A second life as a graphic novel - Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Front Desk: The Graphic Novel by Kelly Yang (Author), Fumio Obata (Illustrator)

From the publisher, Scholastic, Graphix Imprint, Published Oct 20, 2026

The graphic novel adaptation of Kelly Yang's New York Times bestselling book Front Desk! This beautifully illustrated modern classic highlighting Mia Tang's ever-relevant immigrant story is a must-have for every bookshelf and classroom.

Mia Tang has a lot of secrets.

Number 1: She lives in a motel, not a big house. Every day, while her immigrant parents clean the rooms, ten-year-old Mia manages the front desk of the Calivista Motel and tends to its guests.

Number 2: Her parents hide immigrants. And if the mean motel owner, Mr. Yao, finds out they've been letting them stay in the empty rooms for free, the Tangs will be doomed.

Number 3: She wants to be a writer. But how can she when her mom thinks she should stick to math because English is not her first language?

It will take all of Mia's courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year. Will she be able to hold on to her job, help the immigrants and guests, escape Mr. Yao, and go for her dreams?

Originally published in 2019 as a traditional novel, Front Desk won so many awards. I’m probably one of the few who didn’t read it the first time around. I did read Top Story, which is book five of six in this series.

This graphic novel was fast paced with no chapter breaks. Felt like a runaway train. It was exhausting because I didn’t want to stop reading. 😊

The story is about so many important things: racism, immigrants, family, friendship, injustice, and bullying. 

The main character, Mia, is a creative problem solver, who doesn’t give up and works hard to help everyone. And she never gives up on herself, either. Her entrepreneurial spirit leads many of the characters to become better versions of themselves.

I think, whether you read the novel or graphic novel, you’ll definitely want to read the whole series. You will love how real the characters are, the heart, and their relationships. An essential read for all. 

Book Blurb - TOP STORY - MG

TOP STORY, by Kelly Yang, is one of those books that shows us why we need diverse books. I probably should say, this is one of those series that shows us why. And you don’t have to have read the four previous books to follow, TOP STORY stands on its own.

From the publisher: Scholastic Press (Sept 2023)

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!

It’s important to learn about other people, cultures, traditions, stories. It’s like traveling without leaving your home, which is what reading good books is all about!  

There so many characters who all have their own stories and are intertwined so well. There are kids, adults, parents, aunties and a puppy. Even San Francisco is its own character too. It’s richly written with many full circle moments.

I think it’s too easy to forget the different struggles others go through. TOP STORY shines a light on that. It also emphasizes how we all need to be true to ourselves and chase our dreams with lots of hard work.