The following review of The Front Desk by Kelly Yang is the second installment of The Power of Empathy, middle grade books that help us better understand others.
Front Desk by Kelly Yang Published by Arthur A. Levine Books
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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 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.
