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Helpful Books to Raise Kids Overseas
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For Parents of TCKs
Pollock, David & Ruth Van Reken, (2001) Third Culture Kids: The Experience of Growing Up Among Worlds.
Nicholas Brealey Publishing/Intercultural Press. ISBN 1-85788-295-4
The “premiere” book on TCKs with many insights and recommendations regarding helping them maximize the advantages of their lifestyle and working through the challenges.
Blomberg, Janet & David Brooks eds., (2001) Fitted Pieces: A Guide for Parents Educating Children Overseas.
SHARE Education Services. http://www.share-ed-services.org under Print Resources.
Knell, Marion, (2001) Families on the Move: Growing up Overseas – and Loving It!
Monarch Books. ISBN 0825460182
About TCKs – how to handle transitions, building bridges between cultures, and re-entry issues. Written from a Christian perspective of a missionary working with Arab World Ministries and Global Connections. Practical and easy to read with lots of helpful graphs and charts that illustrate the points.
Miller, Susan, (1998) After the Boxes are Unpacked: Moving on After Moving In.
Focus on the Family Publishing. ISBN 1561794058
Not specifically about cross-cultural adjustment but about moving and the loneliness, trauma, needs, challenges that accompany it. Addressed specifically to women, but applicable to whole family. Organized in three sections: letting go, starting over, moving ahead.
Bowers, Joyce ed., (1998) Raising Resilient MKs: Resources for Caregivers, Parents, and Teachers.
MTI. ISBN 1583310096. Available at William Carey Library.
A comprehensive collection of the best and most current thinking on a wide range of topics dealing with the nurture and education of “missionary kids” (MKs). It provides resources for parents, teachers, school administrators, and caregivers. [from William Carey Library website]
Andrews, Leslie (Ed), (2004) The Family in Mission: Understanding and Caring for Those Who Serve.
MTI. ISBN 0-942726-04-9
This is a summary of several big research projects on TCKs along with several editorial articles addressing the component topics.
Sampson, Robin, (2001) What Your Child Needs to Know When. revised edition.
Heart of Wisdom Publishing.
American-based standards plus a Bible-curriculum approach
Books for Kids
Many of these are recommendations from SHARE/AERC.
Gray, Nigel & Philippe Dupasquier, (1998) Country Far Away.
Orchard Books. ISBN 0-531-07024-7
The book consists of illustrations with a sentence or two of text on each page contrasting ways of life in an African village and a British town. It could be a model for a child-made book about his own contrasting lifestyles. (elementary level)
Viorst, Judith, (1995) Alexander Who’s Not (Do you hear me? I mean it!) Going to Move.
Atheneum. ISBN 0-689-82089-5
Alexander struggles with fact that his family is moving. Humorous account of working through his feelings until he finds himself packing. (elementary, middle school)
Williams, Karen, (1991) When Africa Was Home.
Orchard Books. ISBN 0-531-05925-1
A preschooler’s perspective on reentry. Returning to New York when his father’s job finishes and he longs for the familiar ways of living in Africa. He articulates many of the things older children often feel but are unwilling to express. (preschool, elementary)
Howlett, Bud, (1993) I’m New Here.
Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0-395-64049-0
Spanish speaking Jazmin integrates into an English speaking school. Her mother prepares her, and a bilingual teacher helps, but Jazmin still feels on the outside. (elementary, middle school)
Freeman, Martha, (1997) The Year My Parents Ruined My Life.
Yearling. ISBN 0-440-41533-0
Kate hates it when her family moves from California to Pennsylvania. She works through issues and adapts to her new life. When she returns to CA, she finds it has changed. (elementary, middle school)
Danziger, Paula, (1994) Amber Brown is not a Crayon.
G.P. Putnam’s Sons: New York. ISBN 059045899X
A third grader struggles with the fact that her best friend since Kindergarten, Justin, is going to move away. Illustrates the difficulty but necessity of saying good-bye.
Martha Freeman, (1997) The Year My Parents Ruined My Life.
Holiday House: New York. ISBN 0440415330
Chronicles a middle schooler’s feelings about leaving suburban beachside sunny California and moving to a small rural town in Pennsylvania in the middle of winter. A novel about adjusting to a new town, sibling rivalry, and the qualities that make a house a real home.
Say, Allen, (1999) Tea with Milk.
Houghton Mifflin/Walter Lorraine Books. ISBN 0395904951
The story of Allen Say’s mother who was born to Japanese parents living in the United States. The family returned to Japan where May felt homesick and out-of-place, and where her parents tried to turn her into “a proper Japanese lady.” Her story captures the struggle between two cultures as May strives to find a life that fits her.
McGraw, Eloise Jarvis, (1986) Moccasin Trail.
Puffin Newberry Library. ISBN 0140321705
Jim is a pioneer boy who was raised by Crow Indians until his teens. When he is reunited with his family, Jim struggles to understand and adjust to their values and to figure out where he really belongs.
Libby, Larry, (1998) Someone with You.
Multnomah. ISBN 1576733173 [out of print but available used]
An illustrated devotional book to read with kids, asking hard questions such as the following: What happens when friends move away or change? What happens when friends start liking someone else better than you? God is a Friend who will never move away. He will never change. And He will never stop loving you with all of His heart.
Guides/Activity Books for Kids
(I think most of these are available through MTI’s website www.mti.org bookstore… under MKs)
Blohm, Judith, (1996) Where in the World are you Going?
Intercultural Press. ISBN 1-877864-44-7
This activity-oriented book helps children work through the process of an international move. It includes not only discussion topics but practical activities the child can do with a parent or teacher. (elementary)
Maxfield, Brenda, (2000) Up, Up, and Away.
Foreign Service Youth Foundation. ISBN 0-9658538-2-9
A guide for children who are moving from one culture to another. Explains the third culture id concept in children’s language. Includes activity sheets and encourages them to see the positive aspect of a mobile life. (elementary)
Roman, Beverly D., (2001) Footsteps Around the World: Relocation Tips for Teens.
Raising Kids Overseas: Transition, TCK, and Education Resources
This list of books was compiled by Sharon Haag.
BR Anchor Publishing. ISBN 1888891351
Relocation tips for teens that help teens deal with their complex emotions during a move. Helps them organize their belongings, make new friends, and enjoy their experience. [from MTI’s website]
Sara Mansfield Taber, (1997) Of Many Lands: Journal of a Traveling Childhood.
Foreign Service Youth Foundation. ISBN 0-9658538-0-2
A collection of memories/stories written by TCKs about their experiences and feelings about growing up in many lands.
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