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4.0 ★★★★★
Based on 26 reviews
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Product Reviews
★★★★★ 5
My favorite middle grade book of 2018 so far
Format: Hardcover, Format: Hardcover
I'll never look at a motel with the same eyes again. Author Kelly Yang brings us Mia Tang, a younger version of herself, who helped her parents manage a motel in southern California in the early 1990s.
Mia and her parents arrive from China with two hundred dollars, unwavering optimism, and the belief that if they work hard enough, they will achieve the American dream: a big house, a dog, and an endless supply of juicy hamburgers. After two years of backbreaking jobs and sketchy living conditions, Mia's parents rush to sign a contract to manage the Calista Motel located five miles from Disneyland.
Mr. Yao, the notoriously cheap and unscrupulous motel owner, informs the Tangs that the contract allows him to make any changes and if they don't like the terms, "Just say the word. There are ten thousand immigrants who would take your job in two seconds" (p. 27).
Mia quickly makes friends with the "weeklies" and assigns herself front desk duty because her parents must clean every room themselves and be available 24/7 to check in guests.
Mia's moxie and sense of justice emerge as she takes on adult responsibilities with a sense of pride and unbridled enthusiasm.
She makes plenty of mistakes which makes us empathize with her struggles and root for her as she tackles the english language, bullies, crime, and embarrassment about her thrift store clothes. (Keep your eyes open for the tale of the designer jeans.)
Chapters are vignettes that are strung along with seamless transitions to make reading a pure pleasure. The author captures Mia's voice so authentically that the reader is instantly drawn into the story. Mia's uses the power of the written word to advocate for herself and others.
Kids will fall in love with Mia and cheer her fierce determination as she navigates her way through poverty and injustice, bringing her family, the weeklies, and everyone else who want to be part of the American dream with her.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2018
★★★★★ 5
Outstanding!
Format: Hardcover
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
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Reviewed in the United States on June 20, 2018
★★★★★ 4
Great book for young minds to learn about prejudice, immigration, and keeping your identity.
Format: Hardcover
Brand spanking new hardcover. Quality was great. That's the product from Amazon. The story itself has become priceless. I bought it to participate in the Great Global Read Aloud project with my class. However, being fourth generation American born Chinese AND teaching to students of various ethnic backgrounds and citizenship, this story really spoke to me. My 6 year old son has asked me to read it aloud to him as I was vetting the book and has really enjoyed it. Keep in mind there are some mentions of "idiot" and "hell", both in context, but I probably won't read it aloud exactly like that in the classroom to avoid any issues. It's a very eye opening story and lends itself to a lot of conversation about where you come from, who you want to be, and how to be the true you, without giving way to stereotypes and prejudices. These days, more people could use a more humbling story like this to truly just make LIFE GREAT AGAIN, no matter where you live.
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Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2019
★★★★★ 5
One of the best middle grade books of 2018!
Format: Hardcover
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.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 5, 2018
★★★★★ 5
This is my middle school daughter’s favorite book.
Format: Paperback
My daughter usually reads only graphic novels, but she started reading chapter books after this one. She loved it so much that she’s read it several times, and since it’s a series, we bought and read all the other books too. It’s a great book for middle school girls—easy to get into and very engaging.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2025