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Abstract
Reading in multiple languages is a daily experience for many ELL families. They learn to read in English and maintain reading skills in native languages simultaneously. The processes become mutually influential and create a complex literacy experience. The current case study of a young trilingual ELL student examines her reading experiences in three languages, categorizes and systematizes the issues she faces during the processes, and identifies the strategies she and her family developed to deal with the challenges. The results revealed that some issues are common for reading in all three languages (e.g., word decoding, text comprehension, text interpretation), but some are unique for each language (e.g., reduced ethnolinguistic vitality for Russian, rejection of the language for Ukrainian, and feeling of empowerment for English). The study also highlighted the reasons for power struggle emerged in the family during the process and the changes in the participant’s social and cultural identities.