Booktalks Quick and Simple

	Yang, Kelly. FRONT DESK New York : Arthur A. Levine Books, 2018 IL 5-8 ISBN: 978-1338157796 (5 booktalks)
Click on the book to read Amazon reviews	Booktalk #1 While some kids are at sports practice or music lessons after school, ten year old Mia Tang is manning the front desk of the motel in which she and her Chinese immigrant parents live and work. The Calavista Motel owned by the cruel Mr. Yao is not only a respite for weary travelers, but also home to a colorful cast of full time residents and it doesn’t take long for kindhearted Mia to be drawn into the trials and tribulations of day to day life at the motel. Even though she is faced with daily challenges, Mia has big dreams for herself, as well as her friends and family. Does Mia have what it takes to turn dreams into reality? (Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award 2019 - 2020) Booktalk #2 Mia and her family manage the Calivista Motel. Each day while her parents work very hard to clean the rooms, fix broken items, do laundry and much more, Mia runs the front desk and takes care of the customers while her parents are busy. Some days there are customers and situations that are difficult, but Mia does her best to take care of them. Mia does all of this despite the fact that she is only ten years old. Mia knows that sometimes her parents will hide new immigrants at the motel. She knows that if the owner, Mr. Yao, finds out, her parents will be fired and they will be homeless. While she is proud that her parents want to help the immigrants on their journey into the US, she is always worried that something bad will happen and they won’t get to stay. Will Mia’s hardwork and plucky perseverance be enough to help her parents and discover her own “American dream?” A sweet and moving book about standing up for what is right and the hardships of being an immigrant in the US, Front Desk is also based loosely off of the author’s own childhood experiences. (Oklahoma Sequoyah Book Awards, 2020) Booktalk #3 Imagine that you are ten years old; trying to fit in (or at least not stand out) at a new school; trying to realize your dreams as a writer, but having to write in a second language; and helping your family run their business. This is what life is like for Mia Tang. Her family has moved to America for China; her mom expects her to do well in math, but she wants to be a writer. She thinks she needs to embellish her life in order to make friends at school, when in reality, she has to run the front desk of the motel that her family manages. Can Mia help her family realize their dreams, even with their boss, Mr. Yao, causing them trouble at every opportunity? Find out in Front Desk! (Prepared by:Alana S. Lewis, Deer Park Middle School, alana_lewis@charleston.k12.sc.us ) (South Carolina Book Awards, 2020-2021) Booktalk #4 Mia Tang and her parents have just become the new managers of a little motel in Anaheim, California. It didn’t matter to Mr. Yao, the owner that they didn’t have much experience in the motel business. Mia’s parents had worked different jobs in America since they immigrated from China. Mia and her parents work day and night and Mia becomes friends with the weekly customers and takes over the front desk when she’s not in school. When a Chinese immigrant in need comes for help, Mia’s parents let him stay in an empty room for the night. Word soon spread and the immigrants appear, all in desperate need. Mia and her parents are risking their jobs and their home if they are caught. (Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award 2020-2021) Booktalk #5 Mia Tang’s family moved from China to the United States in pursuit of a better life. Instead, they find themselves managing a hotel for a cruel and greedy man. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, Mia begins to make friends and plan for a better life for her and her family.(New Jersey Garden State Children's Book Award 2021)
	SUBJECTS: Immigrant families -- California, Southern -- Fiction. Immigrants -- California, Southern -- Fiction. Chinese -- California, Southern -- Fiction. Motels -- California, Southern -- Fiction. Exploitation -- Fiction. Self-confidence -- Fiction. Friendship -- Fiction. California, Southern -- Fiction.

Yang, Kelly.
FRONT DESK
New York : Arthur A. Levine Books, 2018
IL 5-8
ISBN: 978-1338157796

(5 booktalks)

Click on the book to read Amazon reviews

Booktalk #1

While some kids are at sports practice or music lessons after school, ten year old Mia Tang is manning the front desk of the motel in which she and her Chinese immigrant parents live and work. The Calavista Motel owned by the cruel Mr. Yao is not only a respite for weary travelers, but also home to a colorful cast of full time residents and it doesn’t take long for kindhearted Mia to be drawn into the trials and tribulations of day to day life at the motel. Even though she is faced with daily challenges, Mia has big dreams for herself, as well as her friends and family. Does Mia have what it takes to turn dreams into reality? (Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award 2019 - 2020)

Booktalk #2

Mia and her family manage the Calivista Motel. Each day while her parents work very hard to clean the rooms, fix broken items, do laundry and much more, Mia runs the front desk and takes care of the customers while her parents are busy. Some days there are customers and situations that are difficult, but Mia does her best to take care of them. Mia does all of this despite the fact that she is only ten years old. Mia knows that sometimes her parents will hide new immigrants at the motel. She knows that if the owner, Mr. Yao, finds out, her parents will be fired and they will be homeless. While she is proud that her parents want to help the immigrants on their journey into the US, she is always worried that something bad will happen and they won’t get to stay. Will Mia’s hardwork and plucky perseverance be enough to help her parents and discover her own “American dream?” A sweet and moving book about standing up for what is right and the hardships of being an immigrant in the US, Front Desk is also based loosely off of the author’s own childhood experiences. (Oklahoma Sequoyah Book Awards, 2020)

Booktalk #3

Imagine that you are ten years old; trying to fit in (or at least not stand out) at a new school; trying to realize your dreams as a writer, but having to write in a second language; and helping your family run their business. This is what life is like for Mia Tang. Her family has moved to America for China; her mom expects her to do well in math, but she wants to be a writer. She thinks she needs to embellish her life in order to make friends at school, when in reality, she has to run the front desk of the motel that her family manages. Can Mia help her family realize their dreams, even with their boss, Mr. Yao, causing them trouble at every opportunity? Find out in Front Desk! (Prepared by:Alana S. Lewis, Deer Park Middle School, alana_lewis@charleston.k12.sc.us ) (South Carolina Book Awards, 2020-2021)

Booktalk #4

Mia Tang and her parents have just become the new managers of a little motel in Anaheim, California. It didn’t matter to Mr. Yao, the owner that they didn’t have much experience in the motel business. Mia’s parents had worked different jobs in America since they immigrated from China. Mia and her parents work day and night and Mia becomes friends with the weekly customers and takes over the front desk when she’s not in school. When a Chinese immigrant in need comes for help, Mia’s parents let him stay in an empty room for the night. Word soon spread and the immigrants appear, all in desperate need. Mia and her parents are risking their jobs and their home if they are caught. (Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Award 2020-2021)

Booktalk #5

Mia Tang’s family moved from China to the United States in pursuit of a better life. Instead, they find themselves managing a hotel for a cruel and greedy man. Instead of feeling sorry for herself, Mia begins to make friends and plan for a better life for her and her family.(New Jersey Garden State Children's Book Award 2021)

SUBJECTS:   Immigrant families -- California, Southern -- Fiction.
                        Immigrants -- California, Southern -- Fiction.
                        Chinese -- California, Southern -- Fiction.
                        Motels -- California, Southern -- Fiction.
                        Exploitation -- Fiction.
                        Self-confidence -- Fiction.
                        Friendship -- Fiction.
                        California, Southern -- Fiction.