Rosie gets a letter from the boy down the street… then he moves away. But he keeps sending letters, even after Rosie moves to new places, again and again.
One day, it’s time for Rosie to go home. But “Rosie had a problem… Rosie had too many homes.” Which was her REAL home? In this truly delightful TCK love story (based on the real life story of the writer and her husband), Rosie discovers an important TCK truth – home is not a place but a person. This book relates to people of all ages, from children to adults.
This cute book is narrated by a little gecko from Laos. He introduces the readers to his home in the capital city of Vientiane, and explains he usually shares his house with a family. Illustrations show the new expat family who has just moved in. Little Gecko quickly befriends the children (and scares their mom), and together they explore the city. All too soon it’s time for the family to move again. Still, Little Gecko is glad for the time they had together.
“Friendships are special no matter when they start. Goodbyes just mean you have a place in my heart.”
Written in both English and Lao, this book combines a travelogue about Laos with a snippet of a story about a brief friendship between a lizard and two little TCKs. But the cute illustrations, rhyming text, and sweet message make the odd combination work.
Seven-year old Katie has already lived in two states & now her family is about to move again. As she thinks about saying leaving behind her friends, favorite places & fun activities, she remembers how much she missed everyone & everything after her first move. And she realizes she’ll need to go through the sometimes-lonely process of making new friends, just like last move.
But then Katie realizes something–if she hadn’t moved the first time, she’d have missed out on all the things she loves now. And if she stays here, she’ll miss the “treasures” awaiting her in the next place. And with that, she’s ready for her next moving adventure.
Because the book is written in first-person with Katie talking to the reader, she is basically giving children advice about moving rather than narrating a story. In addition to her positive perspective about finding “treasures” in each location, she tells how she got through the adjustment after her first move while she was still trying to make friends. The friendly, upbeat tone keeps it from feeling “preachy,” and kids can learn some helpful things about moving from brave, optimistic Katie.
The book ends with four journaling pages where children can list the treasures and friends they are leaving at their old home and those they find at their new home. It also has pages kids can tear out to write letters to their old friends.
Reading level: 4 to 8 years
This is a sweet story of a little girl who loves being with her best friend Alice so much that she never says goodbye…just “Goodnight Alice.” But when Alice moves to a different country, they have to find a new way to keep their friendship alive.
Written lyrically with simple illustrations and the soothing refrain “Goodnight Alice” on each page, this lovely book will encourage young children who have been separated from a friend to find new ways to can keep the friendship going despite the distance.
Reading level: 3 to 7 years
Augustine loves her home in the south pole, where she’s surrounded by her penguin family and south pole customs. So when she has to pack up her toys and fly all the way to the north pole, she’s not sure what to think. At least her new house is cool. When she gets to school, she realizes she’s in the only penguin in her class and the other kids whisper about her accent behind her back. Augustine uses drawings to connect to the other students, though, and soon she has new friends and gets to take part in the school art show.
Reading level: 3 to 7 years
Mariama traveled by car, train, boat and plane from her home in Western Africa to a new world in a grey city. She has to learn a new language, a new way to eat and even a new way to play with friends. But even with all the differences, Mariama learns that children everywhere are still children. She made new friends who taught her how to live in her new home while she taught them (and the readers) about Africa, too.
This could be a story of a TCK or an immigrant child, but the themes overlap and the focus is on moving and cultural adaptation.
Available in Spanish here.
Reading level: age 3-6 years
