Grade 4 · Class Reads · Book guide
Front Desk
by Kelly Yang
Ten-year-old Mia Tang lives at the motel her immigrant parents manage. Between covering the front desk, helping guests, and working toward her dream of becoming a writer, Mia faces rules and injustices that demand courage and creativity.
Book details
Format
Middle-grade realistic fiction
Suggested age range
Ages 8–12
Why read it together?
A book worth talking about
Mia's lively first-person voice gives readers a strong perspective for studying inference, cause and effect, and how a character changes. The story also opens thoughtful discussion about immigration, poverty, racism, work, and using writing to create change.
- Immigration
- Family
- Courage
- Finding your voice
Before reading
Get ready to wonder
- What responsibilities can a family share when they work together?
- How can writing help someone solve a problem or persuade others?
During and after reading
Talk about the text
- Which details reveal how Mia feels about the motel even when she does not state her feelings directly?
- How do the motel owner's choices affect Mia's family and the guests? Trace one cause-and-effect chain.
- How does Mia's view of her own voice change from the beginning to the end?
Writing invitation
Respond to the book
Write a letter from Mia about one unfair situation. Summarize what happened, explain why it matters, and propose a change.