Hello! I'm Afoma.
  • Book Reviews
    • Picture book
    • Chapter Books
    • Middle-Grade
    • Graphic Novels
    • Young Adult
    • Adult Fiction
    • Adult Non-Fiction
  • Book Lists
    • Picture Book Lists
    • Middle Grade Book Lists
    • Book Lists by Theme
    • Book Lists by Grade
    • Audiobook Recommendations
  • Join My Newsletter!
  • Go to the Blog
  • Summer Reading

Reading Middle Grade

Books for Kids and Grown Ups

  • Book Reviews
    • Picture book
    • Chapter Books
    • Middle-Grade
    • Graphic Novels
    • Young Adult
    • Adult Fiction
    • Adult Non-Fiction
  • Book Lists
    • Picture Book Lists
    • Middle Grade Book Lists
    • Book Lists by Theme
    • Book Lists by Grade
    • Audiobook Recommendations
  • Join My Newsletter!
  • Go to the Blog
  • Summer Reading

Book Lists · April 9, 2021

Best Middle Grade Books About Third-Culture Kids + Printable!

Middle grade books about third-culture kids are becoming more popular, but the third-culture kid experience is far from new. Many kids have had to move from their places of birth to a new country (not as immigrants) but temporary residents, either because of their parents’ jobs or for a period of cultural immersion. These aren’t just summer vacations, but months to years living abroad. It’s quite a niche category.

If you’ve been on the hunt for stories that portray the third-culture kid experience, you’ll enjoy these 11 books. I’ve also added three YA picks that are perfect for an older audience.

Please Note: This list is sponsored by Kaleidoscope, an online community for third-culture kids and their parents. Kaleidoscope understands third-culture kids, helps them use their advantages to become global leaders, and consistently guides them through their journey.

Middle Grade Books About Third-Culture Kids

Here are 11 best middle grade books about third-culture kids (+ some YA):

Glitter Gets Everywhere

Glitter Gets Everywhere - Middle Grade Books About Third-Culture Kids

Young Kitty and her older sister are transplanted from London to New York City when her dad takes a new job there after her mother’s death. This middle grade book manages to balance the grief of losing a parent with the excitement of moving, the challenges of assimilation and a lot of desserts, courtesy of The Great British Bake Off.


Across the Pond

Across the Pond

Calliope’s parents have inherited a castle (yes, a castle!) in Scotland. Callie is happy to move from the US to Scotland for reasons of her own — besides the castle. But when she arrives, she struggles with making friends and adjusting to new surroundings. With a few unlikely friendships and hobbies, however, Scotland soon begins to feel like home.


All You Knead Is Love

All You Knead Is Love - Middle Grade Books About Third-Culture Kids

Alba’s mom has shipped her off to Barcelona to live with her Abuela. There she finds comfort in learning to make sourdough bread in a neighborhood bakery. But just when Alba begins to settle in, the bakery comes under threat of closure.


The Grand Plan to Fix Everything

The Grand Plan to Fix Everything

Dini loves all things Bollywood, but she is not pleased when her parents announce that they’re moving to India for two whole years! Worse yet, they’re not even moving to Bombay, but to a small town called Swapnagiri where nothing ever happens. But what she finds in Swapnagiri is … a pleasant surprise.


How to Make Friends with the Sea

How to Make Friends with the Sea - Middle Grade Books About Third-Culture Kids

Pablo is an anxious tween whose divorced mom is always moving. Right now, they live in the Philippines. His dad is not very present and Pablo is a bit lonely as well. When his mother begins to foster a young Filipina girl named Chiqui, Pablo’s world starts to expand.


Somewhere Among

Somewhere Among

Ema has always lived in both Japan and the US, spending her summers in California. But this summer, her mother is in Japan to be close to her father’s family while she’s pregnant after multiple miscarriages. Adjusting to school in Japan with a prickly grandmother, 9/11, and a sick grandfather, this novel in verse is chock-full of tough emotions and interesting details.


More to the Story 

More to the Story - Middle Grade Books About Third-Culture Kids

In Hena Khan’s Little Women-inspired middle grade book, the girls’ family friend, Ali is a typical third-culture kid. With Pakistani parents who have moved him from the UK where they live to the US. The kids at school definitely fawn over his accent.


