Girl in Translation is a novel written by Jean Kwok and published in 2010. About a Chinese-American immigrant girl and her struggle to fit between dual cultures, the book became a New York Times bestseller.
The protagonist of the novel is a girl named Kimberly Chang, a Chinese immigrant who moves with her family from Hong Kong to Chinatown in the heart of New York City. Kimberly's family is desperately poor, and she has to maintain excellent grades while working for hours after school and during the night in a sweatshop. Girl in Translation delves into the challenges Kimberly faces in integrating herself in American culture while still keeping her own intact, as well as her struggle to stay true to herself while keeping her family's values in mind. As well, Kimberly must grow up in a world that is completely foreign to her, learning the language and translating for others.
Girl in Translation was extremely well-received by critics and the public alike, becoming a New York Times bestseller soon after its publication. The book was translated into more than 18 languages. Jean Kwok has also been nominated for multiple honors because of the novel, including the American Library Association Alex Award as well as the Chinese American Librarians Association Best Book Award.
