Skip to main content

Front Desk

Image
By

Front Desk
Written by Kelly Yang
Arthur A. Levine Books, 2018. Fiction, 286 p.

Mia Tang came with her parents from China to the United States of America. Everyone promised it would be "The Land of Opportunity" but things don't seem to be going quite as planned. Her parents find an opportunity to manage a hotel, which means the rent is included! Maybe they really can get ahead and finally catch up on finances! Mr. Yao, the hotel owner, ends up being different than they first thought. He is mean and stingy. Her dad hardly gets any sleep and her parents can barely manage to put food on the table, but Mia does find a best friend named Lupe.

She also pursues writing, even though her mom tells her that since English is her second language she should pick a subject like Math. Mia doesn't give up. She enters an essay contest to win a hotel and comes up with a brilliant idea to help her parents get out of the poverty cycle.

Yang has crafted a middle grade fiction that delves into tough stuff some kids encounter in the real world. Immigrants, poverty, and fear are just some of the things Mia experiences, in addition to the regular school associated situations most ten-year-olds encounter.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

De la hora del cuento: La letra "F"

By
Cuentos Gustavo: el fantasmita timido Por Flavia Z. Drago Somerville, Massachusetts : Candlewick Press, 2020. Libro ilustrado. "Conoce a Gustavo. Él es un fantasma y como a cualquier ser paranormal le encanta hacer lo que le es normal: atravesar paredes, hacer volar objetos y brillar en la oscuridad. También le encanta tocar el violín. Pero Gustavo tiene un problema. Él es muy, muy tímido, y aunque su deseo más grande es tener amigos, nunca se ha atrevido a hablarle a ninguno de los monstruos en su pueblito. Con el Día de Muertos cerca, ¿se atreverá Gustavo a dejar que lo vean?" --Editor Cuentitos ¡Yo sola! Por Sumana Seeboruth y Maribel Castells Concord : Barefoot Books, 2023. Pequeño libro ilustrado. "Yo sola. ¡No, no, no! Puedo hacerlo. ¡Vete, vete, vete! Esta niña no quiere que la ayuden ... hasta que su hermana mayor necesita ayuda. ¡El trabajo en equipo es divertido!" --Editor Otros libros sobre la letra "F" El bosque en familia Maisy juega fútbol Lo...
Post a Comment
Read more

From Story Time: The Letter "F"

By
Preschool Time Family of Friends Written by Varsha Bajaj Illustrated by Ishaa Lobo New York: Nancy Paulsen Books, 2025. Picture Book. Isha can't wait for her birthday party. Nani, her fun-loving grandmother, is coming all the way from India to be there! So when Nani has to postpone her trip, Isha is crushed. She no longer feels like celebrating. Fortunately, she has a whole neighborhood of friends to cheer her up, and they all work together to make her day truly special. This moving intergenerational story shows the impact that chosen family can have and is a wonderful reminder to appreciate all the important people in our lives. --Publisher Preschool Time Found By Salina Yoon New York: Walker Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Bloomsbury, 2014. Picture Book. Upon finding a toy rabbit in the forest, Bear tries his very best to return it to its home but by the time its owner appears, Bear has become attached to Bunny. --Editor Toddler Time On All Fours By Gaëtan Dorémus Brooklyn...
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: Last One Picked

By
  Last One Picked By Audrey Meeker New York: Feiwel & Friends, 2026. Comic.  Annabeth has never been very athletic, but that doesn't matter. She is perfectly content to spend her time with her Warrior Princess books and volunteering at the library. When summer comes, her mom is convinced by their stuck up neighbor to send Annabeth to volleyball camp, the last place she would ever want to be. Not only does she feel completely out of her depth, her ex-best friend, Serena, is there- and she is not happy that Annabeth is infringing on her domain. However, with the help of some encouraging coaches and teammates, Annabeth slowly starts to realize that she doesn't mind volleyball so much, and might even have a place on the team after all. This graphic novel will hit home for many tweens, especially as it deals with several relevant topics, such as body image, gaining confidence, and how we should treat others. The illustrations were bright and colorful, and the story itself ...
Post a Comment
Read more