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.
Of all the books I’ve reviewed for kids moving internationally, this is by far my top pick! Unlike other activity books, it is not about moving to a new house but about things kids encounter when adjusting to a new culture and living abroad.
Each of the twenty-three “chapters” covers a different challenge a TCK might face living internationally – encountering “weird” things, being stared at by strangers, missing friends, missing out on activities with extended family, feeling connected to several flags & countries and many more. Each section starts with one or two stories by TCKs, followed by a brief insight or suggestion written by the parent. An activity then helps kids express themselves, problem-solve, or gain a new perspective.
The book is illustrated with colorful children’s drawings and photos of the actual children who wrote the stories (the authors’ children). The children themselves come from all over the world and live all over the world.
As a TCK Caregiver, this is the book I give to all our parents when they move overseas for the first time with children.
You can download a PDF with four sample “chapters” at the book’s website: http://www.slurpingsoup.com/book/preview-the-book/
Reading level: 3-12 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
This is the first in a series about two Canadian sisters who love to travel the world. The girls travel to Paris and to everything on their list from visiting a bakery to the Louvre to walking on cobblestone streets (which they were doing the whole time without realizing). This is a fun series for kids who like to learn about the world.
Reading level: age 3-10 years
Written from the perspective of Calvin Becker, son of missionaries in Switzerland, this book describes two family vacations in Italy. The Washington Times reviewer describes the book well: “Calvin’s observations reveal the ironies of a family that speaks in biblical phrases but faces all-too-human foibles… Under Mr. Schaeffer’s graceful rendering, this is a story of sympathetic characters, a deft feat considering some of their narrow views.” The book is often humorous, though sometimes at the expense of Calvin’s Reformed (i.e. narrowly Calvinistic) family.
This story, often used in classrooms in the U.S., is actually about a TCK from the 1700s. Kit leads an idyllic life on her grandfather’s plantation in Barbados. His death, however, forces her to set out for the colonies to find her mother’s sister, always described as beautiful and carefree. She arrives unannounced in the bleak New England settlement, and struggles to fit into the household run by her stern, Puritan uncle and meek, though gentle, aunt. Accustomed to having slaves to care for her, Kit has difficulty learning the tasks required to keep a home running, and she often feels lonely and misunderstood.
By chance she discovers an old woman, shunned by the community for her Quaker faith, and in this new friend Kit finds a soulmate. Although the book is written in third person, its tone evolves as Kit adjusts to her new life. Extremely harsh in its presentation of Puritan life in the early parts of the book, it softens later on as Kit is able to understand and even enjoy aspects of her life in the colonies. Though ultimately she finds herself drawn to a broader life than she finds in the tiny settlement, she is able to appreciate its good points as well, giving her the ability be comfortable in either world.
Reading level: age 11-14 years
