Front Desk

Brief Description:
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.

Review Quotes:
Awards and Praise for Front Desk: Asian / Pacific American Award for Children's LiteratureParents' Choice Gold Medal Fiction Award WinnerNPR Best Books of the YearKirkus Reviews Best Books of the YearPublishers Weekly Best Books of the YearWashington Post Best Books of the YearAmazon Best Books of the YearSchool Library Journal Best Books of the YearBookpage Best Books of the YearNew York Public Library Best Books of the YearChicago Public Library Best Books of the YearTop Ten Debut Novels 2018 - ALA Booklist* Debut author Yang weaves in autobiographical content while creating a feisty and empowered heroine. The supporting characters are rich in voice and context, with multiple villains and friends that achingly reveal life in America in the 1990s for persons of color and those living in poverty. Heavy themes, including extortion, fraud, and racism, are balanced with the naïve dreams and determination of a 10-year-old.... With bittersweet information on Chinese immigration to America added in an author's note, this book captures many important themes to explore individually or in the classroom. Many readers will recognize themselves or their neighbors in these pages. -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review* Mia herself is an irresistible protagonist, and it is a pleasure to see both her writing and her power grow through a series of letters that she sends to remedy injustices. The hefty and satisfying dose of wish fulfillment that closes the story feels fully earned by the specificity and detailed warmth of Yang's setup. Many young readers will see themselves in Mia and her friends.... A swiftly moving plot and a winsome protagonist make this a first purchase for any collection, especially where realistic fiction is in demand. -- School Library Journal, starred review* It's the details that sing in this novel, particularly the small moments that feel like everything when you're a kid...This book will help foster empathy for the immigrant experience for young readers, while for immigrant children, it is a much-needed and validating mirror....Deserving of shelf space in every classroom and library. -- Booklist, starred reviewReminiscent of the television series Fresh Off the Boat, this title is an honest account of the ups and downs of immigrant life in America in the early 1990s, here told from a child's perspective. Basing the story on her own childhood experiences, Yang writes Mia's dreams into reality without sacrificing or minimizing the heartbreaking realities of many immigrants' hardships. Resilient Mia stumbles over and over again, but she satisfyingly picks herself right back up, often with the help of her parents, Calivista family, and friends. The question of whether Mia will win the essay contest is a big one, but whether or not the answer is yes, there is much satisfaction in this book's powerful and heart-wrenching close. -- Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books, starred reviewMia's gradual understanding of racism and prejudice in America and her subsequent activism are at the heart of this triumphant tale. Readers will admire Mia for her audacity and her creativity.... Yang threads both comedy and social issues through Mia's relatable and entertaining storyline from a few decades ago (the 1990s) and makes it relevant to 2018 America. -- Horn Book Front Desk is a story about the hardships of immigrant life, the perpetuation of injustice, and a sweet, kind, indomitable young girl who chooses to rise up and fight no matter how hard it gets. Kelly Yang's debut is a stunner. -- Mike Jung, author of Unidentified Suburban Object

Biographical Note:
Kelly Yang is the author of Front Desk, which won the 2019 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature and was chosen a Best Book of the Year by multiple publications, including NPR, the Washington Post, and the New York Public Library. Kelly's family immigrated to the United States from China when she was a young girl, and she grew up in California, in circumstances very similar to those of Mia Tang. She eventually left the motels and went to college at the age of 13, and is a graduate of UC Berkeley and Harvard Law School. She is the founder of The Kelly Yang Project, a leading writing and debating program for children in Asia and the United States. Her writing has been published in the South China Morning Post, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Atlantic. To learn more about her and the Front Desk books, visit frontdeskthebook.com.

Brief Description:
"Mia Tang has a lot of secrets. Number 1: She lives in the Calivista Motel and every day, while her immigrant parents clean the rooms, she manages the front desk. Number 2: Her parents hide immigrants. And if the mean motel owner, Mr. Yao, finds out they've been letting them stay in the empty rooms for free, the Tangs will be doomed.Number 3: She wants to be a writer. But how can she when her mom thinks she should stick to math because English is not her first language? It will take all of Mia's courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year. Will she be able to hold on to her job, help the immigrants and guests, escape Mr. Yao, and go for her dreams?"--Back cover.

Publisher Marketing:
Four starred reviews and over ten best-of-year lists!* Many readers will recognize themselves or their neighbors in these pages. -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review