Front Desk (Front Desk #1) in Crazy Challenge Connection

Aug 27, 2020 Kimberly rated it really liked it

Shelves: middle-grade, read-with-charlie

My daughter and I recently read this middle grade book together and loved every minute of it. Mia Tang is such a fantastic character. Her family manages the Calavista Motel in California. This setting offers a wonderful backdrop to a story about Chinese immigrants in the 80’s, the struggle with poverty, the hateful affects of racism and the hopes of one small girl to change her course.

Mia is a creative, determined, spirited character. She made us laugh, disappointed us with a few actions and pu ...more

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Aug 17, 2020 Beth rated it really liked it

Shelves: childrens, cybils, 50-poc, kidlit, cybils-2018

I thought this would be a fun book about a girl who helps run a hotel, and it's definitely that, but it's also about American immigrants, racism, classism, and a lot of other heavy things. I don't really buy the happy ending, but I liked Mia's commitment to language and letter writing.

Reread: Still a lot of fun. Mia has some tough breaks along the way but in this book goodness will triumph. ...more

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Apr 21, 2019 Jessica rated it it was amazing

Shelves: d-desire, ya-all-recs, ya-recs-males, gift-niecephews, ya-xmiddle-grade, ya-recs-historical-fiction, ya-recs-realistic-fiction, ya-recs-contemporary, ya-recs-humor, ya-recs-coming-of-age

Adorable, smart, middle-grade novel. Loved the MC, Mia Tang. She's bright, clever, determined, and has a strong sense of justice.

So many relatable moments.

Chinese MC
1993 California

p.82: Lupe & Mia discuss the "roller coaster ride" of poverty. "We're on a different roller coaster. On our roller coaster, our parents don't have money, so we can't go to good schools, and then we can't get good jobs. So then our kids can't go to good schools, they can't get good jobs, and so on and so forth..."
"I w ...more

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Aug 31, 2022 Barb rated it really liked it

Shelves: audio, middle-grade-children-s, series-firsts, zz-completed-in-2022

3.5 stars, rounded up

An enlightening look at the issues facing Chinese immigrants in California in the 1980s. It doesn't feel heavy-handed because it's told from the perspective of a 10-year-old girl, doing her best to help her parents navigate the country they now call home. As well-done as the book is, though, I doubt that the people who might most benefit from it will even bother to read it, let alone take its lessons to heart. ...more

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