MORE TO THE STORY by Hena Khan

I just loved this book! After I read it, I learned that it’s a re-imagining of the classic, Little Women. Except in this version, there are four sisters in a Muslim, Pakistani American family.

Description from the publisher

When Jameela Mirza is picked to be feature editor of her middle school newspaper, she’s one step closer to being an award-winning journalist like her late grandfather. The problem is her editor-in-chief keeps shooting down her article ideas. Jameela’s assigned to write about the new boy in school, who has a cool British accent but doesn’t share much, and wonders how she’ll make his story gripping enough to enter into a national media contest.

Jameela, along with her three sisters, is devastated when their father needs to take a job overseas, away from their cozy Georgia home for six months. Missing him makes Jameela determined to write an epic article—one to make her dad extra proud. But when her younger sister gets seriously ill, Jameela’s world turns upside down. And as her hunger for fame looks like it might cost her a blossoming friendship, Jameela questions what matters most, and whether she’s cut out to be a journalist at all…

More to the Story by Hena Khan was published by Salaam Reads, a division of Simon and Schuster, in 2019.

Why you want to read this book:

What I loved most about this story were the strong, believable characters and the way the family sticks together no matter what.  It was so interesting to have a glimpse into Jameela’s family and their culture. I felt like I was experiencing everything right along with Jameela. This is a story with a lot of heart.

Opening:

“This is the worst Eid ever!” Aleeza flops onto the sofa and grabs the TV remote.

If you’re a writer…

You might want to read this and think about how the author develops characters through small interactions with the other characters in the story, and by sharing her thoughts and feelings. I also liked the way the author introduced important topics like microaggression and digital media use naturally within the context of the story.

If you’re an educator…

This would be a lovely, but quieter book to recommend for readers who are interested in family stories. There are lots of ways for readers to connect to the story through typical middle grade issues of friendship, crushes and conflict between kids in a school club. A great book to add if you’re trying to broaden your collection of diverse stories.

  

If you’re looking for more middle grade books to read, check out Marvelous Middle Grade Monday on Greg Pattridge's blog.

FRONT DESK by Kelly Yang

At first, I wasn’t sure I’d like this book but as I kept reading, I found I couldn’t put it down! A compelling & thought-provoking story that's also a lot of fun.

Description from the publisher:

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?

Front Desk, written by Kelly Yang, was published by Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic, Inc. in 2018.

Why you want to read this book… 

It’s an absorbing read that takes you right inside another person’s life and experiences. I grew quite emotionally connected to Mia and was rooting for things in her life to work out. Reading the stories of the different immigrants Mia’s family helped made me feel sad, but also inspired me. It was great, too, how this book showed that making friends isn’t always that easy, especially when you don’t have the things that other kids have.

That night I could not stop thinking about Uncle Li and how he was willing to do anything, go literally anywhere, even into the belly of a Dumpster, to get what he wanted.

Opening:

My parents told me that America would be this amazing place where we could live in a house with a dog, do whatever we want, and eat hamburgers till we were red in the face.

If you’re a writer… 

You might study this novel to get a good sense of a strong middle grade perspective. Everything in this novel comes from Mia’s point of view. There are lots of small details that create an authentic reading experience. I also really enjoyed all the references to writing!

Panic seized me. The words were so open and exposed. My story looked like a belly button. I immediately wanted to cover it.

If you’re a teacher…

I thought so much about my own place in the world and my privilege while I was reading this story. An excellent choice for reading aloud, to get kids thinking deeper about the experiences of being an immigrant or sharing their own experiences and feelings. This book also provides several examples of practical writing for letters or job recommendations, and I loved how hard Mia worked to get her writing right.

He and his friends stopped talking, but I could feel their eyeballs on me. I could feel them sinking into my pants.

Go here to read an interesting article about Kelly and the story behind the book in the South China Morning Post.

There’s lots more middle grade fun for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday at Greg Pattridge's blog.