Kelly Yang

Mia Tang has a lot of secrets. Number 1: She lives in a motel, not a big house. Number 2: Her parents hide immigrants. Number 3: She wants to be a writer.   It will take all of Mia's courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year.

Front desk

Eva Ströberg

This young adult book is so interesting, it tells the story of a struggle of FOB Chinese immigrant family in America in the late 80s. How immigrants were used and took benefit of, and worse by the other immigrants who had settled in the US before them.

Mia Tang is only 9 years old, never understood why her parents chose to leave their comfortable life in Beijing and moved to America when they never got enough food to eat, could not get all the burgers they wanted as promised, and what's so "free" about America when everything cost money, money that they didn't have.

When her parents got a "job" to run a motel somewhere close to Disneyland in California, she decided to man the front desk simply because her parents were busy with all kinds of job running the hotel. It is no job for a 9-year old, especially in a run-down motel like the one Mr. Yao - the notorious owner - has.

Not only telling the story of racism against Asian American community and the struggle of immigrant family, this book also discuss the discrimination against African American back in the 1980s (which hasn't changed much in 2020, I guess). I like the fact that the book discuss heavy matters in Mia Tang's 9 years old voice, perfect to introduce the social problems of the world to young adults.

Sarah Sammis

Front Desk by Kelly Yang is a fictionalized account of the author's childhood of living and working in a motel. After living in their car and trying to work in a restaurant, the Tang family finds work managing a motel owned by Taiwanese Mr. Yao. They've come for a better life but so far Mia thinks staying in China would have been better (except for the hamburgers).

http://pussreboots.com/blog/2018/comm...

skim haunts

mia tang gus2 ko maging katulad mo paglaki ko

Recent immigrants from China and desperate for work and money, ten-year-old Mia Tang's parents take a job managing a rundown motel in Southern California, even though the owner, Mr. Yao is a nasty skinflint who exploits them; while her mother (who was an engineer in China) does the cleaning, Mia works the front desk and tries to cope with demanding customers and other recent immigrants--not to mention being only one of two Chinese in her fifth grade class, the other being Mr. Yao's son, Jason.

Front Desk

Sade A

Front Desk is that book. What a beautiful book. Heartbreaking, hopeful. You find yourself cheering for Mia and her family. Like Go Go GO!!!! You're getting off that roller coaster.

I like that the author doesn't shy away from the difficult topics of racial stereotyping - look not only white people do that - poverty, being in a country that says its the land of the free but gets its hackles up when it gets a whiff of diversity.

Mia was determined. I eventually loved that about her. 
When i started the book i was all, "what's a 10 year old going to do to change her life?" But i realised that was just my Adult jaded self talking and looking at Mia from the context of my own life, my own upbringing. 

I think a lot of people think children in the position Mia was in, don't see or for some reason cannot articulate their emotions on how hard it is for them personally or their family as a whole. Probably why it's somewhat difficult to wrap their head around a 10 year old "growing up so fast" for lack of a better word. Children grow up so fast in those circumstances, hyper aware of the lack that surrounds them.

All in all, an excellent book. Highly recommend.

Izza

Sarah Wakefield 

Lots of good topics and themes to discuss in this book. I also liked the real life connection to the author's life growing up.

Nadine 

Well written and gripping story based on the author's life. Young Chinese migrant needing to survive using problem solving and literacy skills thereby helping herself and others around her.

this amazing book was super wholesome at times while also dealing with some very important topics. i loved it a lot and am excited that there are more books in the series to read!

laura

I really loved this read. It was such a fast and quick read. I loved how this book was set in the 90 and focused on the Chinese experience in americans. It dealt with so many harder topics like racism, friendship and running a hotel. It also focused alot on found family and the kindness of strangers in a cruel world. This book put a smile on my face and and brought tears to my eyes. I really loved the characters in this book and am so excited for book 2!!

Ruth Parker 

This was a total surprise. Picked up on a whim, I thought it’d be a fun easy middle grade/young young adult book but it was so much more than that. 
A fantastic look at life as an immigrant and how people really and truly live their lives. But with a fun youthful twist on it keeping it lighter.

Lily D

I hate realistic fiction and I Loved this book!

Jeni Enjaian

I found this book absolutely adorable and real at the same time. Yang created a believable narrative that gives the reader a look into this little known history and a lot of hope as well all while avoiding sickly sweet deus ex machina. Authors write best from what they know and Yang showed it well here.

Emily C Peterson

Becca Futrell

Buddy read with Jak!

This is such a cute cute CUTE read, but also covers very important topics. 10/10 recommend picking this one up! ♥

Nia C

Full of heart & then some. Full review incoming.

Salonie Powar

Stefie 

In the beginning of the year I added this book to my list and then not remembering much what it is about, except it is about a girl runs a motel and about immigrants in America.

Then I started reading two nights ago. And not only my eyes glued to the book, my heart too.
This is a book about racism, about family, poverty, about friendship. About going against current and not stop being hopeful. It is a childhood story that is so colourful but sometimes is grey too.

What Mia (our main character) & Kelly experienced was something that I definitely would not been able to understand or relate fully. But Kelly’s writing helped me to see what it feels like to be in their shoes. As a grandchild from two Chinese immigrant grandparents. This helped me to understand their lives a bit in the country they flew into (in my case, Indonesia).

Front Desk, wow. Seriously. A book that is just so meaningful, important, makes you sad and angry at times but brings lots and lots of joy too. This book hold me like a hug and I would keep the story well in my heart ♥ thank you Kelly Yang for sharing your beautiful story with the world. 

P.s I really adore Hank and Mia’s friendship! 😁

Kate

4.5* simply incredible in every single way. one of the best middle grade books I’ve ever read and one that, no matter your age, you’ll be able to take something away from. this was just as powerful as any ya or adult book I’ve read. a phenomenal story I want everyone to read.

Front desk

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