Books written by expats for expats
Moving abroad can be an unsettling, sometimes traumatic experience for children. Here are five excellent books from Summertime Publishing that can help them through the transition.
I’m Moving | My Moving Booklet | Slurping Soup and Other Confusions | The Mission of Detective Mike | B at Home
One Mother’s Journey Halfway Around the Globe in Search of the Best Education for Her Children
An eye-opening firsthand exploration of why Asian students are outpacing their American counterparts, and how to help our children excel in today’s competitive world.
When Teru Clavel had young children, the oldest barely two, she watched as her friends and fellow parents vied to secure a spot in the right New York City preschools. Following a gut feeling that a truly world-class education involves more than the privilege and ennui of elite private schools, Teru and her family moved to Asia, embarking on a ten-year-long journey through the public schools of Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Tokyo.
During this time, Teru discovered firsthand why students in China and Japan are far outpacing their American counterparts. In Hong Kong, her children’s school was nicknamed The Prison for its foreboding, austere facilities, yet her three-year-old loved his teachers and his nightly homework. In Shanghai, in a school without flush toilets, the students were kept late not out of punishment but to master the day’s lesson. In Tokyo, her children and their classmates were responsible for school chores, like preparing and serving school lunches—lunches that featured grilled fish, stewed vegetables, and miso soup, not hot dogs and french fries.
These schools were low-tech and bare-bones, with teachers who demanded obedience and order. Yet Teru was shocked to discover that her children thrived in these foreign and academically competitive cultures; they learned to be independent, self-confident, and resilient, and, above all, they developed a deep and abiding love of learning. The true culture shock came when Teru returned to the States and found their top-rated California school woefully ill-prepared to challenge her children. Her kids were passing, but the schools were failing them.
In this revelatory book, Teru shares what she learned during her decade in Asia, providing practical tips and takeaways to bring the best of Asia’s education and parenting philosophies into American homes and schools. Written with warmth and humor, World Class is an insightful guide to set your children on a path towards lifelong learning and success.
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The book is available in hardback, digital, audiobook and Audio CD
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As recommended by Expatability
“Raising children in a globally nomadic lifestyle is hard work, full of hidden pitfalls and often stressful – but it’s rewarding too. You’re giving your child an edge like no other – cultural understanding, multilingual communication and an open mindedness that surpasses the norm for their age groups. Here are our favourite titles, recommended by the expat community, to help you make the most of your unique experiences.”
A Happy Expat was founded by Tanya Arler, co-author of Unpack, to help and support all expat spouses. The beginning can be hard, and Tanya hopes to make it that little bit easier.
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Unpack– A Guide to Life as an Expat Spouse, is an invaluable, easy-to-read guide to answer the most common dilemmas an expat spouse faces. The authors wrote it to make the transition to expat life that little bit easier and to help avoid common first-time mistakes.
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