The New York Times bestselling Front Desk series continues!
Mia Tang is at the top of her game!
She’s spending winter break with Mom, Lupe, Jason, and Hank in San Francisco’s Chinatown! Rich with history and hilarious aunties and uncles, it’s the place to find a great story―one she hopes to publish while attending journalism camp at the Tribune. But this trip has as many bumps as the hills of San Francisco . . .
1. Mia's camp is full of older kids, with famous relatives, fancy laptops, and major connections! Can she compete with just her pen and passion?
2. Lupe’s thinking about skipping ahead to college! Will Mia ever get a chance to just chill with her best friend?
3. Jason’s crushing hard on a new girl. For the first time ever, Mia is speechless…and jealous. Can she find the courage to tell Jason―gulp―that she has a crush on him?
Even for the best writers, it’s not always easy to find the right words. But if anyone can tell a top story, it’s Mia Tang!---from the publisher
304 pages 978-1338858396 Ages 8-12
Keywords: journalism camp, multigenerational, family dynamics, crush, Asian American, diversity, diverse books, 8 year old, 9 year old, 10 year old, 11 year old, 12 year old, part of a series
Read alike: Noodle and Bao by Shaina Lu (graphic novel)
********
Journalism camp! Mia Tang has dreams. She's here in the middle of San Francisco with other campers her age. It looks like a level playing field. It looks like a city filled with undiscovered stories. This could be her chance to be be published.
While she has her eye out for a story, life has a few storylines of its own for her to follow. Friends don't always stay on the same path with you and the same goes with a guy you just might have a crush on.
In the wide world of journalism in San Francisco Mia begins to feel pushed aside. The place where she finds home and support is in the shops of Chinatown where the shop owners and the neighbors all keep an eye out for each other. Unbreakable bonds that were forged decades ago.
American history is filled with prejudice and racism and ostracizing groups of people, This story highlights the journey of Chinese Americans as they have been victimized by laws and regulations. For folks who aren't familiar with this painful record, this story can be a very eye-opening read.
My wish would be that the acceptance we all work toward with hope and self-awareness had found a place here in this story alongside the reality of discrimination. I believe our children need hope. Everyone of us needs to understand that we each have the job to be open to each other - no matter what part of the planet our ancestors hailed from and no matter what is on our dinner table.
Recommended by: Barb Langridge, abookandahug.com
