Rediscovering Front Desk: A Teacher’s Reflection on a Student’s Favorite Book

Rediscovering Front Desk: A Teacher’s Reflection on a Student’s Favorite Book

During my summer vacation, I found myself returning to a book I had first read years ago--Front Desk by Kelly Yang. While this wasn’t my first time reading it, the experience felt completely different. This time, I wasn’t reading it just for an assignment. I was reading it with my heart, through the eyes of both a teacher and a reader.

My initial encounter with Front Desk was in graduate school at Adelphi University, where it was part of our required reading for one of my courses in education. At the time, I read it with a critical, academic lens, focusing on themes, structure, and educational relevance. I appreciated the book, but I moved on—as we often do with assigned readings.

But more recently, something unexpected happened. One of my students, with genuine excitement, told me how much this book had moved them. They didn’t just enjoy it—they were deeply touched by it. This student spoke about the characters, the emotional depth, and the way the story made them feel seen. They strongly recommended the series to me.

I smiled and said, “I’ve read that book,” thinking the conversation would end there. But they looked at me and said, “You have to read the rest of the series. It only gets better.”

Their words stayed with me.

That evening, I went on Amazon and ordered the rest of the series. I now have three more books waiting for me, and I’m genuinely excited to continue the journey.
Re-reading Front Desk after all this time—and in this new context—was a completely different experience. The parts I once skimmed past now stood out with clarity. The voice of the young narrator, the struggles of her immigrant family, and the quiet, powerful commentary on racism and resilience all hit closer to home.
As a teacher, I now see this book not just as a beautiful story but as an incredibly rich tool for connection. I can imagine sharing this story with my students and hearing their reactions, watching them relate, reflect, and maybe even feel a little more understood.

More than anything, I’m grateful—to my student for reminding me of the power of this book, and to this small, moving story for finding its way back into my life at just the right time.
​
I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series, and I have a feeling it will stay with me long after the final page.

​https://www.annakoh.com/blog/front-deskby-kelly-yang-the-florida-projectmovie-for-7th-grader