GIRL IN TRANSLATION

by Jean Kwok   (LW)

What a heartfelt story of a little girl, Kimberly Chang, and her mother immigrating from Hong Kong to America. The writer made me  feel like I was living side by side with the characters and feeling their triumphs and frustrations.

Now living in a broken down, rat and cochroach infested flat in Brooklyn, they must survive with very little possessions or money. Kimberly's mother knows no English and is forced, by her sister of all people, to work in a factory sweatshop with very little pay for extremely long hours. 

Kimberly must slip into a completely different world that she is used to and go to school, speaking and understanding very little English. Although she was a very talented student in Hong Kong, here she must face many challenges and find acceptance into society if she is to get a good education and save herself and her mother from terrible circumstances.

This story seems more than fiction to me... it seemed like it was based on a true story, possibly that of the author herself, and is a very touching read from the eyes of a little girl. It was interesting how the author noted that Kimberly, with her broken English, didn't pick up every word or phrase people were saying to her and often didn't understand the context. It was very challenging as she became the 'adult' at times. Helping her mother in the sweatshop after school and working until late into the night, and keeping up her school work was certainly challenging.  Well worth a read.