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One of the best middle grade books of 2018!
Format: Hardcover
FRONT DESK is loosely based on author Kelly Yangโs life experience, as explained in an authorโs 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, itโs 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 skillsโnot 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.
Miaโs and her parentsโ findโactually, createโcommunity 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 Miaโs follies at the front desk and problems at school.
The book ends on a hopeful note, with the Tangsโ 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
