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See What I See

3.46 of 5 stars 3.46 · rating details · 204 ratings · 65 reviews

Kate Tapert sees her life in paintings. She makes sense of the world around her by relating it to what she adores--art. Armed with a suitcase, some canvases, and a scholarship to art school in Detroit, Kate is ready to leave home and fully immerse herself in painting. Sounds like heaven. All Kate needs is a place to stay.

That place is the home of her father, famous and rec...more

Hardcover, 208 pages

Published December 28th 2010 by HarperTeen

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May 16, 2013 Littlecheese rated it 2 of 5 stars

This was a so-so book. It kept me ready, but left a sour taste in my mouth.

Maybe cause I have friends that are like Kate in the book. Live with their mothers and never hear from the father and such.

So the book felt kinda plain and a bit weak. Kate wasn't someone I cared to much of. Everything that happen to her was because she let it. She didn't really stand her ground or anything and it just seemed the excuse of him being sick and dying was the only thing that made them be close. Other then tha...more

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Oct 06, 2011 Michelle Isenhoff rated it 4 of 5 stars

Gloria Whelan has reconfirmed herself as one of my favorite authors with her latest book, See What I See. We share a state, and the passion with which she paints northern Michigan’s gorgeous scenery reflects my own love of “up north.” But it is her mastery of story and language that makes her one of the greats.

Kate has grown up without her father. He’s been too busy becoming a famous artist to pay her any mind. The only thing she ever received from him was a talent for art. She needs to paint as...more

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Mar 02, 2011 Sarah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen, art, family, death, father-daughter, clean

Kate's dad, Dalton Quinn, is a famous artist. He gained notoriety for his grisly paintings that shed a dark light on society's woes. His work has been on display in prestigious galleries throughout the world, and his reputation as an artist is both admirable and impressive. His qualities as a father, however, leave a lot to be desired. Dalton abandoned Kate and her mom years ago, so he could pursue his art, along with drinking and other women. Kate grew up in a trailer, while her mom worked extr...more

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Nov 11, 2010 Tawni (The Book Worms) rated it 4 of 5 stars

See What I See is a great story about acceptance and never losing sight of your dreams even if they get put on hold or things get complicated.

Kate is an aspiring painter who decides to move in with her estranged father while she attends art school. Kate hasn’t seen her father and famous painter, Dalton Quinn, for years after he chooses work over her mother and herself.

When Kate shows up at Dalton’s home he immediately wants her to leave and hates that she’s there. What seems like a terrible and...more

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Mar 23, 2013 Liz rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, father-daughter, had-really-high-hopes, reviewed

Well, the hunt for father/daughter relationship stories continue...

So, I found this book out of the blue and I thought it would be perfect. It's about an art student, and I love art and I get what she is talking about. A recluse father, who is also an artist? That adds another intriguing part to the puzzle, and then there is another part but I won't spoil it. Unlike "Burn" "See What I See" is a better novel with more sympathetic characters. Kate is a good protagonist who grows throughout the nov...more

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Jun 02, 2011 Ryan rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jan 29, 2011 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

See What I See is an understated and simple look at how children deal with divorce, abandonment and death. Told through the eyes of Kate after having been left by her father as a small child the story focuses on her desire to create a relationship with him. Raised by a bitter and scorned mother Kate decides that as part of her college art school experience she wants to live with her father. Part financial necessity and part desire to connect with him she shows up on his doorstep one day after he...more See What I See is an understated and simple look at how children deal with divorce, abandonment and death. Told through the eyes of Kate after having been left by her father as a small child the story focuses on her desire to create a relationship with him. Raised by a bitter and scorned mother Kate decides that as part of her college art school experience she wants to live with her father. Part financial necessity and part desire to connect with him she shows up on his doorstep one day after he fails to return any of her attempts at contact.

The bulk of the story focuses on Kate’s relationship with her father. Strained at best, I liked seeing how dedicated she was to her cause when she takes on the role of caretaker. She immediately dropped everything to stand by a man who unceremoniously dumped her, continued to ignore her attempts at contact and then does little to make her feel welcomed in his life when they finally share space. I felt a satisfaction for her, in fact, that she stood by him until the end. Even putting aside her own desires in order to fulfill his final wishes.

