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The Interpreter
A sharp and heartfelt picture book about a young soccer-loving girl who’s an interpreter for her Spanish-speaking parents.Some kids have one to be a kid! Cecilia has two. When she isn't on the soccer field scoring goals, she's accompanying her parents to all kinds of grown-up places, like the DMV, the accountant's office, and the auto shop. She helps them translate from Spanish to English and from English to Spanish. It’s an important job, and it can even be fun. It’s also hard work. Sometimes Cecilia's second job is so much responsibility, it feels like she'll split in two! Is it time for Cecilia to blow her whistle and call for a time-out?Olivia Abtahi’s clever text and Monica Arnaldo’s charming illustrations capture a common aspect of life for immigrant and bilingual families while offering a model for teamwork that helps everyone feel understood.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published January 21, 2025
3 people are currently reading
274 people want to read
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March 2, 2025
When I was a kid I remember watching the blue jays in the trees. They're loud birds, ones that call attention to themselves. Seeing me gazing at them, my mom told me that blue jays warn the other birds when predators or danger is around. Then she said something that kind of stunned me. “But we don’t really know that much about them.” Why they do those warning calls. Their lives. And the idea that something so common could be so little known just blew my tiny mind. In very much the same way, it's a feeling I experience when someone writes a picture book on a topic I’ve never really seen discussed before, even though it’s incredibly common. Take, for example, kids that interpret for their parents. That’s the kind of thing I’ve definitely seen in middle grade novels aimed at 9-12 year olds. But picture books? Even though it’s a common reality for a LOT of kids out there, it hadn’t even occurred to me until now to think about the fact that, for whatever reason, we don’t have a lot of picture books on the subject. Which is to say… any? Surely there’s gotta be one or two out there, but until I saw The Interpreter none stuck so firmly in my mind. Smart as a whip, funny, and clever, this little visual metaphor of a picture book is the best possible way to make it crystal clear the responsibilities some kids shoulder.
If you’re a kid you have one job: being a kid. Cecilia? She’s got two. On the one hand she’s a girl with a penchant for soccer. On the other, she’s the official interpreter for her parents. Doctor’s visits? Shopping for mangos? Ordering at restaurants? Sending packages? Call on Cecilia! Trouble is, she’s starting to get exhausted. More and more of her time is spent helping her parents and less and less of her time is spent just having fun. So when a kindly teacher asks how she is doing at a parent-teacher conference, the dam breaks and Cecilia confesses her exhaustion. Fortunately, there can be a solution when you ask for help.
I think a key component to the book is the degree to which it doesn’t blame Cecilia’s parents. Considering the amount of work that their daughter has to shoulder, it would be the easiest thing in the world to tell this book in such a way where the blame falls fully on their shoulders. I've already seen people asking why they don't just learn English. But look at the situations where they need their daughter. Taxes. The DMV. I'm sure they have a grasp on the basics, but when you're dealing with such serious subjects, that's when you want to be crystal clear with your language. Enter your small interpreter. The key to this book is where they fall down. I mean, they are ignorant of how much Cecilia has to do, but as a parent myself I totally get that. Previously they were reliant on her older brother for years and now he’s in college, so it just naturally seems like she would shoulder his responsibilities. It’s something she’s more than happy to do too, but at the same time it seemed clear to me that with three kids, and one of them in college, the amount of work that Cecilia has to handle is exponentially greater than what her brother did on his own around the same age. And that’s the kind of thing that creeps up on you when you’re a parent. I mean, you get a glimpse into all the things that they have to deal with, from a sick baby to work online. So the fact that Abtahi is couching this in the context of everyone being busy in some way (along with the thrill Cecilia gets from being useful), you’re given an opportunity to be sympathetic on all sides. At least, I am as a parent. It’s entirely possible a kid would read this and blame the parents, but Cecilia is a willing participant in this process too. At least for a while.
Now the book specifies that Cecilia has multiple jobs but if you separate the text from the images, there’s nothing in there that specifically states that she’s wearing a tie or anything at any point. Admittedly, the whole book is written in the speak of someone who has an occupation (“She used to have a coworker, but he got promoted”), but it took Monica Arnaldo’s specific sense of humor to take all of this as literally as possible in the art. Plus, kids in suits are fun. That’s just a fact. No one’s going to contest it. Now the most famous (to my mind) picture book of a girl putting on a suit and going to a 9-5 job is, without a doubt, Bea and Mr. Jones by Amy Schwartz. No one would ever say that this book paralleled that one, but the two would read well together, should someone want to pair them together. After all, Cecilia rocks that suit. And green! Monica Arnaldo decided to dress Cecilia in a dark green suit, light green tie, and yellow/orange tie and socks. Why? Partly, it may have something to do with how her colors play off the colors of her aunt and brother’s suits at the end of the book. If you look at it, Cecilia is green and yellow, her brother is blue and green, and her aunt is yellow and blue, but each one has hints of the other two’s colors. Now look at what Cecilia wears in real life. Not the green metaphorical suit but her own outfit. It’s still green, but a more natural kid outfit (her brother also wears a green sweatshirt as well, by the way).
