Douglas Fairchild, American ambassador’s son, starts 6th grade at a new school in Washington D.C. after being kicked out of private school. He just thinks the teachers there didn’t understand him because he is from “Pefkakia” (the country in which he was born). After telling the bus driver how to drive and refusing to do his homework, Doug ends up in an after-school counseling group for the school misfits, better known as “The Twinkie Squad”. In his own eccentric way, Doug brings the group together and gains them respect from the schoolmates who used to taunt them, but only after repeated disasters and mishaps as his plans go awry. Interesting to TCKs will be the way Doug clings to the fact that he was born in Pefkakia and uses it to explain why he is different than everyone else, though he never spent actual time there. This alienates him from his peers but also helps him explain away their rejection by saying it is because they “misunderstand him.”
Reading level: age 9-12 years
Nam-Huong a Vietnamese refugee grieves the loss of her family and home. Unable to talk about her losses to the kids at school in Australia, she writes her real feelings in letters to her animal friends in Vietnam. Through a friendship with her kind teacher her grief finally finds expression, and her capacity for happiness again begins to unfold. This book is written in the yearning language of a child who has experienced great loss. Though Onion Tears is a refugee story rather than TCK, the grief of loss and moving is very relatable to TCKs and that’s why it is included on this site.
Reading level: age 8-12 years
In simple language, the author tells the true story of Rudyard Kipling, who spent his early childhood in India, and returned there after completing his education in England. Because his ayah and servant told him (in Hindi) about their views of the world and of religion, Kipling struggled when he was left in England with a family who allowed no questions about their way of doing things. This story focuses mostly on Kipling’s childhood and young adulthood.
Reading level: age 9-12 years
Part of the Trailblazer series, this is the story of Joy Ridderhof of Gospel Recordings written from the perspective of Alastair Sutherland, son of Scottish missionaries on the Philippine island of Palawano in 1949. Alastair’s parents have longed for years to give the gospel to the local tribespeople in their own language, but since it is not written they do not have a way to do this. Then Alastair reads about Joy Ridderhof who with her portable recording machine makes records of the gospel message in tribal languages. The family is excited when Miss Ridderhof agrees to come to their island, especially because Alastair’s friend, Lastani, is chosen to translate. But when a series of problems jeopardizes both the making of the recordings and Alastair’s long-awaited trip to Manila to begin boarding school, Alastair finds it hard to follow Joy’s advice to view the roadblocks as “good rejoicing practice.”
Reading level: age 8-12 years
John Knight and his parents arrive in India where his father has been appointed junior magistrate in the Tinnevelly District. There John and his mother befriend Amy Carmichael who is involved in rescuing and caring for young girls sold as temple prostitutes (described vaguely as “the evil practices of the Hindu temples”). John and his mother become involved in the case of a 12-year old who has come to seek refuge from her uncle who has arranged her marriage to a 50-year old friend so he can gain control of her large inheritance. Unlike the boys in his British-run boarding school, John loves India and its people and learns Tamil to prepare himself to return as an adult to become an advocate for the poorest people of the country. His language skills become invaluable later when he is asked to help the girl one last time.
This book is part of the Trailblazer series that tells about famous Christians (mostly missionaries) through the eyes of children who come in contact with them.
Reading level: age 8-12 years
“The sound of her brother’s scream echoed on and on in her head as though it would never end. “Let me go!” she demanded stupidly in English. The African boy dug his nails into Keri’s arm and brought the knife closer to her face.”
A dramatic adventure set during Mozambique’s civil war, The Wooden Ox follows young TCK Keri as the war becomes more and more real to her and her missionary family. Surrounded by fear and loss, Keri begins to question if she can trust anyone to protect her, even her own father or her God. Many of the events of this story are actually based on the author’s real childhood experiences from when she lived in Mozambique during civil war in the 1980s.
Reading level: 10-13 years