Kate was an introvert by nature. She held her close relationship with her mother in high regard, had few relationships but those she had were strong and loyal, and wanted nothing more than to be heard through her art. She was strong when needed but unafraid to be emotional when she could no longer bear it which made me respect her all the more. She got flustered and angry and, at times, childish when in the company of her father but despite that reasonable behavior she continued to stand by him.

As it relates to Kate’s relationships I’m glad that Whelan made the choice not to go down the road of a strong romance. Kate had an ex-boyfriend who she parted ways with amicably and maintained a healthy relationship. This I found interesting given how it outlined the exact opposite of what her parents experienced upon their breakup. Though not expressly mentioned I drew the conclusion that Kate chose to maintain their relationship in a more positive way because of her experiences with her parents. She saw first hand the bitterness that befell them and made the choice not to allow herself to succumb to the same trap.

Kate also struck up a friendship with a local boy named Thomas when she arrived to live with her father. Though there were some thoughts on her part that perhaps it could go somewhere further the relationship ultimately remained platonic. For me, the most interesting aspect of Thomas’ inclusion wasn’t the potential for romance but rather that he served the purpose of showing how a strong family dynamic works. How family can be so intertwined in each others lives. There were obligations to be had and expectations that were so completely different than what she had experienced in her life. It was a nice opposition to what we saw with Kate and her parents.

When looking at her parents I was mostly focused on her father. Her mother was straight-forward and there was little interaction with her. Dalton, on the other hand, seemed a bit cliched for me. An alcoholic artist who abandons his family to concentrate on his career, he finds fame, ruins his life, falls into obscurity, and then reconnects with his long lost daughter as he fights death. He was horribly behaved, pushed Kate away for most of the time (until he had moments of guilt and pulled her back in), and then ultimately provided for her after death. I didn’t find him endearing or root-worthy or really someone I wanted to connect with. However, I don’t think that is what he was meant to be. I believe Whelan wanted me to dislike him because the story wasn’t really about him and the journey he was taking it was about Kate. In that way she was successful. Kate was dynamic and a pleasure to follow through the story. I certainly felt for her and wanted to see her succeed at happiness no matter how she chose to do so.

The use of art as a way to create a common bond between father and daughter was an interesting addition to the story. Made more so by the fact that Kate wasn’t looking to be an imitation of her father. Her independence in the art world is important to her, she wants to become known for her own style as opposed to being an imitation of father. She felt art in a much different way and Whelan did a great job of expressing that on the page.

The story wasn’t entirely without predictability. I could see exactly what the outcome was going to be early on. Having said that, this story is built more on the how it gets there and the who it is that works through it all rather than what the tangible outcome is. It’s in the intangibles — the emotional growth — that the strength of the story is at its highest. A strong and quick read See What I See will leave you filled with both sadness and hope.(less)

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May 27, 2012 Rachel rated it 4 of 5 stars

See What I See is a novel about Kate Talpert-Quinn, daughter of the famous artists, Dalton Quinn. I loved Kate's journey of self discovery and art, but felt like there were parts left out of this book and some undeveloped characters that I would have liked to see more. Kate goes to Detroit on an art scholarship to live with her dad who she hasn't seen since he left the family when she was seven. Her hometown is up north and she misses it. It is her inspiration for painting, a love her father pas...more

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Apr 25, 2011 Diane rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: family-stories, washyarg, young-adult, art

Kate sees things with an artist’s eye. All she wants is to go to art school and get to know her father. She and her mother have been barely getting by in a trailer in rural Michigan since her father left them years ago. He’s a famous painter and he’s dying, and when Kate moves in with him she learns much about her father and herself. Her life in Detroit opens her eyes in ways she could never imagine. She doesn’t find the romantic ideal of a father she longed for, but she does discover her creat...more

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Jan 10, 2011 Jess Bierschied rated it 5 of 5 stars

SEE WHAT I SEE, by Gloria Whelan, is a story about a young artist who will do whatever it takes to achieve her dreams of becoming a famous painter like her father, who she hasn't seen since she was a little girl. Kate is in for more than she expected when she shows up at her father's doorstep in Detroit, to find that her long absent father is dying and has only months to live.

