Search This Blog







2025 Cover Lovers Reading Challenge (hosted by Yours Truly)

2025 Literary Escapes Challenge
- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (2)
- Arizona (2)
- Arkansas (1)
- California (10)
- Colorado (3)
- Connecticut (1)
- Delaware (1)
- Florida (2)
- Georgia (1)
- Hawaii (1)
- Idaho (1)
- Illinois (1)
- Indiana (1)
- Iowa (3)
- Kansas (1)
- Kentucky (1)
- Louisiana (2)
- Maine (5)
- Maryland (1)
- Massachusetts (1)
- Michigan (2)
- Minnesota (2)
- Mississippi (1)
- Missouri (1)
- Montana (1)
- Nebraska (1)
- Nevada (1)
- New Hampshire (1)
- New Jersey (3)
- New Mexico (1)
- New York (8)
- North Carolina (4)
- North Dakota (1)
- Ohio (1)
- Oklahoma (2)
- Oregon (3)
- Pennsylvania (2)
- Rhode Island (1)
- South Carolina (1)
- South Dakota (1)
- Tennessee (1)
- Texas (2)
- Utah (1)
- Vermont (3)
- Virginia (2)
- Washington (5)
- West Virginia (1)
- Wisconsin (1)
- Wyoming (1)
- Washington, D.C.* (2)
International:
- Australia (5)
- Canada (3)
- England (18)
- France (2)
- Greece (2)
- Italy (1)
- Japan (1)
- Norway (1)
- Puerto Rico (1)
- Scotland (2)
- Vietnam (1)


2025 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge



2025 Build Your Library Reading Challenge









Saturday, December 29, 2018
Far-Fetched Front Desk Still An Appealing, Empowering Story for Kids
3:41 PM
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
When 10-year-old Mia Tang arrives in Anaheim, California, her head is filled with the same visions as any other kid—screaming happily on a roller coaster at Disneyland, splashing in the cool water of a hotel pool, and basking in the brilliant sunshine, warm and content. That's not exactly what she gets when she lands at the Calivista Hotel. For starters, she's not a guest. She's living there because the room comes with her parents' housekeeping/hotel management jobs. Also, the mean owner has banned employees from using the pool. As for Anaheim being a happy, joyous place? Apparently, that doesn't apply to Chinese immigrants whose English needs a little help. Anaheim might be the setting for other people's dream vacations, but it's not turning out so dreamy for Mia.
Then, Mia starts working the front desk when her parents are too busy to manage that and room cleaning. Suddenly, she has a purpose. As she organizes the office, takes care of guests, and gets to know the hotel's permanent residents, Mia's gloom starts to dissipate. She still has to deal with the greedy, dishonest hotel owner and his snooty son; worry over her parents' secret hiding of illegal immigrants; and deal with demanding guests; but at least she has a purpose. Will her growing skills be enough to help her family survive in a hostile new environment? Will she be able to keep the Calivista Hotel running? Or will the Tangs be forced to start over once again or, worse, turned over to the authorities?
Inspired by her own experience working at a California hotel with her immigrant parents, Kelly Yang's Front Desk is a bright, engaging book about using your talents to help people. It's got plenty going on to keep readers engaged and wondering how everything is going to turn out. While I enjoyed the story overall, I had trouble believing a 10-year-old would be giving as much responsibility as Mia had or that adult guests would trust a child with handling money, fielding complaints, and dealing with check-in/check-out. I realize that Yang was an exceptionally bright 10-year-old (she entered college at 13, started Harvard Law School at 17, and graduated at 20), but still ... Mia talked and acted like no 10-year-old I've ever known. That major suspension of disbelief tainted the book for me. Still, Front Desk is an appealing story that young readers will find entertaining and empowering. I didn't love it, but that's okay.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of other MG books about immigrant families trying to find their way in America, although no specific titles are coming to mind.)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for violence and scenes of peril
To the FTC, with love: I borrowed a copy of Front Desk from the library at my child's elementary school.
1 comment:
Comments make me feel special, so go crazy! Just keep it clean and civil. Feel free to speak your mind (I always do), but be aware that I will delete any offensive comments.
P.S.: Don't panic if your comment doesn't show up right away. I have to approve each one before it posts to prevent spam. It's annoying, but it works!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments
(Atom)


Reading
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

Listening
Where'd You Go, Bernadette?


Followin' with Bloglovin'

-
Totally Fine by Nick Spalding5 hours ago
-
-
Jane Eyre8 hours ago
-
FO Wednesday: Blaze a Swathe Socks8 hours ago
-
-
Hole in the Sky by Daniel H. Wilson9 hours ago
-
-
Boyd, William "On the Yankee Station" - 198113 hours ago
-
20+ Great Audiobooks to Listen to14 hours ago
-
-
-
Waiting on Wednesday - The Seven Rings17 hours ago
-
-
-
-
-
-
The Bookshop Below3 days ago
-
-
Week in Review #414 days ago
-
Bog Queen By Anna North4 days ago
-
A Review of The Hunger We Pass Down6 days ago
-
-
-
-
The Music of 2025: Q32 weeks ago
-
-
I have been reading...2 weeks ago
-
Sorry About the Spam…1 month ago
-
-
No Roundup this month5 months ago
-
Sunday Post #5685 months ago
-
February 2025 Reading Wrap Up7 months ago
-
One Big Happy Family by Susan Mallery7 months ago
-
-
-
I'm Still Reading - This Was My October10 months ago
-
Girl Plus Books: On Hiatus1 year ago
-
-
-
What Happened to Summer?2 years ago
-
6/25/23 Extra Ezra2 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?3 years ago
-
-
-
-
-
-

Grab my Button!


Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ► 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
-
▼
2018
(223)
-
▼
December
(48)
-
▼
Dec 29
(12)
- Looking for a Light, Diverting Romance? Look No F...
- Mystery Opener A Little Disappointing Despite Posi...
- Engrossing Irish Crime Novel an Intriguing Debut
- Absorbing Lusitania Mystery An Engaging Gem
- Far-Fetched Front Desk Still An Appealing, Empower...
- Southern Gothic Vibe + Dark Family Secrets + Appea...
- Empathetic, Hopeful Historical A Memorable Read
- Shivery Gothic Story a Satisfying Yarn
- Art History Thriller Not Quite Thrilling Enough
- Empowering MG Novel Urges All to See Each Other Mo...
- Memoir of Escape From North Korea as Fascinating a...
- Tense, Gritty Survival Story Is Hatchet for a New ...
-
▼
Dec 29
(12)
-
▼
December
(48)
- ► 2017 (157)
- ► 2016 (157)
- ► 2015 (188)
- ► 2014 (133)
- ► 2013 (183)
- ► 2012 (193)
- ► 2011 (232)
- ► 2010 (257)
- ► 2009 (211)
- ► 2008 (192)


2025 Goodreads Reading Challenge
2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction
2023 - Middle Grade Fiction
2022 - Middle Grade Fiction
2021 - Middle Grade Fiction

2020 - Middle Grade Fiction

I have this one on my TBR. I have read a LOT of glowing reviews for it. I never have a problem suspending belief, when I am reading, so I will probably be ok with the premise.
ReplyDelete