Books, videos, and websites for Third Culture Kids
This is a story about a young MK’s first days in American school after living in France. Colorful watercolor illustrations and simple sensitive writing make this book a good one for young children, especially those going through reentry.
Reading level: age 5-8 years
Written by brothers who grew up as third-culture kids in various countries, this book is written to and for teens moving overseas. It addresses moving, school/education issues, culture shock, life overseas, and reentry. Most of the topics it covers are more applicable to TCKs from diplomatic or business families and those in a high socio-economic class. It is the only book of its kind, and much of it is relevant especially to those who will be living in cities with an established international/expatriate community. With stories from TCKs all over the world and advice from experts on international moves as well, this text is great resource.
This book focuses on how to make moving overseas with children a positive experience for everybody. The primary focus of the book is on understanding how living overseas affects your children. It addresses pre-field preparation, transition, establishing yourselves overseas, educational decisions, and re-entry issues. The book is written from a Christian perspective.
The only book of its kind, this focuses, as the title suggests on preparing TCKs for the transition to university/college after high school graduation. Writing primarily to university-bound TCKs, the author devotes approximately half the book to an in-depth look at transition process using Dave Pollock’s Transition model, as well as some typical TCK challenges (e.g. relationships, identity, etc.). The second half of the book covers practical matters related to life on campus, financial and physical health, etc. plus a chapter on personality differences based on the Myers-Briggs Temperament Inventory. The final chapter is for parents, addressing how to prepare and support their college-bound kids.
This compilation of articles on various MK issues is a great resource. It covers developmental issues that MKs face a various ages, educational issues (including preparation for college), parenting, and MK care. This is book gives one of the best overviews of MK issues, and saves you looking for all the articles yourself.
Farah is the new kid in her classroom and she can’t speak or understand much English yet. Everything is new and she seems so different from the other kids. Even though her parents encourage her that this move will be good in the end, she misses her old home. On a field trip, she starts to see ways that the sounds here in the new place are similar to ones back home and she takes the first steps towards making friends and learning English.
This book would be great for TCKs learning a new language or going to a new school for the first time. Though it seems more aimed at immigrant families than TCKs there is a lot of overlap.
Reading level: age 5 to 9 years