I found this novel very uplifting and really made me think about the importance of family. Kate has had nothing to do wi...more SEE WHAT I SEE, by Gloria Whelan, is a story about a young artist who will do whatever it takes to achieve her dreams of becoming a famous painter like her father, who she hasn't seen since she was a little girl. Kate is in for more than she expected when she shows up at her father's doorstep in Detroit, to find that her long absent father is dying and has only months to live.

I found this novel very uplifting and really made me think about the importance of family. Kate has had nothing to do with her father since her took off so he could paint and be famous, and makes lots of money. He was never there for her or her mother, never called, never did anything to involve himself with his daughter and then she shows up and expects maybe he'll be nice about her staying with him because she is older and she can help around the house. He almost didn't let her stay and I wanted to yell at him to get over himself!

She learns he is dying, and multiple people tell her that she is going to have to take care of him and even though he has never been there for her, she is willing to help him out if it means that she can't go to art school in Detroit. Kate has such a distinct voice, she loves her father, and aspires to be just like him, but she also can't stand him and she wants to hate him for never being there for her growing up.

She quickly finds out that her father is deteriorating fast and he needs her attention 24/7. I found myself getting upset with the book because I wanted her so badly to achieve her dreams that she so desperately wanted but her father kept bogging her down further and further. When I finished the book I had to take a deep breath and think about how much family really means. I was surprised that this book enlightened me on the importance of family in a girls life. This is feel good, feel angry, feel sad book. I could've cried, laughed and yelled all at the same time. Kate has her own voice and this story felt like a true one, I was sucked in immediately and I couldn't stop.
(less)

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Jul 11, 2011 Phoebe rated it 2 of 5 stars

Kate's rocky childhood hasn't stood in the way of her passion: painting. Her famous father abandoned his wife and daughter for fame and riches in New York, but now is broke and reclusive in Detroit. Kate longs to connect with him, so when she receives a scholarship to the art school in Detroit, she decides to go for it--arrive on her father's doorstep, unannounced. She finds a broken man, desperately ill, horrendously bad-tempered, but she digs in her heels and stays with him. She quits art scho...more

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Feb 22, 2012 Arthur Pengerbil rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reading Level: Grades 8+

When Kate Tapert earns a four-year scholarship to a Detroit art school, she realizes the only way she can afford to attend is if she lives with her estranged father, the famous reclusive artist Dalton Quinn. When Dalton's daughter shows up on his doorstep he orders her to leave until she threatens to reveal his secret.

Other stories of teens reconnecting with absent fathers try:
Choppy Socky Blues by Ed Briant
Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee and
One of Those Hideous Books Where...more

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Jan 20, 2011 Judy rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 24, 2011 Jeanne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, ya

I really liked See What I See. It is a "read it in one sitting" book. It is written in first person, very much like a diary. - Very understated, but still very powerful at times.

good quotes
(page 139)
"You're making yourself too important. Guilt comes from feeling we're at the center of the universe. We're not. We're just a small part of someone's life; there are a hundred thousand other things going on. In the case of your father it's his cirrhosis, exacerbated by portal hypertension."

(page 15...more

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Nov 01, 2011 marbella rated it 4 of 5 stars

see what i see is a story that explain how we can realize our dreams if we want to. in this case Kate had a scholarship for an art school. but she needs to move to Detroit, her dad lives there but he left her and her mom years ago. he didn't knows that she was in his house!!!! he never communicate with her and also he never ask about how was she and her mom.
when he saw her he said to her that she doesn't have nothing to do here.
she try to convene him to let her stay only for that day because she...more

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Mar 10, 2011 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to Lisa by: Nico

Shelves: abandonment, art, families, death, values

After winning a scholarship to art school in Detroit, Kate Tapert moves in with her famous, but "fatally selfish," father, Dalton Quinn. Dalton, who abandoned Kate and her mother when Kate was five, is now a famous, but faded artist. He's preparing for his final art show as he's dying of cirrhosis. Kate is torn between pursuing her artistic career and taking care of her selfish, dying father.
Whelan uses words to paints realistic portraits of two unique characters. We see what Kate sees as she l...more

