"I love audiobooks that pull me in and hold me tight while taking me on a journey to understand a little more about the human experience. Whether it’s the Asian American immigrant experience, beautifully captured in Sour Heart by Jenny Zhang, or the courage to talk honestly about friendship, told earnestly in Rebecca Stead’s When You Reach Me, these titles keep you enthralled ... while opening the door to empathy. To understanding. To knowing a little more about everyone else in this incredible, big world, which is something I always strive to do in my own books, the Front Desk series, for middle-grade readers and listeners. Enjoy!" —Kelly Yang, author of Top Story and other titles in the Front Desk series
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"I love this funny, vibrant middle-grade listen by Celia Perez about identity and friendship!"
"Jason Reynold’s Long Way Down is required listening in my household. I have read it with both my sons, and the conversations we had were priceless."
"Masterfully written, Rebecca Stead’s Newbery-winning novel will keep you guessing and thinking!"
"I love this book by Jenny Zhang. It's a heartbreaking, honest account of the Asian American immigrant experience. I felt so seen!"
"Every author has someone who made them believe it’s possible to tell their story ... and people will care. For me, that author was Augusten Burroughs. Burroughs writes with a kind of raw vulnerability and honesty that blows me away. Start with Running with Scissors and work your way through his entire collection!"
About Kelly Yang
Kelly Yang is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of several books for young readers, including Three Keys, Room to Dream, Key Player, and the 2019 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature winner Front Desk, which was chosen as a Best Book of the Year by multiple publications, including The Washington Post, as well as NPR and the New York Public Library. 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 Mia Tang. After attending college at the age of 13, she graduated 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 South China Morning Post, The New York Times, Washington Post, and The Atlantic. To learn more about Kelly and the Front Desk series, visit frontdeskthebook.com.
