The Writing Room

Gr 8 Up–Maya’s wealthy father, Robert Mitchell of MedTech, made it clear to his daughter and her siblings that their upscale lives on his dime would be cut off the minute they each turn eighteen. Their Guatemalan mother moved back to her homeland after the divorce from their white father and has fewer resources than her mogul ex-husband. Dad’s deal includes him covering Maya’s college tuition, but when he yanks her medical coverage and insists on pre-approved business classes, she is determined to handle things herself and pursues a writing career. Friend Yoly and her husband Ricardo, who is an immigration lawyer, provide a couch to sleep on in their brownstone. Taking on a part-time job at the library, Maya also writes reviews for her sister’s magazine, picking up freelance gigs along the way. Neighbor Katie points Maya in the direction of the writing room, a shared space managed by her brother, Jake. This brownstone’s sense of place provides a sense of community and resilience for the group of immigrant friends, with regular Sunday dinners including Mexican, Colombian, Filipino, Puerto Rican, and Guatemalan friends surrounding the table. Jake is distant at first, then the writing room experience leads to the forced proximity trope, enabling him to open up to Maya. Romance blossoms. When Robert Mitchell’s stealth illegal donations in support of a racist, anti-immigrant politician surface, Jake’s secret of how he has been anonymously fighting back emerges. Though choppy at times, the plot’s focus on contemporary issues provides an anchor.