Front Desk

June 18, 2018
Yang draws effectively on her own childhood in this lively debut, which offers a candid portrait of one Chinese-American immigrant experience through the eyes of a gutsy, empathetic 10-year-old. In 1993, when Mia Tang’s parents become managers of a California motel, she envisions bright times ahead: the motel has a pool, and Disneyland is just down the road. But the mean-spirited motel owner bans her from the pool and cheats her parents out of money they deserve, keeping Disneyland far out of reach. While her parents work tirelessly, Mia takes charge of the front desk—and much more. Believing that “sometimes, you have to... be creative to get what you want,” and flouting her mother’s repeated assertion that Mia’s English will never be as proficient as native-born Americans’, she writes letters—creatively forged—to aid others, including an African-American victimized by racial profiling and a Chinese immigrant abused by his boss. Mia’s story is one of indefatigable hope and of triumph over injustice, and her voice is genuine and inspiring. Ages 8–12.

Narrator Sunny Lu lives up to her first name in portraying Mia Tang. Lu captures the fifth grader's qualities of cheer, ingenuity, and resilience. Mia's parents, who are Chinese immigrants, work 24/7 to scrape together a living in 1990s Anaheim, California. When they find a motel to manage, plucky Mia enthusiastically takes responsibility for the front desk. Lu fills her portrait of Mia with the warmth and tenderness that earn the caring girl friends among those who stay at the hotel. Further, she demonstrates the courage to stand up for those who face racism. Mia herself faces prejudice from privileged classmates and a seemingly rigid mother. Lu expresses her frustrations and humiliations, but she also shows Mia's determination, unflagging hope, and ability to find solutions for the most difficult situations. S.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award � AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine