THE INTERPRETER

A pint-size interpreter reaches a boiling point.

Life’s busy enough for young Cecilia, who has two full-time jobs: being a kid and interpreting for her Spanish-speaking parents. At any moment, they might request her services in “all kinds of grown-up places.” Donning a rather sharp green power suit, Cecilia translates during a doctor’s appointment, reshares instructions given by a disgruntled DMV employee, and ensures the perfect haircut at the salon. But all this work leaves her with no time to play soccer with her friends. So when a kind teacher inquires how she’s doing during a parent-teacher conference, Cecilia decides to unload and to ask her parents for support, depicted in a stunning double-page outburst in both Spanish and English (both languages are featured throughout the text). In her picture-book debut, Abtahi masterfully weaves an everyday tale that will be familiar to designated translators of all ages from immigrant families. Cecilia’s eventual cry for help speaks to the resilience that children in similar situations possess while also emphasizing the importance of self-care. Arnaldo’s bright watercolor and pencil-crayon artwork provides much-needed levity, with speech bubbles predominantly colored in blue and orange to differentiate between the languages. While Cecilia and her family are cued Latine, secondary characters offer broad cultural diversity. Publishes simultaneously in Spanish.

Sensationally true to life.