The Interpreter

By Olivia Abtahi, Monica Arnaldo (Illustrator)

A young girl juggles soccer and translating for her parents. Can she handle the pressure?

4.5/5 Goodreads · 634 ratings

40 pages· 613 words· Est. 5 min read-aloud

$18.99Save 5%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Cecilia loves soccer, but her real challenge is translating for her Spanish-speaking parents. Balancing the soccer field with grown-up responsibilities, she wonders if it's time to call a time-out. Can Cecilia manage the weight of her dual roles, or will the pressure become too much? Discover how this young interpreter navigates the complexities of family and language, offering a heartfelt glimpse into immigrant life.

From the publisher

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 job: 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.

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