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The Interpreter

Author Olivia Abtahi
Illustrated by Monica Arnaldo
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Hardcover
$18.99 US
| $24.99 CAN
Penguin Young Readers | Kokila
On sale Jan 21, 2025 | 40 Pages | 9780593620441
Age 5-8 years | Grades K-3
Reading Level: Lexile 530L | Fountas & Pinnell M
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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.
Praise for The Interpreter by Olivia Abtahi; illustrated by Monica Arnaldo:

An Amazon Best Book of January (2025)

★ “Abtahi masterfully weaves an everyday tale that will be familiar to designated translators of all ages from immigrant families. . . . Arnaldo’s bright watercolor and pencil-crayon artwork provides much-needed levity . . . Sensationally true to life.”
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ “Abtahi (Twin Flames), making a well-developed picture book debut …[with] lively watercolor and pencil crayon illustrations from Arnaldo (The Museum of Very Bad Smells) show the strain of Cecilia’s moving back and forth, until supportive changes help her become a kid who’s happy to help, ‘...just not all the time.'”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ “With its emotionally resonant look at one aspect of immigrant family dynamics, this title is a solid purchase for picture book collections.”
—School Library Journal, starred review

★ “Abtahi's story about circumstances of bilingual family life that sometimes force children into these adult roles is engagingly rendered in Arnaldo’s colored pencil and watercolor drawings that both reflect the silliness of the situation and neatly show how overwhelmed Cecilia becomes…In addition to nicely balancing an important topic with lighthearted comedy, the book also offers a solution of teamwork that is both thoughtful and respectful to the entire family.”
—Booklist, starred review

★ “A clever, straight-from-the-heart story . . . excellent.”
—Shelf Awareness, starred review

“Stellar.”
—BookPage

“Abtahi, who took inspiration from her own multilingual childhood, strikes an important balance...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.”
—The Horn Book



Select praise for Perfectly Parvin by Olivia Abtahi:
2023 Texas Lone Star Reading List
2022 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Pick
2022 ALA Rise: A Feminist Book Project List
2021 New York Public Library Best Book
2021 Chicago Public Library Best Book

★ “A joyful celebration of the right to take up space in the world.” —Booklist, starred review

★ “Truly delightful.” —School Library Journal, starred review

Select praise for Mr. S by Monica Arnaldo:
Amazon Best Book of the Month & Editor's Pick
A Junior Library Guild Selection
Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2023
Indigo Best Book of the Year
2023 Chicago Public Library Best of the Best
2023 New York Public Library Best Book
2023 School Library Journal Best Book
Booklist Editor's Choice

★ “Deliciously goofy." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ “A memorable read-aloud choice." —Booklist, starred review

★ “Fun and entertaining." —School Library Journal, starred review
© Heritage and Bloom
Olivia Abtahi is a writer and filmmaker born in Washington, DC. When she isn't drafting novels about awkward teens, you can find her working on documentaries about social justice and climate equity. She currently lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband and their daughter. View titles by Olivia Abtahi
© Sebastien Porco
Monica Arnaldo View titles by Monica Arnaldo

Classroom Activities for The Interpreter

Classroom activities supplement discussion and traditional lessons with group projects and creative tasks. Can be used in pre-existing units and lessons, or as stand-alone.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

Read More
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About

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.

Reviews

Praise for The Interpreter by Olivia Abtahi; illustrated by Monica Arnaldo:

An Amazon Best Book of January (2025)

★ “Abtahi masterfully weaves an everyday tale that will be familiar to designated translators of all ages from immigrant families. . . . Arnaldo’s bright watercolor and pencil-crayon artwork provides much-needed levity . . . Sensationally true to life.”
—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ “Abtahi (Twin Flames), making a well-developed picture book debut …[with] lively watercolor and pencil crayon illustrations from Arnaldo (The Museum of Very Bad Smells) show the strain of Cecilia’s moving back and forth, until supportive changes help her become a kid who’s happy to help, ‘...just not all the time.'”
—Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ “With its emotionally resonant look at one aspect of immigrant family dynamics, this title is a solid purchase for picture book collections.”
—School Library Journal, starred review

★ “Abtahi's story about circumstances of bilingual family life that sometimes force children into these adult roles is engagingly rendered in Arnaldo’s colored pencil and watercolor drawings that both reflect the silliness of the situation and neatly show how overwhelmed Cecilia becomes…In addition to nicely balancing an important topic with lighthearted comedy, the book also offers a solution of teamwork that is both thoughtful and respectful to the entire family.”
—Booklist, starred review

★ “A clever, straight-from-the-heart story . . . excellent.”
—Shelf Awareness, starred review

“Stellar.”
—BookPage

“Abtahi, who took inspiration from her own multilingual childhood, strikes an important balance...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.”
—The Horn Book



Select praise for Perfectly Parvin by Olivia Abtahi:
2023 Texas Lone Star Reading List
2022 YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Pick
2022 ALA Rise: A Feminist Book Project List
2021 New York Public Library Best Book
2021 Chicago Public Library Best Book

★ “A joyful celebration of the right to take up space in the world.” —Booklist, starred review

★ “Truly delightful.” —School Library Journal, starred review

Select praise for Mr. S by Monica Arnaldo:
Amazon Best Book of the Month & Editor's Pick
A Junior Library Guild Selection
Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2023
Indigo Best Book of the Year
2023 Chicago Public Library Best of the Best
2023 New York Public Library Best Book
2023 School Library Journal Best Book
Booklist Editor's Choice

★ “Deliciously goofy." —Publishers Weekly, starred review

★ “A memorable read-aloud choice." —Booklist, starred review

★ “Fun and entertaining." —School Library Journal, starred review

Author

© Heritage and Bloom
Olivia Abtahi is a writer and filmmaker born in Washington, DC. When she isn't drafting novels about awkward teens, you can find her working on documentaries about social justice and climate equity. She currently lives in Denver, Colorado, with her husband and their daughter. View titles by Olivia Abtahi
© Sebastien Porco
Monica Arnaldo View titles by Monica Arnaldo

Guides

Classroom Activities for The Interpreter

Classroom activities supplement discussion and traditional lessons with group projects and creative tasks. Can be used in pre-existing units and lessons, or as stand-alone.

(Please note: the guide displayed here is the most recently uploaded version; while unlikely, any page citation discrepancies between the guide and book is likely due to pagination differences between a book’s different formats.)

Read More

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