Overview

Inspired by real family journeys across New Zealand, China, and Korea, Joy's Keychain is a tender picture book about distance, belonging, and the love that helps children stay steady across homes. When Joy uses her special keychain to open three magical doors in her living room, she discovers that the people and places she misses are still part of her world. Gentle, imaginative, and emotionally resonant, this story opens conversations about family bonds, change, longing, and what it means to carry home within you. Informed by ideas of attachment, belonging, and children's experiences of ambiguous loss in transnational and multicultural families, Joy's Keychain offers a warm and accessible language for talking about separation, memory, and continuing bonds. Who this book is for Third Culture Kids and globally mobile families Children aged 3-8, and the adults who read with them Teachers, counsellors, and classrooms exploring identity and belonging

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9781067124007

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Reviews

Joy's Keychain is a warm, attachment-rich story that beautifully uses metaphor to reflect a young child's multicultural and international lived experience. It speaks with sensitivity and age-appropriate insight to children growing up in mixed-race families, especially those with grandparents living overseas, but to whom they remain deeply connected in their hearts. Sensitively written and paired with beautiful illustrations, this book is well suited to preschool-aged children and older. In a world where so many children share this experience, Joy's Keychain offers a wonderful and heartwarming acknowledgement of children's feelings, relationships, and sense of belonging. Daycare Director, Kaye McKean With poetic grace and exquisite cultural nuance, this picture book offers a quiet revelation: home is not a place, but the tender constellation of those who hold you. Joy's realization that ""every goodbye is also a door I can open again"" is a brilliant articulation of relational resilience and the non-finality of cultural separation, a concept that speaks directly to the experiences of millions of diasporic children. Zeng'an PENG, full professor, International Cultural Exchange School, Fudan University This beautifully written book will support and nurture connections in our multi cultural community. A must for every modern classroom and every family bookshelf. Janice Brown, primary school teacher Joys' Keychain is a celebration of the doors we can open when we grow with different cultures. As an intercultural child, Joy cherishes what each door brings, even when closed. Stories like Joy's Keychain join stories from other children whose multicultural identity is growing stronger as they see themselves in the books they read. Dr Constanze Tolosa, Senior Lecturer, University of Auckland This book takes away the fear of what might be behind the doors. Open them, it's okay. Michaela Han, Founder, Bookmark Children's Library (Korea)

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