But that’s not all!! Speaking of colors, can we talk about the speech balloons in this book? I didn’t notice it on a primary read but each speech balloon is a color that matches the language being spoken. Those speech balloon colors? Blue and yellow and when they overlap you get that green. Suddenly Cecilia’s suit makes a lot more sense, right? She can overlap the colors of the two languages because she speaks both of them. There’s even a bit of Persian in the book (represented as pink) and the boy who translates for his mom wears a purple suit (blue for English, pink for Persian, get it?). The most fun comes when someone speaks both languages. For example, when Cecilia’s father says something like, “Que significa ‘at your earliest convenience’?” his speech balloon doesn’t turn green. The top half in Spanish is yellow and the bottom half is blue. This comes in particularly handy later in the book. Arnaldo uses these colors to indicate moments when the parents appear to be speaking in English, but the color of the speech balloon makes it infinitely clear that what they’re actually speaking is Spanish. And when they speak outside of the speech balloons, the text of English that’s actually Spanish is italicized. Remarkable, right? The sheer amount of thought and energy that has gone into every single element of this book is astounding.
And it’s funny. Did I mention that it’s funny? This is the part that slays me. A book with themes this serious shouldn’t actually be funny. This should be, by all definitions, one of those dour, serious, meaningful picture books. The kinds that I always say are important to have in our bookstores and libraries but, and let’s be honest here, nobody really enjoys reading for fun. A meaningful picture book is the kind that a teacher will do with a class, or a parent will read with their child to make a point… once. Point made? Book put away. But a book like The Interpreter? Dude, I could see a kid wanting to read this over and over and over again. It’s vibrant and highly amusing. Monica Arnaldo first blew up the picture book world when her book Mr. S utterly wrecked children’s librarians everywhere with its hilarity. In this book she manages to squeeze the funny out of everything from a DMV visit (the dad’s frozen smile for his photo is a delight) to the sight of a kid gulping down a coffee. By the way, if anyone wants to explain to me the significance of the license plate, “SBF 2017”, I’d be delighted to hear your answer.
Metaphors exist in picture books. Of course they do. Why do you think Where the Wild Things Are is the hit that it is? As such, let’s not wonder whether or not kids are going to get exactly what the metaphor is for this book. Kids are pretty smart. I’d say they’ll completely get what’s going on, and even if they don’t, reading the book straight works just as well. Some will read the book and realize that they are Cecilia. Others will read the book and realize that their friends or classmates are. And still others will realize that there are Cecilias out there in the world and a tiny drop of empathy will build up in their systems. Read by read. Drop by drop. Bright, colorful, and clever, this is one book we’ve been waiting for years to see. We just didn’t know it yet.
If you’re a kid you have one job: being a kid. Cecilia? She’s got two. On the one hand she’s a girl with a penchant for soccer. On the other, she’s the official interpreter for her parents. Doctor’s visits? Shopping for mangos? Ordering at restaurants? Sending packages? Call on Cecilia! Trouble is, she’s starting to get exhausted. More and more of her time is spent helping her parents and less and less of her time is spent just having fun. So when a kindly teacher asks how she is doing at a parent-teacher conference, the dam breaks and Cecilia confesses her exhaustion. Fortunately, there can be a solution when you ask for help.
I think a key component to the book is the degree to which it doesn’t blame Cecilia’s parents. Considering the amount of work that their daughter has to shoulder, it would be the easiest thing in the world to tell this book in such a way where the blame falls fully on their shoulders. I've already seen people asking why they don't just learn English. But look at the situations where they need their daughter. Taxes. The DMV. I'm sure they have a grasp on the basics, but when you're dealing with such serious subjects, that's when you want to be crystal clear with your language. Enter your small interpreter. The key to this book is where they fall down. I mean, they are ignorant of how much Cecilia has to do, but as a parent myself I totally get that. Previously they were reliant on her older brother for years and now he’s in college, so it just naturally seems like she would shoulder his responsibilities. It’s something she’s more than happy to do too, but at the same time it seemed clear to me that with three kids, and one of them in college, the amount of work that Cecilia has to handle is exponentially greater than what her brother did on his own around the same age. And that’s the kind of thing that creeps up on you when you’re a parent. I mean, you get a glimpse into all the things that they have to deal with, from a sick baby to work online. So the fact that Abtahi is couching this in the context of everyone being busy in some way (along with the thrill Cecilia gets from being useful), you’re given an opportunity to be sympathetic on all sides. At least, I am as a parent. It’s entirely possible a kid would read this and blame the parents, but Cecilia is a willing participant in this process too. At least for a while.
