Front Desk

Front Desk
Kelly Yang
Scholastic, 2018 286 pages
Grades 5-8
Realistic Fiction

Mia, along with her mother and father, has recently emigrated from China in 1993. Struggling with finding a job and not being treated fairly or able to earn a living wage, Mom & Dad accept a position as managers at a Mannheim, California motel. While her parents clean rooms, Mia must work the front desk, providing services well beyond her years. Once the school year begins, Mia enters the local public school, where she is placed in a class with a boy who is the son of the evil motel owner and a girl named Lupe, also a struggling immigrant, who becomes Mia's first friend in the US. Mr. Yao, the owner, does everything in his power to cheat Mia's parents and make more money for himself. When a car goes missing and Mr. Yao blames one of the permanent residents, a black man, based purely on skin color, he proves himself to be racist as well. Mia's family are not the only folks from China being treated poorly. Other immigrants with similar situations, some even worse, arrive at the hotel's doorstep and Mia's family does what they can to help, putting their livelihood on the line. Mia discovers a writing contest in which she can win a free inn in Vermont. This could be her family's ticket to freedom and escape from evil employers and loan sharks. Does she have a chance?

Based on the author's own childhood experiences, Front Desk offers a grim glimpse into the lives of Chinese immigrants twenty-five years ago that still is relevant today. Yang illustrates the plight and shabby treatment of these folks and how, back in China, life improved for those left behind, while the immigrants suffered in America. I have heard mixed reviews from fellow librarians about this book. Some loved it and keep raving about it, while others feel that it offers a negative portray of the "American Dream". I, personally, find that this book, though not a Newbery contender, has a lot of merit, both in the entertaining plot and the issues raised about immigration, discrimination, kindness, greed, and the importance of community. Mia creates a little family with the permanent residents of the motel and they all ban together to help each other out of troubles. An author's note at the end describes Yang's real life experiences and even contains a few snapshots from back in the day. The story might be set in 1993, but in light of the US' immigration debate, it continues to be relevant. Mia learns that she is a writer, even if she struggles with the English. Her perseverance in following her dream and tenacity in fighting against injustice will serve as a great role model and inspiration for readers.