Front Desk (Front Desk #1) (Scholastic Gold) (1)

Mia is a ten-year-old Chinese immigrant. She had immigrated to California from China 2 years earlier with her parents, who were hoping for a better life. Unfortunately, the United States in the 1990s was not exactly welcoming to Chinese immigrants, and many struggled. Mia and her parents were no different. After gaining and losing several jobs and facing homelessness again, Mia's parents take a job managing a motel. Unfortunately, the motel owner - who is Taiwanese, not Chinese, as he is quick to point out - is not only overtly racist, he is also exploitive and seems almost happy to point out to Mia's parents that they could be replaced immediately when they question his actions. But Mia and her parents try to make the best of it. Mia works the front desk when at the motel, quickly learning the ropes and consistently trying to find ways to help the guests and her family. She also becomes friends with the weeklies at the motel - those guests who live at the motel and pay weekly - and they quickly become part of her growing family. At school, though, Mia struggles. She can't tell the other students - most of whom are white - that she lives in a motel. She struggles in English, though she loves writing, and she also has disagreements with her mother who thinks she should focus on math and forget about writing because "she'll never be able to write as well as the white kids" for whom English is their native language. Most of the book is a slice-of-life look at running a hotel and Mia's struggle to integrate with the other students at school. Though it may seem to some that too much goes wrong at the motel in too short a period of time, I can say from experience that this depiction is incredibly realistic. While reading it, I was having flashbacks to my own experience managing a motel and running the front desk. The news Mia and her family get in chapter 55, in particular, hit hard on the feels for me, because my husband and I went through that same situation. We didn't use the same solution that Mia and her family did, and I definitely loved the solution they came up with. Throughout the story were the letters that Mia wrote, each for a different situation. These were an added touch, helping to bring the reader back to the days of the early and mid-90s, before email was ubiquitous and text messaging was still a dream. Her struggle to put word to paper, to make sure she was using the right words and tenses, was an added dimension to the story that I didn't expect but definitely appreciated. The author's note at the end, where she discussed her own experiences was also incredibly moving, and I loved learning that much of the book's scenarios were pulled from her own experiences, while also wanting to give a hug to the child that had to experience that struggle. I had the opportunity to listen to the audiobook, narrated by Sunny Lu, and I highly recommend it. Lu did a wonderful job with the narration, injecting just the right amount of emotion and tension into the performance. I had to force myself to stop listening so I could go to bed; had I not, I would have listened right through to the end and not getting any sleep. While I would have enjoyed the story, work the next day would not have been fun. Lol. So, long review short, I definitely recommend this book. For younger readers, I would recommend a parent read with them, as there are some tough situations that they may need/want to talk about. But overall, this is a story of hope for an immigrant family who is struggling to make a better life for themselves.

FRONT DESK is loosely based on author Kelly Yang’s life experience, as explained in an author’s note at the end of the book. Her straightforward writing makes this book perfect for younger middle grade readers (Mia is 10). Yet Yang tackles difficult issues like interpersonal, systemic, and institutional racism. She writes so simply and honestly, it’s hard to imagine a young person walking away without understanding these powerful messages. FRONT DESK is infused with dark truths about America and still manages to be light, heartwarming, and fast-paced. Lovable Mia solves problems by using her writing skills—not her math skills as her mother wishes she would. She beats the system by using her words, often disguised as the words of adults, to point out injustices and find pathways to a better life for her family and friends. Mia’s and her parents’ find—actually, create—community at the Calavista Motel. They fight back when multiple systems conspire to make life impossible for Hank, an African American man who lives at the hotel. They devise a system to hide desperate Chinese immigrants in vacant rooms. This is deep social justice work, accompanied by anecdotes of Mia’s follies at the front desk and problems at school. The book ends on a hopeful note, with the Tangs’ community surrounding them to help them take the first step off the poverty rollercoaster. The solution they come up with has a chance at helping others get off, too. FRONT DESK shifts the narrative about the American experience, acknowledging that there are many American experiences. The pathway to the American Dream can take many forms, and Yang has described one that is heart wrenching, hopeful, and a lot of fun along the way.

What a great book. I bought it for my 12 year old granddaughter. A story of resilience.

Hiya Bumbles! I am so excited to share this upper elementary/middle grade book with all of you! This is the story of Mia Tang, a Chinese immigrant, and her family’s quest for a better, “freer” life in America. The Tang family is given the opportunity to manage a motel and a journey of heart breaking and heart filling experiences begin. Ms. Yang artfully brings sass and humor to very serious topics regarding social issues that continue to pervade our communities. This is quite a relevant read right now and I can see how fabulous discussions and lessons will arise from this novel. The main character, Mia, is spunky, bright and spreads love everywhere she goes. She also stands up for herself and others when it counts. I loved getting to know her. It was eye opening to read some of the circumstances that the immigrants in the story have to live through. And although there are heavy social injustices that are prevalent in her life, Mia handles them with grace and just the right amount of sass and compassion. I absolutely would recommend this story and I think it teaches so many valuable lessons to readers! I also think that it can transcend age up through YA and it’s a great read for adults too. It’s actually based on some of the author’s own experiences. 🐝🐝🐝🐝🐝 from me! Loved it! #frontdesk #kellyyang #scholastic #kidlit #bookstagram #immigrant #chinese #miatang #spunkandsass #booknerd #kellyyangisawesome

Interesting story line across this whole series - with very identifiable feelings from the protagonist Mia as she grapples with being an immigrant in USA. Interesting series for middle school kids, especially those grappling with ethnicity.

"It is a very nice book. Must read for children " - as said by my daughter

大変なことがたくさん起こり、途中読み進めるのがつらくもなったが、読後感は清々しい。 とても読みやすい英語なのもよかった。

Tudo em ordem e no prazo

Shows the truth of POC and immigrant life, including the poverty cycle, racism, and daily struggles. It is an amazing read! Mia is so brave and courageous. Her passion for justice and writing is beautiful. My grade 5 students LOVE this book!! It is so relevant and relatable they make so many connections. The story is also super entertaining my students got angry, sad, and cheered! I highly recommend!!!