# Front Desk

**Author:** Kelly Yang
**Lexile:** 640L
**Grade range:** Grades 3–7
**Age range:** 8–12
**First published:** 2018
**Page count:** 286
**Genre:** Realistic Fiction
**ISBN-13:** `9781338157826`
**ISBN-10:** `1338157825`
**Canonical URL:** https://readinglist.school/book/front-desk
**License:** [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) — please credit ReadingList.school when citing.

## About this book

Ten-year-old Mia Tang runs the front desk of the motel her immigrant parents manage, hiding other immigrants in empty rooms while dreaming of becoming a writer and facing the motel's unkind owner. Kelly Yang's award-winning, semi-autobiographical novel about immigration, race, and resilience is widely assigned in grades 3-7.

## Themes

- immigration
- family
- race
- resilience

## Content notes

- racism

## Where this book is assigned

### Battle of the Books (state reading programs)

- **recommended** · 3rd grade · North Carolina — [source: NCSLMA Elementary Battle of the Books 2025-2026 (Grades 3-5)](https://school.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?lid=14871)
- **recommended** · 4th grade · North Carolina — [source: NCSLMA Elementary Battle of the Books 2025-2026 (Grades 3-5)](https://school.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?lid=14871)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · North Carolina — [source: NCSLMA Elementary Battle of the Books 2025-2026 (Grades 3-5)](https://school.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?lid=14871)

### Garden State Children's Book Award

- **recommended** · 3rd grade · New Jersey — [source: New Jersey Library Association — Garden State Children's Book Award selections (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1977)](https://njla.org/garden-state-childrens-book-award)
- **recommended** · 4th grade · New Jersey — [source: New Jersey Library Association — Garden State Children's Book Award selections (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1977)](https://njla.org/garden-state-childrens-book-award)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · New Jersey — [source: New Jersey Library Association — Garden State Children's Book Award selections (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1977)](https://njla.org/garden-state-childrens-book-award)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · New Jersey — [source: New Jersey Library Association — Garden State Children's Book Award selections (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1977)](https://njla.org/garden-state-childrens-book-award)
- **recommended** · 7th grade · New Jersey — [source: New Jersey Library Association — Garden State Children's Book Award selections (statewide children's-choice program; students vote, since 1977)](https://njla.org/garden-state-childrens-book-award)

### Great Lakes Great Books Award (Michigan Reading Association)

- **recommended** · 3rd grade · Michigan — [source: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.](https://michiganreading.org/Great-Lakes-Great-Books)
- **recommended** · 4th grade · Michigan — [source: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.](https://michiganreading.org/Great-Lakes-Great-Books)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Michigan — [source: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.](https://michiganreading.org/Great-Lakes-Great-Books)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Michigan — [source: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.](https://michiganreading.org/Great-Lakes-Great-Books)
- **recommended** · 7th grade · Michigan — [source: Michigan Reading Association — Great Lakes Great Books Award (student-choice, grade-band shortlists; annual, since 1989). Winner/honor/nominee rolls Grades 4-5, 6-8, 9-12.](https://michiganreading.org/Great-Lakes-Great-Books)

### Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award

- **recommended** · 3rd grade · Maryland — [source: Maryland Association of School Librarians — Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (student-choice; grades 3-5, 4-6, 6-8, 6-9; annual since 1992)](https://www.maslmd.org/black-eyed-susan-book-award)
- **recommended** · 4th grade · Maryland — [source: Maryland Association of School Librarians — Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (student-choice; grades 3-5, 4-6, 6-8, 6-9; annual since 1992)](https://www.maslmd.org/black-eyed-susan-book-award)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Maryland — [source: Maryland Association of School Librarians — Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (student-choice; grades 3-5, 4-6, 6-8, 6-9; annual since 1992)](https://www.maslmd.org/black-eyed-susan-book-award)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Maryland — [source: Maryland Association of School Librarians — Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (student-choice; grades 3-5, 4-6, 6-8, 6-9; annual since 1992)](https://www.maslmd.org/black-eyed-susan-book-award)
- **recommended** · 7th grade · Maryland — [source: Maryland Association of School Librarians — Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (student-choice; grades 3-5, 4-6, 6-8, 6-9; annual since 1992)](https://www.maslmd.org/black-eyed-susan-book-award)