Now the book specifies that Cecilia has multiple jobs but if you separate the text from the images, there’s nothing in there that specifically states that she’s wearing a tie or anything at any point. Admittedly, the whole book is written in the speak of someone who has an occupation (“She used to have a coworker, but he got promoted”), but it took Monica Arnaldo’s specific sense of humor to take all of this as literally as possible in the art. Plus, kids in suits are fun. That’s just a fact. No one’s going to contest it. Now the most famous (to my mind) picture book of a girl putting on a suit and going to a 9-5 job is, without a doubt, Bea and Mr. Jones by Amy Schwartz. No one would ever say that this book paralleled that one, but the two would read well together, should someone want to pair them together. After all, Cecilia rocks that suit. And green! Monica Arnaldo decided to dress Cecilia in a dark green suit, light green tie, and yellow/orange tie and socks. Why? Partly, it may have something to do with how her colors play off the colors of her aunt and brother’s suits at the end of the book. If you look at it, Cecilia is green and yellow, her brother is blue and green, and her aunt is yellow and blue, but each one has hints of the other two’s colors. Now look at what Cecilia wears in real life. Not the green metaphorical suit but her own outfit. It’s still green, but a more natural kid outfit (her brother also wears a green sweatshirt as well, by the way).
But that’s not all!! Speaking of colors, can we talk about the speech balloons in this book? I didn’t notice it on a primary read but each speech balloon is a color that matches the language being spoken. Those speech balloon colors? Blue and yellow and when they overlap you get that green. Suddenly Cecilia’s suit makes a lot more sense, right? She can overlap the colors of the two languages because she speaks both of them. There’s even a bit of Persian in the book (represented as pink) and the boy who translates for his mom wears a purple suit (blue for English, pink for Persian, get it?). The most fun comes when someone speaks both languages. For example, when Cecilia’s father says something like, “Que significa ‘at your earliest convenience’?” his speech balloon doesn’t turn green. The top half in Spanish is yellow and the bottom half is blue. This comes in particularly handy later in the book. Arnaldo uses these colors to indicate moments when the parents appear to be speaking in English, but the color of the speech balloon makes it infinitely clear that what they’re actually speaking is Spanish. And when they speak outside of the speech balloons, the text of English that’s actually Spanish is italicized. Remarkable, right? The sheer amount of thought and energy that has gone into every single element of this book is astounding.
And it’s funny. Did I mention that it’s funny? This is the part that slays me. A book with themes this serious shouldn’t actually be funny. This should be, by all definitions, one of those dour, serious, meaningful picture books. The kinds that I always say are important to have in our bookstores and libraries but, and let’s be honest here, nobody really enjoys reading for fun. A meaningful picture book is the kind that a teacher will do with a class, or a parent will read with their child to make a point… once. Point made? Book put away. But a book like The Interpreter? Dude, I could see a kid wanting to read this over and over and over again. It’s vibrant and highly amusing. Monica Arnaldo first blew up the picture book world when her book Mr. S utterly wrecked children’s librarians everywhere with its hilarity. In this book she manages to squeeze the funny out of everything from a DMV visit (the dad’s frozen smile for his photo is a delight) to the sight of a kid gulping down a coffee. By the way, if anyone wants to explain to me the significance of the license plate, “SBF 2017”, I’d be delighted to hear your answer.
Metaphors exist in picture books. Of course they do. Why do you think Where the Wild Things Are is the hit that it is? As such, let’s not wonder whether or not kids are going to get exactly what the metaphor is for this book. Kids are pretty smart. I’d say they’ll completely get what’s going on, and even if they don’t, reading the book straight works just as well. Some will read the book and realize that they are Cecilia. Others will read the book and realize that their friends or classmates are. And still others will realize that there are Cecilias out there in the world and a tiny drop of empathy will build up in their systems. Read by read. Drop by drop. Bright, colorful, and clever, this is one book we’ve been waiting for years to see. We just didn’t know it yet.
December 30, 2025
Cecilia spends a lot of time interpreting English for her immigrant parents in government agencies and businesses and on the phone. Taken for granted, she feels the pressure and time commitment eating into her chances to just be a carefree kid.
The story is a bit awkward in execution, but I really admired the point being made.
The story is a bit awkward in execution, but I really admired the point being made.
December 26, 2024
I read the english version
This book might be a bit of a stretch on my #muslimintheillustration tag with a single dupatta clad woman, but the messaging of the book is undoubtedly relatable to numerous immigrants, and there are a fair share of Muslims that would thus see themselves in this picture book about a girl who loves her family, soccer, and the job of being a kid, but who has to balance it with also being the interpreter for her parents at doctor appointments, the dmv, the hair salon and numerous other places. It isn’t that she doesn’t want to help, it’s just a lot, and she is exhausted, when someone finally asks her how SHE is, she finds her voice to speak up and get some help. I love that it doesn’t belittle parents that don’t speak the majority language, it doesn’t show a lack of love and warmth, it simply shines a light on the role many kids step in to, and a family finding a way to strike a balance.
