Age rating and parents' guide:Front Desk
by Kelly Yang
Ages 9–14
Front Desk by Kelly Yang is best for children aged 9–14. It has mild violence, a few mildly scary moments, no romance and no bad language. Worth knowing: Economic hardship themes.
Ten-year-old Mia Tang lives in a motel where her immigrant parents work, managing the front desk while hiding secrets, including undocumented guests. Mia dreams of being a writer despite her mother's doubts and the daily racism and poverty her family faces. With resilience, humor, and heart, she uses her words to fight for fairness and support her community. Readers love Mia's brave, optimistic voice and the engaging, relatable look at friendship, family, and overcoming tough odds.
Content ratings
How much of each a parent can expect, from none to strong.
- Violence
- Mild
- Scary moments
- Mild
- Romance
- None
- Bad language
- None
Worth knowing: Economic hardship themes
Content checked by Dhiraj Bodade, co-founder of Bookstaken, on .
At a glance
- Novel
- Part of the Front Desk series
- A steady start that picks up quickly
- Mostly text
- Emotionally light
Great for kids who like
- Family
- Survival & resilience
Reading mood
- Thoughtful
Good to talk about
- Family
- Survival & resilience
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