TCK author Ann Liang grew up between China and Australia and draws on her own childhood experiences to write “If You Could See the Sun,” a fun YA romance novel set in Beijing. The book is about Alice, a Chinese/ American scholarship student at an elite Beijing boarding school. Surrounded by wealthy students, Alice is focused on her grades and set on beating her academic rival Henry. Then suddenly Alice goes from unpopular nobody to actually invisible. She can’t control when she turns invisible but still decides to use her powers for something useful and starts a lucrative side-business. As the jobs she takes become higher and higher stakes, she has to decide what she can justify for the sake of income.
It’s definitely a fun read, and I loved the chemistry between the academic rivals. The ending was a bit morally questionable and there is a good amount of swearing, so if you’re put off by that take note. No sex scenes, just a kiss. I’d recommend this book for high schoolers or older, though some middle schoolers would enjoy it as well.
This isn’t written as a “TCK book” but instead marketed to a wider audience. I enjoyed the international school context and seeing some reflections from the main character on being bi-cultural and the way moving countries affected her. The TCK themes are more subtle since the focus is on the characters and the plot. This book actually came to my attention in a list of other YA fiction since it’s a genre I enjoy reading for fun, and I noticed that the main character happened to be a TCK!
This autobiographical collection of essays was a joy to read. Adele Barlow is a TCK with Malaysian and Kiwi parents who grew up between Hong Kong and New Zealand. Her search for identity and meaning is a very relatable TCK issue and she writes about it in a fresh way, sharing anecdotes from her moves, relationships and therapy sessions.
I’ve read a lot of stories and essays about TCK identity and sometimes get tired of them but I enjoyed Barlow’s writing style and her candidness. I found myself cheering on her progress and eager to see the conclusions she came to in her self reflection.
“Growing Up in Transit” is an academic resource that explores what all goes into creating a sense of belonging at international schools. Tanu gathers her data from fieldwork observation and interviews at an international school. Her ethnographic study argues that the” international” identity that develops there is actually inherently Eurocentric. This feeds into a larger critique of Western-style international culture dominating global conversations on cross cultural issues.
This book is most relevant from an academic anthropological standpoint and may not be the most useful for parents and caregivers who are looking for practical advice on serving TCKs.
The chapters include:
- Being International
- The Power of English
- Living in “Disneyland”
- Chasing Cosmopolitan Capital
- The Politics of Hanging Out
- Invisible Diversity
- Race and Romance
- Whose United Nations Day?
This up-to-date look at all the education options available to globally mobile families is a fairly quick read but surprisingly comprehensive. For parents wanting to know all the options and their pros and cons, I would highly recommend Wrobbel’s book. She takes an honest look at each option and gives her experienced opinion in an unbiased manner. The appendices at the end also offer helpful education resources.
The chapters include:
- So You’re Moving Overseas
- Intentional Planning for Children’s Education Overseas
- International Schools
- Host-Country Schools
- Homeschooling
- Distance Education
- Boarding School
- One-Room School or Homeschool Cooperative
- Special Education Needs
- Transitioning Between Educational Options
- Educational Planning for the Transition to University and Adulthood
- Living and Thriving in the Host Culture
1951: Auf einem Flugplatz in Nigeria klettert die kleine Ruth in ein Flugzeug, das sie in ein Internat bringen wird – weit, weit weg von Papa und Mama, die als Missionare für Gott arbeiten. Und sie weint. Das ist der Auftakt eines verbissenen Kampfes, mit dem sie einen Schmerz niederzukämpfen versucht, der mit jedem Abschied von ihren Lieben tiefer geht und doch so gar nicht zu einem Gotteskind passen will. Jahre später: Ruth führt ein Bilderbuchleben als Missionarsfrau und Mutter. Dennoch leidet sie unter Depressionen, Wutanfällen und bohrender Kritiksucht, so sehr, dass ihr Glaube eines Tages Bankrott anmeldet. Doch dann: „Irgendwie beugte sich Gott zu mir herunter und sagte freundlich: Ruth, ich habe die ganze Zeit darauf gewartet, dass du endlich aufhörst zu kämpfen. Ich möchte dich in die Vergangenheit zurückführen, um dir zu zeigen, wo du Verletzungen erlebt hast. Ich hielt mich an Christus fest und erlebte im Rückblick all die Gefühle, die ich mir nie eingestanden hatte. Und so schrieb ich sie auf, diese Briefe, die ich niemals schrieb.“ Briefe einer Reise hinter den Schmerz, wo Ruth van Reken Heilung fand. Und eine Hoffnung, die allen Menschen gilt, egal unter welcher Art von Verlust oder Verletzung sie leiden.
This is the German edition of “Letters Never Sent” by Ruth Van Reken
Drie dagboeken van Sasha Lasonder nu bij elkaar in één band! De Sasha-trilogie bevat de titels: De vreselijke verhuizing, Zoenen met een beugel en Chaos in mijn hoofd.
Met de nietsontziende eerlijkheid van een puber vertelt Sasha alles over haar irritante drielingbroers Sam en Nick; over haar vader en moeder die hen tegen hun wil naar Jakarta ontvoeren, haar gekke, rijke expatvriendinnen en haar Indonesische tandarts die haar een petjesbeugel aansmeert zodat ze lelijker wordt dan ooit.
Tijdens een lang verblijf in Nederland moet Sasha wennen aan een nieuwe school, waar ze met haar beugel wordt gepest. En ze wordt tegen wil en dank verliefd op die ene leuke jongen op wie alle meiden vallen, en bij wie ze geen schijn van kans lijkt te hebben …
Corien Oranje woont in Jakarta, waar haar vier zoons op een internationale school zitten. Ze schrijft kinderboeken voor diverse leeftijden en won met haar voorleesboek Storm in bad de vakjuryprijs ‘Het Hoogste Woord 2007’.
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Three diaries of Sasha Lasonder in one volume! The Sasha Trilogy includes: The Terrible Move, Kissing with Braces and Chaos in My Head.
With the ruthless honesty of an adolescent, Sasha tells all about her annoying triplet brothers Sam and Nick; about her father and mother who drag them to Jakarta against their will, her crazy, rich expat friends and her Indonesian dentist who gives her a hat so that she is uglier than ever.
During a long stay in the Netherlands, Sasha has to get used to a new school, where she is bullied because of her braces. And she reluctantly falls in love with that one nice boy who all the girls fall for, and with whom she doesn’t seem to have a chance …
Corien Oranje lives in Jakarta, where her four sons attend an international school. She writes children’s books for various ages.
THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE ONLY IN DUTCH.
