Celebrate National Translation Month With These Books – BOOK RIOT

September is National Translation Month! Books in translation are severely underrepresented in the English market, which means we’re missing out on some of the best writing in the world. The best way to counter this is to prove there’s a market for literature in translation. Here are seven excellent books in translation that also check off tasks on the 2026 Read Harder Challenge, including graphic nonfiction, a book set in space, genre books in translation, and more.

Task #2: Read a book featured on a “best book covers” list

<!–[if mso]> <![endif]–><!–[if mso]> <![endif]–> I Deliver Parcels in Beijing by Hu AnYan, translated by Jack Hargreaves; design by Rodrigo Corral; illustration by Klaus Kremmerz Not only is that title amazing, the cover matches it nicely. There’s nothing secret here: it’s a person who delivers parcels out doing their thing. Corral and Kremmerz bring energy in their color choices and in the way they focus on the image instead of the font–we’re still in an era where font drives so many designs. The other thing that really makes this cover magic is what might be most unexpected for US readers: this is a work of nonfiction. Rarely does adult nonfiction or memoir see an illustrated cover outside of comics. This bucks so many conventions and does it well. —Kelly Jensen, Best Book Covers of 2025

Task #13: Read a nonfiction comic

<!–[if mso]> <![endif]–><!–[if mso]> <![endif]–> Hmong: A Graphic History by Vicky Lyfoung, translated by Kao-Ly Yang Lyfoung tells the history of the Hmong people through the lens of her own family history. It’s a story of an ethnic group that has long been oppressed but has continued to preserve its vibrant culture and traditions. This is a work of graphic nonfiction, so you’ll get to experience the Hmong story visually. —Kelly Jensen

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All Access members, read on for five more books in translation that check off 2026 Read Harder Challenge tasks.

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