This book might be a bit of a stretch on my #muslimintheillustration tag with a single dupatta clad woman, but the messaging of the book is undoubtedly relatable to numerous immigrants, and there are a fair share of Muslims that would thus see themselves in this picture book about a girl who loves her family, soccer, and the job of being a kid, but who has to balance it with also being the interpreter for her parents at doctor appointments, the dmv, the hair salon and numerous other places. It isn’t that she doesn’t want to help, it’s just a lot, and she is exhausted, when someone finally asks her how SHE is, she finds her voice to speak up and get some help. I love that it doesn’t belittle parents that don’t speak the majority language, it doesn’t show a lack of love and warmth, it simply shines a light on the role many kids step in to, and a family finding a way to strike a balance.
July 11, 2025
A bilingual girl becomes overburdened when tasked with being a full-time interpreter for her Spanish-speaking parents, who seem oblivious to the strain they’re putting on their daughter. The story doesn’t address how long the family has been living in the new English-speaking country, but at least long enough for the girl’s translation duties to become a well-practiced routine. Why in this day and age are the girl’s parents not using Google’s free language translation app on their smartphone for all these basic conversations? Plus, Papa could be learning English through free videos on YouTube on his laptop, and Mama could be practicing common English words and phrases on the free Duolingo app on her smartphone. Given what seems to be their willful incompetence, the parents’ over-reliance on their daughter seems abusive, especially when she’s too busy accommodating their needs to meet her own and driving herself to the point of mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion. The illustrations make matters worse by depicting the girl in an ill-fitting men’s business suit, suggesting that she is doing all this work out of obligation, not love. How sad.
June 5, 2025
4.5 stars.
The Interpreter is a lovely picture book that manages to tackle a serious subject with warmth, heart, and lots of humour. The story follows a young girl who must constantly serve as an interpreter for her parents who don't speak fluent English. She is torn between her two jobs: that of being a kid and being her parents' interpreter. The illustrations are vibrant and adorable, showing her switch back and forth between regular kid stuff and wearing a suit and going to work interpreting for her parents (even once encountering another suit-wearing child as they interpret for their parents, neither family sharing a language with each other besides the two children both knowing English). When she eventually has a bit of a breakdown about how overwhelmed and stressed she is acting as an interpreter for her parents, multiple other family members step in to join as interpreters as well so that our protagonist has more time to just be a kid.
I love the illustrations, the way the speech bubbles are used, and how it blends humour into a serious subject without ever throwing off the balance. I also liked that the solution involved more family and community rather than judgment of the parents. I did wish there was maybe an expansion of what resources could be used (accessing interpreters at official places, local library resources, finding businesses run/staffed by people who speak their language to frequent, etc) or a note at the end to go into the serious aspects a little more, but I think everything it did it just did very well.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this one!
The Interpreter is a lovely picture book that manages to tackle a serious subject with warmth, heart, and lots of humour. The story follows a young girl who must constantly serve as an interpreter for her parents who don't speak fluent English. She is torn between her two jobs: that of being a kid and being her parents' interpreter. The illustrations are vibrant and adorable, showing her switch back and forth between regular kid stuff and wearing a suit and going to work interpreting for her parents (even once encountering another suit-wearing child as they interpret for their parents, neither family sharing a language with each other besides the two children both knowing English). When she eventually has a bit of a breakdown about how overwhelmed and stressed she is acting as an interpreter for her parents, multiple other family members step in to join as interpreters as well so that our protagonist has more time to just be a kid.
I love the illustrations, the way the speech bubbles are used, and how it blends humour into a serious subject without ever throwing off the balance. I also liked that the solution involved more family and community rather than judgment of the parents. I did wish there was maybe an expansion of what resources could be used (accessing interpreters at official places, local library resources, finding businesses run/staffed by people who speak their language to frequent, etc) or a note at the end to go into the serious aspects a little more, but I think everything it did it just did very well.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this one!
Read
December 15, 2025“Some kids had one job: to be a kid. Cecilia worked two.”
These words begin Olivia Abtahi’s The Interpreter, the important story of Cecilia, a young bilingual girl whose parents need her to be their interpreter as they navigate the doctor’s office, DMV, bank, and other institutions that most kids never experience. Cecilia is eventually overstressed to the point where she isn’t enjoying childhood. When her parents realize what is happening, they immediately call in other family members to help. Cecilia’s childhood comes back into balance, and she is able to both help her family and spend more time playing.
Cecilia’s situation is fairly common in communities with immigrant populations. The Interpreter lets young readers in similar circumstances feel seen, and others who are oblivious to these scenarios develop empathy for their classmates and friends who lead lives differently from their own.
Abtahi’s narrative is complemented by Monica Arnaldo’s friendly, expressive illustrations that convey Cecilia’s range of emotions without becoming too heavy. English-only readers will have little trouble with the Spanish passages, which are either clear in context or supported by translations.
