The Interpreter
by Olivia Abtahi; illus. by Monica Arnaldo
Primary    Kokila/Penguin    40 pp.
1/25    9780593620441    $18.99
e-book ed.  9780593620458    $10.99

Cecilia, a Latine girl, juggles two jobs: kid and interpreter. Text bubbles in yellow for Spanish and blue for English differentiate the languages spoken by Cecilia’s “clients” (i.e., her parents) and by those at “grown-up places,” including the doctor’s office and the DMV. As Cecilia dutifully translates questions, concerns, and instructions, Arnaldo’s colorful watercolor and pencil-crayon illustrations elaborate on Abtahi’s metaphor—Cecilia appears to work in an office, wears an oversized suit and tie, and gulps down coffee—while conveying, through her frizzing ponytail and rumpled jacket, the pressures of “working overtime.” When Cecilia is asked about her feelings during a parent-teacher conference and admits the truth, her mother and father console her and promise to get more help. Abtahi, who took inspiration from her own multilingual childhood, strikes an important balance in her resolution: the necessity of interpreting for immigrant parents is not dismissed or shamed, while the pressure it can place on their children is addressed with empathy. After other family members step in to “pick up shifts” for Cecilia, she’s able to continue helping her family while prioritizing her primary job: being a kid.

From the March/April 2025 issue of The Horn Book Magazine.