LoveReading4Kids Says
LoveReading4Kids Says
October 2022 Book of the Month
“Don’t wait to follow your dreams.” That’s one of the inspirational messages that ripples through Key Player alongside a rainbow of resonant themes. Kelly Yang’s fourth Front Desk novel is a perfectly-pitched addition to a Middle Grade series that strikes goal after goal — Yang has an incredible knack for packing pertinent themes into her gloriously engaging stories.
In the case of Key Player, as Mia is growing up, as the Women’s World Cup comes to California, African American Hank is forced to fight a bigtime restaurant that’s stolen his burger recipe. Jason must deal with the emotional issues his dad had with his grandfather. Lupe wonders whether she likes girls and, while Mia’s mum is now a maths teacher, being Chinese is still seen as an impediment, and her parents’ face racism when they try to realise their American Dream of owning a home.
As for Mia, she’s still grappling with being American and Chinese. Forced to fight bigotry and accusations of being a traitor when she decides to support China ahead of a World Cup clash between Team USA and Team China, she refuses to back down. Through all the set-backs there’s a rousing sense of community and love (“When one of us got hurt, all of us got hurt”) and, true to form, Mia makes magic happen.
What a book, what a series — go Team Mia!
Joanne Owen
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About
Key Player Synopsis
MIA TANG IS PLAYING TO WIN!
The Women's World Cup is coming to California, and everyone has football fever - especially Mia! But when her PE teacher gives her a C, Mia has to pull up her grade by scoring interviews with the championship teams. It's not so easy when...
1. The two teams are hunkered down in secret hotels in Pasadena and not taking any media requests.
2. Mr Yao is back at the motel- as a co-owner! Jason is sure his dad deserves a second chance. Mia is not so sure.
3. Mia's parents are trying to buy a house of their very own, which turns out to be a LOT harder than they thought!
As Mia aims for her goals, she'll have to face strikers from all corners, as well as her own fears. But if anyone can find a way to win big, it's Mia Tang. The fourth book in the Front Desk series - following Mia Tang as she plays to win!
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781913311346 |
| Publication date: |
1st September 2022 |
| Author: |
Kelly Yang |
| Publisher: |
Knights Of Media |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
343 pages |
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Author
About Kelly Yang
Kelly Yang is the author of Front Desk, which was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize and won the 2019 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature.
Kelly’s family immigrated to the United States from China when she was a young girl, and she grew up in California, in circumstances very similar to those of her main character. She eventually left the motels and went to college at the age of 13 and is a graduate of UC Berkeley and Harvard Law School.
She is the founder of The Kelly Yang Project, a leading writing and debating program for children in Asia and the United States. Her writing has been published in the South China Morning Post, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Atlantic.
Follow her on Instagram @kellyyanghk
More About Kelly Yang