The Interpreter is an excellent choice for fostering social-emotional awareness and encouraging thoughtful conversations about family roles, responsibility, and the diverse experiences children bring into the classroom.
These words begin Olivia Abtahi’s The Interpreter, the important story of Cecilia, a young bilingual girl whose parents need her to be their interpreter as they navigate the doctor’s office, DMV, bank, and other institutions that most kids never experience. Cecilia is eventually overstressed to the point where she isn’t enjoying childhood. When her parents realize what is happening, they immediately call in other family members to help. Cecilia’s childhood comes back into balance, and she is able to both help her family and spend more time playing.
Cecilia’s situation is fairly common in communities with immigrant populations. The Interpreter lets young readers in similar circumstances feel seen, and others who are oblivious to these scenarios develop empathy for their classmates and friends who lead lives differently from their own.
Abtahi’s narrative is complemented by Monica Arnaldo’s friendly, expressive illustrations that convey Cecilia’s range of emotions without becoming too heavy. English-only readers will have little trouble with the Spanish passages, which are either clear in context or supported by translations.
The Interpreter is an excellent choice for fostering social-emotional awareness and encouraging thoughtful conversations about family roles, responsibility, and the diverse experiences children bring into the classroom.
March 12, 2025
This took a few readings to grasp everything in this unique story about a young girl who must frequently interpret for her Spanish speaking parents, which she does with a smile, but finds it’s a difficult balance between being a kid and what feels like a job interpreting for her family. Speech bubbles are the text of the story and pay attention to the colors of the speech bubbles. Blue for English, yellow for Spanish and overlapping speech bubbles with green, the color of Cecilia’s (the interpreter) outfits. When the parents seem to be speaking English, the speech bubbles are yellow, so it’s clear that they are actually speaking Spanish. (Figured this out by reading a review by Betsy Bird!) Same formula happens when Cecilia meets a young boy interpreting for his family. I liked that the parents aren’t shamed for not knowing English. It’s just simply a story about a young girl trying to find a balance between “work” and play.
January 1, 2026
I thought this a very needed book! It shows the burden of many or all first generation immigrant kids. It also shows the issue of hearing kids born to deaf parents and likely many other disabilities! The parents are relying too much on their daughter to translate and interpret for them and she is running out of steam. Her teacher realizes it and then tells the parents. The daughter shows her calendar of how she is daily being called on to interpret. The parents start making other arrangements, to let their daughter be a kid more often. Of course it doesn’t cover the case of what if there is no one else to interpret but otherwise is superb!
February 26, 2025
I worked in a family owned Chinese restaurant for six years and I saw how hard the children worked, translating from English to Fujianese and back for their parents in so many matters, going to appointments with them, taking all phone calls, not only for personal matters but business too.
This book is about a daughter in a family who works so hard as translatress that there is not time for her own life and how her family learns to deal with that!
This book is about a daughter in a family who works so hard as translatress that there is not time for her own life and how her family learns to deal with that!
March 14, 2025
So beautifully done. This captures the reality of children who are interpreters for their families.
April 4, 2025
I loved the concept, as I know a number of children who serve as interpreters. I’m surprised to find the word “receipt” misspelled, however.
April 22, 2025
This book was really cool! I loved the mix of languages in it and the way the story was told. The pictures were really good too
September 12, 2025
SO GOOD! Read this book to all bilingual children and all children in general! Amazing illustrations and concept! Made me cry! Loved it!
March 15, 2025
As a child of immigrant parents, I could relate to this book and thought it was a unique topic for a picture book.
Read
February 19, 2025I love a book that's unique but with real-life situations!
February 20, 2025
4.5 stars--Wonderfully-presented story about a bilingual child who is becoming overwhelmed by her job as the family "interpreter." Great modeling of parents who listen to their child's needs and make amends to their behavior. Great illustrations, too!
January 19, 2025
When your English skills outpace those of your immigrant parents, kids are sometimes forced to grow up quick. The line between "I want to help" and "I'm still a kid" is such an important boundary. I've served as a church terp (inTERPreter) in the Deaf community, but that's volitional and as an adult. Thinking simultaneously in several languages is tough! That multilingual layering, with colored speech bubbles showing language differences, was my favorite element of this book.
July 9, 2025
Some background here. I spent my career and am now on the board of a district with a very large ELL population. We're not big - 7000 kids but 1200 of them are English Language Learners. Over 33 different languages other than English are spoken in our kids' homes.
SO, I am familiar with searching for resources for our kids, their teachers AND their families and there hasn't been a lot out there. I am heartened by what is being written lately! But, having said that, this extraordinary book touches a chord that will will be so deeply heard by kids like ours across the nation. Children are much more able to learn a new language than their parents and they are called in ALL the time to interpret for their parents. It is a fact of life in schools and towns in our country and it puts an immense burden on these students.