### Nēnē Award (Hawai'i)

- **recommended** · 3rd grade · Hawaii — [source: Hawai'i Association of School Librarians — Nēnē Award, grades 4-6 fiction (student-choice; program since 1964); winners 1982-2026 (neneaward.org + Goodreads winner roll)](https://www.neneaward.org/winners.html)
- **recommended** · 4th grade · Hawaii — [source: Hawai'i Association of School Librarians — Nēnē Award, grades 4-6 fiction (student-choice; program since 1964); winners 1982-2026 (neneaward.org + Goodreads winner roll)](https://www.neneaward.org/winners.html)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Hawaii — [source: Hawai'i Association of School Librarians — Nēnē Award, grades 4-6 fiction (student-choice; program since 1964); winners 1982-2026 (neneaward.org + Goodreads winner roll)](https://www.neneaward.org/winners.html)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Hawaii — [source: Hawai'i Association of School Librarians — Nēnē Award, grades 4-6 fiction (student-choice; program since 1964); winners 1982-2026 (neneaward.org + Goodreads winner roll)](https://www.neneaward.org/winners.html)
- **recommended** · 7th grade · Hawaii — [source: Hawai'i Association of School Librarians — Nēnē Award, grades 4-6 fiction (student-choice; program since 1964); winners 1982-2026 (neneaward.org + Goodreads winner roll)](https://www.neneaward.org/winners.html)

### Oklahoma Sequoyah Children's Book Award

- **recommended** · 3rd grade · Oklahoma — [source: Oklahoma Library Association — Sequoyah Book Award, Children's (gr 3-5) + Intermediate (gr 6-8) divisions (student-choice; since 1959); winner roll 1959-2025](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequoyah_Book_Award)
- **recommended** · 4th grade · Oklahoma — [source: Oklahoma Library Association — Sequoyah Book Award, Children's (gr 3-5) + Intermediate (gr 6-8) divisions (student-choice; since 1959); winner roll 1959-2025](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequoyah_Book_Award)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Oklahoma — [source: Oklahoma Library Association — Sequoyah Book Award, Children's (gr 3-5) + Intermediate (gr 6-8) divisions (student-choice; since 1959); winner roll 1959-2025](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequoyah_Book_Award)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Oklahoma — [source: Oklahoma Library Association — Sequoyah Book Award, Children's (gr 3-5) + Intermediate (gr 6-8) divisions (student-choice; since 1959); winner roll 1959-2025](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequoyah_Book_Award)
- **recommended** · 7th grade · Oklahoma — [source: Oklahoma Library Association — Sequoyah Book Award, Children's (gr 3-5) + Intermediate (gr 6-8) divisions (student-choice; since 1959); winner roll 1959-2025](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sequoyah_Book_Award)

### Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA)

- **recommended** · 3rd grade · Oregon — [source: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)](https://oregonreaderschoiceaward.wordpress.com/past-winners/)
- **recommended** · 4th grade · Oregon — [source: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)](https://oregonreaderschoiceaward.wordpress.com/past-winners/)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Oregon — [source: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)](https://oregonreaderschoiceaward.wordpress.com/past-winners/)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Oregon — [source: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)](https://oregonreaderschoiceaward.wordpress.com/past-winners/)
- **recommended** · 7th grade · Oregon — [source: Oregon Library Association — Oregon Reader's Choice Award (ORCA) winners by division (statewide young readers' choice program; students vote)](https://oregonreaderschoiceaward.wordpress.com/past-winners/)

### Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award

- **recommended** · 4th grade · Illinois — [source: Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award — official winners list (Illinois grades 4-8, voted annually since 1988)](https://www.rebeccacaudill.org/past-awards/past-winners-list)
- **recommended** · 5th grade · Illinois — [source: Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award — official winners list (Illinois grades 4-8, voted annually since 1988)](https://www.rebeccacaudill.org/past-awards/past-winners-list)
- **recommended** · 6th grade · Illinois — [source: Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award — official winners list (Illinois grades 4-8, voted annually since 1988)](https://www.rebeccacaudill.org/past-awards/past-winners-list)
- **recommended** · 7th grade · Illinois — [source: Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award — official winners list (Illinois grades 4-8, voted annually since 1988)](https://www.rebeccacaudill.org/past-awards/past-winners-list)

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