As an international family, I am from the UK, my husband is from Canada and we live in Japan with our children, I find Christmas away from loved ones can be a struggle.
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We have a wonderful hybrid Christmas with traditions from all three countries mixed in. My eldest child was seven months old when we moved to Japan and my youngest was born here. Having grown up in Japan my children don't experience homesickness like I do, Japan is their home. I have to wonder if it is, perhaps, my heartstrings that these books about families separated by distance, really tug on. My children understand that they have family who are far away and that it's ok to feel sad that we can't all be together to celebrate special occasions.
How Can Picture Books Help Children Stay Connected To Long Distant Family?
This list of books for international families is some of my favourite children's picture books that deal with families that are far apart, often there is an overlap with families dealing with grief.
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The Invisible String Written by Patrice Karst Illustrated by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff
The Invisible String book is utterly heart wrenching, the beautiful idea is that we are all connected no matter the distance by an invisible string of love. If I'm having a tough day missing my family back home I have to skip reading The Invisible String because lines like
"People who love each other are always connected by a very special String, made of love. Even though you can't see it with your eyes, you can feel it deep in your heart, and know that you are always connected to the ones you love."
make me bawl. We talked about the idea of an invisible string when my children started nursery. We talk about it when a Facetime with the grandparents just isn't the same as a cuddle. The Invisible String could be used for grief and separation anxiety too.
Books For Kids Missing Grandparents Overseas
While We Can't Hug Written By Eoin McLaughin Illustrated by Polly Dunbar
While We Can't Hug was originally written when social distancing meant people shouldn't hug but it remains relevant today as it explores alternative ways Hedgehog and Turtle can share affection when they can't be together, like writing letters and dancing. It works well for internationally families looking for creative ways to maintain long distance family ties.
The follow up book to While We Can't Hug which features the same main characters is The Longer, The Wait, The Bigger The Hug it is about Hedgehog waiting for turtle to wake up from hibernation and it resonates with me because that anticipation is what I feel when I'm saving for our next trip back to the UK. The whole hedgehog and friends series is great for children's books about long distant family connections.
The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn Illustrated by Ruth E Harper and Nancy M Leak
The Kissing Hand Chester Raccoon is starting school and dealing with separation anxiety because he will be away from his mother. She kisses his hand and tells him he can press it to his cheek whenever he needs to feel that she is near.
"whenever you feel lonely and need a little loving from home, just press your hand to your cheek and think "Mommy loves you, Mommy loves you."
Wherever You Are My Love Will Find You by Nancy Tilman
Wherever You Are My Love Will Find you is a beautiful rhyming book about love reaching you everywhere that you go. The love is depicted as sparkles following the child wherever they go
"and if some day you’re lonely or someday you're sad, or you strike out at baseball or think you've been bad, just lift up your face, feel the wind in your hair, that's me my sweet baby. My love is right there."
This book is a good choice for multicultural families who want to emphasis the enduring nature of love despite physical separation.
International Families Childrens Books About Love & Connection
Grandpa Across The Ocean Hyewon Yum
Grandpa Across The Ocean is about child visiting his Grandpa in Korea for the summer. Grandpa's house seems boring, he sleeps a lot and watches the news. But by the end of their fun summer vacation the little boy has come to understand Grandpa and his ways. Another great children's book about family connections across different cultures.
My Nan Lives In Scotland
I chose My Nan Lives In Scotland out of the range of books from Children's Books To Bond Over because that is where my Nan is from. Children's Books To Bond Over have created a whole series of books for families separated by distance. The cute picture books introduce the country that the family member lives in and you can choose books about a distant Aunt, Uncle, cousin or even friends. I also love that there is the option for Nan, Nana, Grandma, Granny or Gran. You can contact them for even more personalisation options in this range, my kids have a Nana and a Nanma, it would be amazing to them represented too. These multicutural children's literature books introduce learning about cultural heritage.
Raising Kids abroad: How To Stay Connected With Family
Cousins Forever Elisavet Arkolaki and Charikleia Arkolaki
In Cousins Forever one cousin moves abroad, to stay in touch the cousins video call regularly. But over time the cousin that moved experiences first language attrition, forgetting the words for river and mountains in her home language. The cousins devise a word swap painting game and share words in all the languages they know. This book is excellent for bilingual families and those navigating multicultural challenges.
I’m working on a post about books that feature families communicating across language barriers, which ones are your favourite? Please leave a comment below, I’d love to check them out.
Over The Ocean by Taro Gomi
Over The Ocean doesn't focus on separation but is about exploring the world told from a child's perspective. Originally, published in Japanese as うみのむこうは the book introduces children to the concept of the world being bigger than their immediate surroundings. This is something children from international families discover at an early age, the world is vast and filled with curiosities.
I wrote this post to focus on international and multicultural families that live apart. Other books to note that share similar themes of separation include:
Walk With Me about divorced or absent parents
Night Catch for military families
Far Apart, Close in Heart for children with a family member in prison.
Something Lost, Something Found about the death of a loved one.
I created a YouTube playlist with the read aloud versions of these picture books for international families.
What is your favourite book about staying connected with long distance family members? Please leave a note of the book title in the comment section.
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