Olivia Abtahi nails the issue and while she does it with humor, the truth of it is anything but funny. As she says from the first page, " Some kids had one job: to be a kid. Cecelia had two." The young girl in our story loves helping her parents and doing this important job. But it is hard to be this grown up "professional" interpreter AND being a kid! It is exhausting - and maybe she should have said something before. The resolution is hopeful and offers other helpers out there, with her parents realizing that their child needs to be a child too.
This is getting long but I don't want to leave without talking about the brilliant illustrations by Monica Arnaldo. Created with watercolors and crayons, Arnoldo uses color masterfully. Pay attention to the color of the speech bubbles, the color green that dominates in the over-reliance on Cecelia in an adult role and in the exaggerated perspectives on the end papers. This is a very kid-appropriate book but the depth offered in both text and illustrations takes it to another level. I hope the committees are watching this one because it is stellar. Please note too that Cecelia's over-sized green suit waxes and wanes as her responsibilities alter.
This is a book that will speak to so many kids and that librarians and teachers have been wishing for. A must purchase whether your population is non-English speaking or not.
SO, I am familiar with searching for resources for our kids, their teachers AND their families and there hasn't been a lot out there. I am heartened by what is being written lately! But, having said that, this extraordinary book touches a chord that will will be so deeply heard by kids like ours across the nation. Children are much more able to learn a new language than their parents and they are called in ALL the time to interpret for their parents. It is a fact of life in schools and towns in our country and it puts an immense burden on these students.
Olivia Abtahi nails the issue and while she does it with humor, the truth of it is anything but funny. As she says from the first page, " Some kids had one job: to be a kid. Cecelia had two." The young girl in our story loves helping her parents and doing this important job. But it is hard to be this grown up "professional" interpreter AND being a kid! It is exhausting - and maybe she should have said something before. The resolution is hopeful and offers other helpers out there, with her parents realizing that their child needs to be a child too.
This is getting long but I don't want to leave without talking about the brilliant illustrations by Monica Arnaldo. Created with watercolors and crayons, Arnoldo uses color masterfully. Pay attention to the color of the speech bubbles, the color green that dominates in the over-reliance on Cecelia in an adult role and in the exaggerated perspectives on the end papers. This is a very kid-appropriate book but the depth offered in both text and illustrations takes it to another level. I hope the committees are watching this one because it is stellar. Please note too that Cecelia's over-sized green suit waxes and wanes as her responsibilities alter.
This is a book that will speak to so many kids and that librarians and teachers have been wishing for. A must purchase whether your population is non-English speaking or not.
February 27, 2025
The art was good. The concept was stellar. Hence the three stars. But I couldn't get over the parents in this story. From the story, we can assume they've lived in the U.S. for quite some time. Call me a bigot if you want, but throughout the book I kept thinking, "instead of burdening their daughter... they could, you know, just learn basic English..." I get it. There's a plethora of reasons they may not have tried to learn, and it can take years to become fluent. But by all appearances, they are NOT trying and just needing help to fill in the gaps with certain things while they work on their language skills (THIS is what I wish had been the premise of the book). If the mom can't even get a haircut without needing her daughter to interpret, then it would seem to be almost weaponized incompetence. (I would hope to be able to get a haircut within at least 6 months of living in a foreign country.) Listen, I have friends whose parents don't speak English well, neighbors too. But they try. They can make small talk at the very least. And the ones whose parents really don't, live in the parts of Miami where everyone speaks Spanish so burdening a child to be their full-time interpreter isn't necessary. The resolution also fell flat for this reason. I really thought the "solution" to the daughter feeling stretched between being a kid and being an interpreter was that they were going to take the parents to English lessons at the library once a week, or even have the daughter teach them. Teach a man to fish, you know? Nope. The solution was to share the burden between the daughter, college age son, and Aunt, further enabling the parent's refusal to learn the language of the country in which they're living. That's their daughter. They might always need help with doctor appointments and such, but the plot was so frustrating to me.
February 4, 2025
In addition to being a kid, Cecilia is the family interpreter, filling in the gaps of understanding at the mechanic, the hospital, the park, the hairdresser, and just about anywhere it is necessary for her parents to speak English instead of Spanish. The job is essential for the family but takes a toll on the character’s well being. In a rare moment of personal attention, Cecilia is forced to interpret her emotions to her family. Soon, help is on the way. An older brother and sister return to help out on the weekend, leaving Cecilia free to play soccer and be a kid sometimes.
Supportive and affirming, The Interpreter is an important new book for children fulfilling adult-sized roles in their family or community. Unacknowledged contributions to family wellbeing can stretch well beyond the demands of communication. This touching story written by Olivia Abtahi belongs in every school and library, but also every hospital. Several years ago, I asked a hospital librarian if there were a book she wished had been written. She said she wished there were more books about sibling carers—children who provide medical care for a sibling or family member. Abtahi has indirectly provided one in the scene in which Cecilia interprets the doctor’s orders to her parents.