While I Was Away

While I Was Away - Middle Grade Books About Third-Culture Kids

This non-fiction title is Waka T. Brown’s experience of being sent to live with her grandmother in Japan to improve her Japanese. Waka spends five months in Japan reading and writing kanji and trying to bond with her often distant Obasaama.


Young Adult

A Field Guide to the North American Teenager

A Field Guide to the North American Teenager

Ben Philippe’s debut YA novel follows Norris Kaplan, a French-Canadian teen who moves with his mom to Austin, Texas. At first Norris uses his clever, cynical ways to keep the other kids at a safe emotional distance, but eventually, Texas and his schoolmates begin to grow on him, cultural differences and all.


Anna and the French Kiss

Anna and the French Kiss - Middle Grade Books About Third-Culture Kids

Anna is ready for her senior year in Atlanta where she’s all set up with a job, a best friend, and a crush who may become more. Suddenly, her dad, a popular novelist decides that a year abroad — in France — will do her some good.

Anna is ready for her senior year in Atlanta where she’s all set up with a job, a best friend, and a crush who may become more. Suddenly, her dad, a popular novelist decides that a year abroad — in France — will do her some good.


Parachutes

Parachutes

Kelly Yang’s first YA offering follows kids whose parents send them off to Asia to study while they remain in the States. As Dani and Claire attend high school in Shanghai, they are thrust into several uncomfortable scenarios that force them to define who they are. Heads up for sexual harassment and rape in this mature YA novel.


There they are: 11 best middle grade books about third-culture kids! In partnership with Kaleidoscope, you can also download a printable of this list via their website here. The printable also includes a Bucket List challenge that encourages creativity and helps kids (third-culture or not) create their own story.

Pin This Post – 11 Best Middle Grade Books About Third-Culture Kids

Don't Forget to Share!

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Pocket
  • Email
  • WhatsApp
  • LinkedIn

Related

Posted In: Book Lists · Tagged: third-culture kids

Join My Newsletter

Like what you just read? Sign up for my Friday kidlit newsletter!

Privacy Policy

You’ll Also Love

Picture Books About Siblings
Picture Books About Dragons
funny middle grade booksThe Best Funny Middle-Grade Books

What do you think? Leave a comment Cancel reply

Next Post >

Review | The Great Peach Experiment #1: When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Peach Pie

About Me
Hi, I'm Afoma! Thank you for stopping by. Learn more about me here.

Get 2 Months Free on Scribd


Follow on Bloglovin’

Follow

We’re Social Too!

  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Stock photos courtesy of our partners at DepositPhotos 📸

Find me on Instagram

whatafomareads

📚 Sharing the best middle grade (and adult) book recommendations
💌 [email protected]

Afoma
🏡 The Parent Trap meets The Holiday 🏡 🏴 🏡 The Parent Trap meets The Holiday 🏡 

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 In The House Swap, tweens Allie and Sage are forced together when their families plan to swap houses goes awry. Allie is a British girl living in the countryside and preparing to be a spy when she grows up. She’s also the (overlooked, she feels) middle child, stuck between a teen brother and a talkative little sister. 

🇺🇸 Sage is an only child in sunny California, growing up with parents who seem to be growing apart. She gets more worried when she discovers that only her mom will be coming with her to the English countryside. Both girls realize that they have more in common than they think and decide to help each other — Ally with Sage’s parents and Sage with being Allie’s friend.

🏄‍♀️ The House Swap is a cozy, charming middle grade book about family (history & secrets), new friendships, and navigating parental divorce. Reminiscent of the beloved movie, The Holiday, this middle grade book is perfect for anyone looking for a feel-good reading experience with a touch of history, family drama, and characters you can root for.
I’m a contemporary fiction girl through and thro I’m a contemporary fiction girl through and through but the only historical fiction I’ll make room for (besides TJR) is middle grade historical fiction! I’ve read and loved so many in the last few years and here are some I recommend — including forthcoming & backlist titles!

