Books, videos, and websites for Third Culture Kids
Baby bat, Stellaluna, is separated from her mother and raised in a nest of baby birds. She adjusts to their ways but never quite fits until she meets fellow bats & finds she’s “normal.” Her adopted bird siblings can’t do what she can, but although they are both different and the same, they stay connected. Though not a TCK book, it could have applications for expat kids, growing up between two different ways of life.
Reading level: age 4 to 7 years
This book is designed for use by the whole family. The authors discuss the basic steps involved in moving abroad: deciding to go, preparing to leave, arriving and settling in, working through culture shock, living in the expatriate community, and returning home. They also address major issues such as informing the children and helping them adjust, dealing with servants, keeping the family functioning effectively, and finding social outlets overseas.
This is the true story of the author’s grandfather who left Japan to explore the USA and eventually made a home there with his wife and daughter. He holds fond memories of Japan, however, and eventually returns there when his daughter is nearly grown (her story is told in Tea with Milk). There he longs again to return to California, but the war prevents this. So he tells his grandson about his life in America, and when his grandson grows up, he goes there himself, and discovers he, like his grandfather, loves both countries and longs to be both places at once. Like all Allen Say’s books, it is beautifully illustrated with full-page watercolors.
This book is great for children, but it can also be used at reentry retreats for teens. We sometimes read this to our teenagers at reentry and the last words are very powerful: “The funny thing is, the moment I am in one country, I am homesick for the other.”
Reading level: age 5 – high school
This book on cross-cultural re-entry addresses the issues most expatriates and their families face upon returning to their home country. The book is divided into three parts – the first for expatriates, the second for their children (TCKs), and the third for those receiving them.
Most people moving overseas for the first time expect to experiences culture shock and other difficulties when they move to a new country. They may not expect the confusion and panic that happens when they move “home.” This little book addresses these challenges: adapting to the passport culture, identifying areas of potential struggle, dealing with the emotional challenges, relocation, finding a new job and a new place to live, teenagers, returning is not coming home it is leaving home, and facilitating a smooth transition for those on the receiving end.
Author Marion Knell has traveled and worked with families overseas, especially in the Arab world. She works as a family cross-cultural consultant with business, humanitarian and Christian companies by preparing both adults and children for international assignments and debriefing them upon their return.
If you can read only one book on third culture kids, choose this one! In this, the quintessential book on Third Culture Kids (TCKs), the authors systematically and compassionately explore the experiences of children who spend a significant part of their childhoods overseas. Rich with real-life stories, this is one of the first books to fully examine the impact of the TCK experience on maturing, developing a sense of identity, and adjusting to one’s passport country later on. The authors give readers an understanding of the challenges and benefits of the TCK life and provide practical suggestions and advice on maximizing the benefits. Both original authors of this book are pioneers in the area of TCK and MK care and are considered top experts on the subject. Although the book is not specifically Christian, both authors are Christians with missions experience.
The new expanded edition adds a new author: Michael Pollock, son of the late original co-author David Pollock, a TCK specialist himself. Information is updated and new content highlights the impact of technology, new advice for parents of TCKs, more discussion on unresolved grief and a deeper look into TCK relationships. The authors also expand the coverage to include cross-cultural kids, children of biracial or bicultural parents and immigrants. This book was ground-breaking when it was originally published and continues to be the one of the best sources for those who want to learn more about TCKs.