Thursday, September 09, 2010

Girl in Translation - Jean Kwok


Girl in Translation - Jean Kwok (2010)
Kimberly Chang and her mother immigrate from Hong Kong to New York, finding themselves forced to work in an aunties factory to pay back debts and pay the rent. Kimberly also has to find time to go to school, but helps work with her mother in a Chinatown sweatshop at night for pennies.
I felt moved by a few things in this novel, the teacher expecting the kids to come to school and discuss current events, when Kimberly didn't have a television and could not afford newspapers. My own upbringing was easy in comparison, but my parents ran a 6 day a week business, and as at high school I worked each day before and after school, Friday nights and Saturdays and still had to get my work done.
So I think this one deserves a 4/5.

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