the age-old English idiom ”don’t judge a book by its cover.” The story wraps up with a sweet moment between grandmother and grandson on Liberty Island: the ultimate appreciation of our American freedom. 

 

I highly recommend this book to any parent who’s looking for a sweet story to prompt conversation about the importance of diversity and human connection.



Reviewed by
Casie Gambrel

Casie Gambrel recently relocated to SoCal with her husband, daughter, and dog, Magnus. As a trained improviser, she loves stories that put a different perspective on everyday reality.

Seeing Is NOT Believing

Written by Sebastian Gallardo

Buy it nowBuy nowBuy
Read preview

Synopsis

In this stunningly illustrated book, conceived and written by teen debut author, Sebastian Gallardo, and illustrated by Dan McGeehan, children will learn something about diversity—and the beauty of the individual.

In Seeing Is Not Believing, Jose rides the subway alone for the first time. He goes to meet his grandmother for a birthday outing. They are going to see the giant who stands on Ellis Island.

As he rides the subway, Jose discovers that a person can be lonely in a crowd. So many people. And no one stops to look at him or talk to him. They are all rushing here or rushing there.

And Jose discovers that a person can also be lost in a crowd. So many people. How will Jose find his little Abuela when people are hurrying and scurrying all over the station?

But Jose makes one more discovery; when you take time to notice people, you make new friends. A crowd is just a bunch of people, in the end. Each one has a history—a point of view—and a sorrow to share or a joy.

And each person adds color to our world.

Seeing Is NOT Believing

Written by Sebastian Gallardo

Buy it nowBuy nowBuy
Visit website
No activity yet

No updates yet.

Come back later to check for updates.

Comments

About the author

I am a 17 year old student, who wanted to write a book on how misleading stereotypes can be and give my spin on the concepts of diversity and inclusion. view profile

Published on July 31, 2022

0-1000 words

Worked with a Reedsy professional 🏆

Genre:Children's

Reviewed by

Enjoyed this review?

Get early access to fresh indie books and help decide on the bestselling stories of tomorrow. Create your free account today.

facebook

or

google

Or sign up with an email address

Or sign up with your social account

Menu