The Interpreter was illustrated by Monica Arnaldo. With watercolor and pencil crayons, Arnaldo creates colorful characters and heart-warming family scenes. Cecilia’s emotions were well defined in the illustrations. The reader’s heart crumbles when they all come pouring out.
Supportive and affirming, The Interpreter is an important new book for children fulfilling adult-sized roles in their family or community. Unacknowledged contributions to family wellbeing can stretch well beyond the demands of communication. This touching story written by Olivia Abtahi belongs in every school and library, but also every hospital. Several years ago, I asked a hospital librarian if there were a book she wished had been written. She said she wished there were more books about sibling carers—children who provide medical care for a sibling or family member. Abtahi has indirectly provided one in the scene in which Cecilia interprets the doctor’s orders to her parents.
The Interpreter was illustrated by Monica Arnaldo. With watercolor and pencil crayons, Arnaldo creates colorful characters and heart-warming family scenes. Cecilia’s emotions were well defined in the illustrations. The reader’s heart crumbles when they all come pouring out.
March 14, 2025
A young girl knows both English and Spanish while her parents only know Spanish. It’s almost like a part-time job for the girl. She has to go to all their appointments to translate for them so that she has no time to play and be a kid. I wonder why the parents don’t enroll in a English language learning class at night.
Eventually, the girl has a meltdown and her brother comes home to help out with things. The girl then has time to play soccer. I also don’t know why the girl dresses in men’s clothes to go to her job, but she wears a suit. Several strange choices, but it does show the spot kids of immigrants are put in.
I wanted to go to Japan for a few years. I was going to do a year in language school first so I could speak in the nation. I got scared and I think I’m too cowardly to do it. It would be an experience though.
The artwork is watercolor and ink. The artwork is very cute and adorable. It does the play between work and play really well. We can feel the child’s stress.
I think kids with immigrant parents will enjoy this
Eventually, the girl has a meltdown and her brother comes home to help out with things. The girl then has time to play soccer. I also don’t know why the girl dresses in men’s clothes to go to her job, but she wears a suit. Several strange choices, but it does show the spot kids of immigrants are put in.
I wanted to go to Japan for a few years. I was going to do a year in language school first so I could speak in the nation. I got scared and I think I’m too cowardly to do it. It would be an experience though.
The artwork is watercolor and ink. The artwork is very cute and adorable. It does the play between work and play really well. We can feel the child’s stress.
I think kids with immigrant parents will enjoy this
November 17, 2025
Cecilia has two jobs - be a kid and be an interpreter for her parents (Spanish). English, Spanish, and Persian appear in this book. She gets overwhelmed by all the tasks she has to do and her parents discuss it with her and find more family help to balance it out. Includes examples of the kid translating at the doctor's office, DMV, hairdresser, stores, on the street, and at the parent-teacher conference between multiple languages. I loved the illustrations of Cecilia dressed in adult business clothes for her translating for her parents and how the previous translater (her older brother) got promoted (went to college LOL). The facial expressions were so good too when she gets exhausted and fed up, but we also see her delight and love for her parents as she helps them navigate the world. Includes speech bubble text and a few sentences per page, but is best suited for older children. Thoughtfully portrays how kids often act as interpreters and translators in their families and teaches families to consider how to support their children in that and ease the work for everyone.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 5, 2025
Really loved this humorous, yet realistic, take on being an immigrant child who has a second job as an interpreter for parents. Unlike other books dealing with this topic, this book recognizes that while parents may rely on their child for this task, it is a daunting, and at times exhausting job for the child. While this book does not judge the parents who have been put in an impossible situation, it also comes up with a solution involving a whole community to come in and help the main character get a break and focus on being a kid. An author's note at the end talks about how both the author and the illustrator were children of immigrants who translated for their parents in Spanish and Persian. The real-world experience is definitely what gave this book the authenticity that I feel other books on this topic lacked.
I knew Monica Arnaldo primarily from the zany children's book Mr. S, about a teacher who is a sandwich. She brings the same humor and warmth to this picture book.
I knew Monica Arnaldo primarily from the zany children's book Mr. S, about a teacher who is a sandwich. She brings the same humor and warmth to this picture book.
March 7, 2025
An important book that is actually funny, warm, appealing on all levels. I saw kids, when I lived in Carson City NV, just like Cecilia. Fortunately school papers were sent home in both Spanish and English, but clearly translating for teacher is only one small bit of everything a bilingual child might be called upon to do.
I'm surprised that the parents in the book haven't learned even basic things like the first command in phone support, but then again when I call a customer service number the voice does say "Marque el tres" instead of "For Spanish, press three."
I think the thing that I like most is that Cecilia isn't a literalist. For example: The hairdresser complains that mom's hair is overdue for a cut, but Cecilia translates that as "she'll cut your hair the way you like."
Highly recommended to those who know, or are, someone like Cecilia, because Thank You for being so helpful!, and to those who've never imagined a child having this responsibility.