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Oct 10, 2012 Vianey rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed sitting down at 1 am and reading this novel, I find Gloria Whelan's novels very relaxing and it just takes you from whatever it is that you are upset about and drives you into her characters' lives. It is an easy read, but let me tell you something, that I did not realize until the end, she kind of always makes her protagonist a smart, caring and positive person. I loved the way Kate stuck around her dad just to pursue her dreams of becoming an artist. As harsh as that man was t...more I really enjoyed sitting down at 1 am and reading this novel, I find Gloria Whelan's novels very relaxing and it just takes you from whatever it is that you are upset about and drives you into her characters' lives. It is an easy read, but let me tell you something, that I did not realize until the end, she kind of always makes her protagonist a smart, caring and positive person. I loved the way Kate stuck around her dad just to pursue her dreams of becoming an artist. As harsh as that man was treating her, in Kate shoes I would of just packed my bags and gone back home. So to what I was going to say, when I finished the novel I was like, it reminds me a lot of Homeless Bird, (I walk to my bookshelf) then when I come to realize, yep they are by the same author hahaha! Incredible right, I'm such a dork, but well back to the book, the story talks about how you should always go and live your dreams, but never forget about the people that are important to you. Yes even if they had never stuck around to help you, be who you are, the caring and loving person you are will one day reward your path and bring you so much happiness.
In some ways I wished I would be able to be like Kate not really involve myself with a guy like she did, she would give them space and work herself to do what she likes best, which is painting and drawing. She had her mind set and would ignore what she knew she had to. Props to Kates mom though, I think I would be that kind of mom to be like, your father has never been there for you and you want to help him out? I guess it's just the role of sons and daughters that sometimes we take, we say 'hey that's my mom or that's my dad no matter what he did or did not do they are still my parent.

It may seem weird, but Kate was independent and she didn't juggle any romances around haha A lot of people have complained about how they wanted to see more out of the relationship she had with either guy, but in my opinion you don't need a man to follow your dreams. She did well to stand by herself and not fall deeply in love, she kind of couldn't though, and the reality is, maybe she was happier with herself. The author doesn't really say that, but I concluded that myself.

I'm ready to read more of Gloria Whelan novels, so easy, so pretty reminds me of Sarah Dessen sometimes. (SOMETIMES) please don't take it the wrong way (less)

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May 29, 2012 P.E. at Tantalizing Illusions rated it 4 of 5 stars

See What I See was a short but packed and refreshing read.

The story is about a girl named Kate who is applying to an art school in Detroit but can't afford a place to live so she decides to crash with her famous artist Dad who had left her and her mom. What was special about this story was the relationship between father and daughter, which felt heartfelt.

Kate is a character you can't help but at least sympathize with and at most love. She loves her mom but she's always been curious about her d...more

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Feb 06, 2011 Brianna rated it 4 of 5 stars

I entered this book with minimal expectations, but found myself pleasantly surprised at the muted poignancy in this novel.

The premise of this novel immediately brought to mind The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks; I am in the middle of reading the book now, so I cannot tell you how much the two are alike and how they differ, but there is a definite similarity between the two. The parallels between the hope and beauty of Kate's art world and the bleak and chasmic depression swirling around life with...more

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May 08, 2011 Jessica Secret rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: willing-to-trade-or-for-giveaway

From shutupimreading.blogspot.com

See What I See was a quick read, but I felt like it could've been so much more.

The plot moved along at a good pace and definitely kept me interested, even though I don't know that much about art. (But this book did make me want to learn more about art, mostly so I can go to art school, because it sounds COOL..)

This book lacked the emotional punch I was looking for. While I liked Kate's character a lot, I felt like I there was this barrier keeping me from loving h...more

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Jun 11, 2011 Chrissy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, contemporary-fiction, realistic-fiction, 2011, rao-reviews, reviewed

I don’t read a great deal of contemporary YA since I’m more drawn to the fantastical side of literature but when I do venture to the realistic side of fiction, books like See What I See are great finds.

