Overview

About the book For children growing up in multicultural worlds, the meaning of home is fluid, their emotional bonds stretch across places and languages. Between each farewell and reunion, they learn to reorganize and retell their own story. Joy's Keychain dedicated to all children and adults who are finding themselves among multiple cultures. It gently accompanies us in exploring: Who am I? Where do I belong? And What do I hold dear?Inspired by real family journeys across New Zealand, China, and Korea, Joy's Keychain is a gentle yet resilient picture book about how children navigate distance, connection, and the weight of saying goodbye. As Joy uses her special keys to open three magical doors right in her living room, she discovers a beautiful truth: the people and places we miss are never truly out of reach. Love can cross any ocean, and our most precious worlds can always be kept close at hand, right in our pockets.Warm, tender, and emotionally resonant, this story opens conversations about belonging, change, and family love across distance. Who this book is for Third Culture Kids and globally mobile families Children aged 3-12, and the adults who read with them Teachers, counsellors, and classrooms exploring identity and belonging

Full Product Details

9781067124014

Table of Contents

Reviews

Joy's Keychain is far more than a charming story; it is a vital cultural artifact for our interconnected age. It offers young readers a mirror to see their own complex identities reflected with dignity, and a window for others to understand the rich, layered reality of a life lived across cultures. 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. This book is a masterclass in intercultural empathy for readers of all ages, an essential addition to any library committed to fostering genuine global understanding and empathetic connection. Zeng'an PENG, full professor, International Cultural Exchange School, Fudan University 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 whom they may not see often, 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. New Zealand Daycare Director, Kaye McKean 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) This beautifully written book will support and nurture connections in our multicultural community. A must for every modern classroom and every family bookshelf. Janice Brown, NZ primary school teacher

Author Information

Keqing Gan is a Mandarin teacher at a secondary school in Auckland, a mother of two, and the founder of LingNest Books, an independent publishing company. With over nine years of language teaching experience across China and New Zealand, and family life shaped by New Zealand, China, and Korea, she creates books rooted in the lived reality of nurturing and guiding children across languages, time zones, and multiple homes.

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