I'm surprised that the parents in the book haven't learned even basic things like the first command in phone support, but then again when I call a customer service number the voice does say "Marque el tres" instead of "For Spanish, press three."
I think the thing that I like most is that Cecilia isn't a literalist. For example: The hairdresser complains that mom's hair is overdue for a cut, but Cecilia translates that as "she'll cut your hair the way you like."
Highly recommended to those who know, or are, someone like Cecilia, because Thank You for being so helpful!, and to those who've never imagined a child having this responsibility.
September 8, 2025
This was a sophisticated and stylish book about Cecilia who, in addition to being a regular kid, serves as her parents' interpreter, accompanying them to various appointments and translating for them from Spanish to English. She loves helping her mom and dad, but eventually the family comes to realize they need more players on their team-- Cecilia is exhausted! Author Abtahi and illustrator Arnaldo have crafted a really cool book operating on the metaphor of working a second job, with Cecilia seen rushing to put on a suit and tie to translate for her dad at the DMV, for example. Some kids will get this level of the story, others might need it explained; no matter what, this is a inventively and beautifully-done story about being a multilingual child of monolingual immigrant parents and working together as a family to make sure everyone's needs are met.
Themes: Language, Translation, Family, Immigrant experience
Age range: Elementary
Themes: Language, Translation, Family, Immigrant experience
Age range: Elementary
February 24, 2025
Most kids have one job -- be a kid! Being a kid might include a lot of different things. Play soccer. Do some chores. Get your homework done. But Cecilia has two. She's a kid (who loves to play soccer) but she is also an interpreter for her parents who are not fluent in English. So she goes with them to the DMV. Or to the doctor. Or to fill out tax forms. While sometimes this is fun, it eventually becomes overwhelming and impacts her more important job of just being a kid.
After a major meltdown, Cecilia receives some much needed help from an aunt and her older brother. Her parents did not realize how much they were demanding from her. Fortunately, there were other family members who could help out!
A humorous look at a reality that faces kids of all ages who need to act as interpreters for their family members.
After a major meltdown, Cecilia receives some much needed help from an aunt and her older brother. Her parents did not realize how much they were demanding from her. Fortunately, there were other family members who could help out!
A humorous look at a reality that faces kids of all ages who need to act as interpreters for their family members.
March 15, 2025
Cecilia is one hard working kid. She has two jobs~~ two lives really ~~ because she is bilingual she must help non-English speaking members of her family navigate their lives, all the while she would love to just live the normal life of a soccer-playing kid.
This is such a great topic for a children's picture book and one so many U.S. children can relate to: children who carry the burden of having to learn English (a second language) in school and carry that knowledge home with them to help family members with mail, banking, doctor visits and school visits. Working as the family translator, Cecilia is exhausted which finally leads to an explosion, "I just want to play soccer!"
The light tone does not match the importance of this book's topic to me. I would have loved to have had a story with less comedic tone with cartoon-like illustrations.
This is such a great topic for a children's picture book and one so many U.S. children can relate to: children who carry the burden of having to learn English (a second language) in school and carry that knowledge home with them to help family members with mail, banking, doctor visits and school visits. Working as the family translator, Cecilia is exhausted which finally leads to an explosion, "I just want to play soccer!"
The light tone does not match the importance of this book's topic to me. I would have loved to have had a story with less comedic tone with cartoon-like illustrations.
August 16, 2025
Cecilia has two jobs. The first is to be a soccer-loving kid. The second job is to serve as an interpreter for her parents. But working two jobs proves to be quite challenging for Cecilia. The illustrator highlights Cecilia's different roles using different clothing. When she's a kid, she dresses like one, often wearing her soccer uniform. When she's helping as an interpreter, she's wearing an extra large green suit with brown dress shoes. But what happens when juggling both 'jobs' becomes overwhelming? This loving tribute to immigrant families provides a glimpse into one of the challenges of being an immigrant family. The solution proves to be very satisfying. This wonderful window/mirror book fills an important need, highlighting a common experience. The combination of Spanish and English makes a nice touch allowing listeners and readers to get a feel for what it's like to switch between languages. The illustrations are not only adorable but highlight the change in languages making it easier to understand what's happening. A beautiful book all around. Highly recommended.
September 10, 2025
This year’s children’s selection for One Book, One San Diego 2025 where the main goals are (according to AI summary) “to unite the community through a shared reading experience, foster discussion of important themes relevant to San Diego, and encourage literacy by making the selected book locally relevant and accessible to all through outreach initiatives and events. The program, a partnership between KPBS and the San Diego Public Library, aims to promote understanding and connection among residents through the common activity of reading and discussing a featured book.” This was a children’s picture book about a girl who is often called upon to interpret for her family, sometimes having little time left to just be a child. It was a fine book with a good perspective to be aware of, which I suspect weighed heavily on why it was chosen for OBOSD. I read the ebook. 3/5
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