Sammy's Next Move

Sammy's Next Move, Helen Maffini, Third Culture Kids Press, 2011

This is a children's book about a snail named Sammy, who is moving to another country, again.

Sammy has been living in Italy for about a year. He has just gotten used to his new house, and Alex and Amanda are his friends. One day, Sammy's parents tell him that the family is moving to Japan. Sammy is very upset. How can he leave his friends? What if no one at the new school will be friends with him? What if he doesn't like the new house?

His mother reminds of the good times he had in the previous places where he lived. There were trips to Disneyland in Hong Kong, playing board games inside during typhoons and seeing Hong Kong from the harbor. In the United Arab Emirates, there was camping in the desert, and watching fireworks on National Day. Sammy's grandfather recorded himself reading Sammy's favorite bedtime stories, so that he was with Sammy every night. In the past, when the family was getting ready to move, Sammy and his father would research their new destination, and make a collage with pictures of all the fun things to do. Then Sammy's mother would cook a traditional meal from that country. While Sammy would miss his friends in Italy, he begins to treat the move as an adventure, with a new land to explore.

The book also includes some tips for parents. Be honest with your child about the move. Acknowledge their frustration/anger. Keep traditions from home alive in your new home. Let your child say goodbye to the place you are leaving. Maintain regular ties with family back home. Let your child express their feelings.

This is an excellent book for any child moving to another country (and for their parents, too). It may just make the whole process of moving a little easier.