Books mentioned:

A SKY FULL OF SONG by @susanlynnmeyer 
FAR OUT by @annebustard 
THE SECRET DIARY OF MONA HASAN by @salmahwrites 
IT AIN’T SO AWFUL, FALAFEL by Firoozeh Dumas
A PLACE TO HANG THE MOON by @kealbus 
STEALING MT. RUSHMORE by @daphnekalmar 
HOOPS by @tavaresbooks 

You’ll see there’s a few extra in the cover picture too! 😉 What’s your favorite middle grade historical fiction? And do you particularly like them?
🏊‍♀️ Aniana is a child of Dominican paren 🏊‍♀️ Aniana is a child of Dominican parents growing up on Galveston, an island in the state of Texas. Her mom has undiagnosed PTSD from the death of her (Aniana’s mother’s) brother years ago in a storm back in their home country, so she doesn’t want her daughter near the water. Aniana’s father wants his daughter to pursue her passion and takes her to swim meets without her mother’s knowledge. 

🦴 But when Aniana wakes up one day with painfully swollen joints and other weird symptoms after swimming, their secret is exposed, and Aniana is faced with a new diagnosis that may threaten the one sport she loves.

🏝️ Aniana Del Mar Jumps In is a tender, moving middle grade verse novel about disability, sports, family trauma, and standing up for your dreams. 

❤️This verse novel is excellently written and painfully honest about the challenges of bridging the culture and communication gap when a parent has unresolved emotional trauma. Ani does a fantastic job of standing up for her goals, and the ending is very satisfying.
Which middle grade authors are your auto-buys? I h Which middle grade authors are your auto-buys? I have so many that I’m making this a series! So excited to spotlight more of my favorites 🥰❤️
If you’re big on graphic novels like I am, here If you’re big on graphic novels like I am, here are 3 exceptional MG options to put on your TBR this year 😍

Books mentioned:

HOOPS by @tavaresbooks 
FOUR EYES by @thirdrex 
DOODLES FROM THE BOOGIE DOWN by @stephguez 

Books shown in montage in order of appearance:
SUNNY MAKES A SPLASH
ALLERGIC
HOOPS
I often get messages from readers looking for more I often get messages from readers looking for more children’s books set in Africa (because I’m from & live in Africa). Unfortunately, there aren’t that many realistic, contemporary middle grade books or chapter books set here, but at least we have Atinuke! 🥲

Atinuke is a British- Nigerian author of chapter books and picture books who spent her formative years in Nigeria. Her stories are whimsical but realistic and focus more on the character and their family than they do on locale. I love her storytelling and I love that more kids are getting to see Nigeria through the eyes of her characters.
Middle grade books written in a unique format can Middle grade books written in a unique format can be hit or miss for some. Here are 3 (+1) of my favorite unique format stories done right!

Books mentioned:

WHAT HAPPENED TO RACHEL RILEY by @claireswinarski 
ANNIE’S LIFE IN LISTS by @kristinmahoneybooks 
LASAGNA MEANS I LOVE YOU by @kloshaughnessy 
THE NIGHT DIARY (which is written in letters in her diary to her deceased mom — voiceovers are hard!) by @veerawrites 

Do you love any stories written in multiple/unique formats? I’d love to hear!
🫁 the first own voices cystic fibrosis novel ✨

🐬 centers young Penny, a middle schooler with cystic fibrosis. Penny has to take digestive enzymes and do her breathing treatments to help her lungs get rid of mucus that affects her breathing. While her CF case is relatively mild-moderate, she still struggles with being chronically ill. 

🚤 One day a dolphin shows up in the lake near their house and Penny feels a strong connection with the animal. It turns out the dolphin (who Penny names Rose) is also sick and needs to return to her pod to get better. Penny may be the only one who can help the scientists take Rose back. But can she do that, when she feels so drawn to the animal?

🫁 No Matter the Distance is a beautiful middle grade verse novel about living with cystic fibrosis and finding belonging in community. Also starring an adorable dolphin and warm family dynamics, this book will appeal to kids who love animals, books about sisters, and stories about chronic illness and disability.
Load More Follow on Instagram
  • Blog
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Copyright © 2023 Reading Middle Grade · Theme by 17th Avenue

 

Loading Comments...