Author: Kelly Yang
Mr. Giso's Book Pick Number: 8
Received or Recommended By: Mrs. Erps, The Literacy Coach at my school
Number of Pages: 286
Level/Target Audience: Grades 3-8
Genre: Realistic Fiction with an Autobiographical influence
Date Finished: July 29, 2019
Part of a Series?: No, but the sequel to Front Desk is coming in 2020!
First Lines: My parents told me that America would be this amazing place where we could live in a house with a dog, do whatever we want, and eat hamburgers until we were red in the face. So far, the only part of that we've achieved is the hamburger part, but I was still holding out hope. And the hamburgers are pretty good.
Last Lines: "Wait, wait, wait!" she said. "Let's get a picture!" "I'll take it!" Hank jumped out. As he held his hand up and clicked, I looked around at my new family and smiled. It was a picture I'd been waiting a long, long, time for.
Teaching Points: Immigration, Chinese culture/customs, character development, social justice/injustice, family
This incredible read took me along the journey of Mia and her parents-- all three immigrants from China who traveled to America in search of freedom. Mia manages the front desk of the Calivista Motel while her parents work tirelessly to clean and upkeep the motel for its guests. The Tang family, together with the residents who live weekly in the motel, teach us what compassion, loyalty, hard work and freedom really mean. Family can be chosen. We follow Mia's hopes and dreams, feel her letdowns and heartbreak and are left with a piece of her heart. Many accounts of Mia and her parents are based on the author's childhood working in several motels. This makes this read even more poignant and inspirational for me.
We are reminded of how much we can learn through the eyes of a child and how they are, in fact, listening to their elders-- even if it may appear that they aren't. Mia reflects, "My grandmother used to say that people don't change. Our heart is like a rubber band. It might stretch a little, but it snaps right back." Mia isn't quite sure that this is true. She has hope it's not. Mia knows that if people don't have the power to change, we are in a way, doomed! I'm with her.
Reflecting upon this book's significance, Kelly Yang notes "Often during tough times, the first instinct is to exclude. But this book is about what happens when you include, when despite all your suffering and your heartache, you still wake up every morning and look out at the world with fresh, curious eyes." This story is so inspiring, and it's not over. A sequel comes out in 2020. Thank you Ms. Yang for sharing so much of your childhood with us.