Our protagonist is Kate, an 18-yr old fresh from high school who has been granted a scholarship to one of the most prestigious art schools in the country. Problem is, neither she nor her mother have money for a dorm room. Kate’s father left them when she was only a toddler and has had nothing to d...more

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Jun 09, 2011 Nafiza rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

First. It is necessary to mention the beauty of the prose. It is glorious. Like, clutch-your-heart-and-read-it-again glorious. The book reminds me of a painting. As though the empty pages were a canvas and the words the paint. Ms. Whelan is a master at using these words to create a painting that is rich, layered and textured.

The book deals with the relationships between a child and her parents. Specifically the relationship between a child who was abandoned and the father who abandoned her. It i...more

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Dec 19, 2010 Princess Bookie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read2010

My Thoughts: I won't lie, I don't read many books like this. I'm more of a romance reader. But I got this for review and I liked the sound of it plus I knew a few friends were excited for it so decided to give it a chance. We meet Kate who has spent her whole life with her mom, in a trailer, barely getting by. She wants to become an artist, go to art school, do something she loves. Her father is a famous painter but he left them while she was just a child and had nothing to do with them all thes...more

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Jun 06, 2011 Vi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen

Kate has grown up in a small town in Michigan. Her father, a famous and reclusive artist, abandoned her and her mother. Kate now, ready for college, wants to be an artist and has a scholarship to an art school. She just needs a place to stay and has decided to live with her father. Little does she know that her father is dying.

Fluffy book, but quicky read.

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Oct 02, 2010 Karin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Contemporary realistic fiction about a budding artist who moves in with her estranged artist father in Detroit while she attends art school, only to discover he is unrepentant about having abandoned her and her mom, and dying of liver failure. Complex relationships and lots of nature imagery. Reminded me in some ways of Garret Freymann-Weyr in tone.

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Mar 03, 2011 Marilyn Getts rated it 4 of 5 stars

Liked it more than I thought that I would, even though I think that Gloria Whelan is a good writer. I liked the minimalist style and the realistic ending. It doesn't tie things up in a neat little package. A teen's life is like that, full of "middles" rather than beginnings and endings.

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Mar 29, 2011 Anna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Sincere, heartfelt, mature, & sweet (as well as a love letter of sorts to the artistic soul) this blissfully short novel is a great pick for soon to graduate/make their own way teens. (Yes, Miss A.B. that means you, so I'll be expecting to see you again sooner rather than later!) :)

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Nov 11, 2012 Nancy Peifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

I like most of Gloria Whelan's books for children and teens, but this is one of her best. A likeable and believable heroine in a messy, real-life siuation. Redemption without a fairy tale ending. And all along the way, insights and thought provoking comments on art.

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Mar 14, 2011 joy *the clean-reader extraordinaire* rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: modern-fiction, pg13-green, ya-fiction

a nearly perfect little story. well-balanced, -paced, and -executed. lovely general milieu and artistic detail.
believable, heart-breaking, and hopeful. great cover!

pg13 very green, for hard issues like abandonment and alcoholism, with no suger-coated fairy tale ending

very much recommended for teens or for book clubs, as there are layers of meaning and great possible discussion of choices

ie did kate's father make the right choice to devote his life full-time to art rather than his family?
is...more

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Jan 06, 2011 Plainjane26 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction, first-reads, young-adult, realistic

I received this book from the Good Reads "First Reads" giveaway program.

"See What I See" is the story about a teenage girl heading off to college who gets more than she bargained for when she moves in with her ailing father.

I really enjoyed this book. The story immediately grabs you and you want to keep reading to find out what happened. I am glad that while this story has a general happy ending, not all of the situations that the main character finds herself in were predictable. I was hoping fo...more

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About Gloria Whelan

Gloria Whelan is the best-selling author of many novels for young readers, including Homeless Bird, winner of the National Book Award; Friutlands: Louisa May Alcott Made Perfect; Angel on the Square and its companion, The Impossible Journey; Once on this Island, winner of the Great Lakes Book Award; Farewell to the Island; and Return to the Island. She lives with her husband, Joseph, in the woods...more

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Angel on the Square (Angel on the Square, #1)

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Quotes from See What I See

“You're making yourself too important. Guilt comes from feeling we're at the center of the universe. We're not.” — 1 person liked it

“I have qualms and wonder what a qualm would look like if you painted it -- probably like a bowl of melting ice cream or a dish of Jell-o just before it sets.” — 1 person liked it

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