Front Desk

When Kelly Yang was a child, she would hide out in the school library to avoid her bullies at lunchtime. Many years later, her love of books allowed her to turn her pain into an award-winning new middle grade novel, Front Desk. Her protagonist is ten-year-old Mia Tang, who moved from China to California with her parents two years ago. The family is struggling to get by in their new country and when they're offered a position managing a motel, they readily agree—despite the unfair terms set by the owner. Living and working at Calavista Motel while also worrying about money and trying to fit in at school is a lot to handle, but Mia gradually creates a community and begins to change her world for the better. Yang clearly recalls the deep emotions of her youth, and I felt myself becoming genuinely outraged at many of the injustices Mia faces. Front Desk doesn't shy away from dark topics like racism, bullying, and inequality, but seeing how Mia takes charge of every tough situation and works to change negatives to positives will leave her readers feeling hopeful and inspired. (Ages 8 to 12)