Read a book set in a foreign land.

Spud

by John van de Ruit

South Africa. In 1990, 13-year-old choir-

boy John “Spud” Milton keeps a diary of

his first year at an elite, boys-only

boarding school in South Africa, where

he deals with bizarre housemates, wild

crushes, embarrassingly dysfunctional

parents, and more.

Beneath My Mother’s Feet

by Amjed Qamar

Pakistan . When her father is injured, 14-

year-old Nazia is pulled away from her

school, her friends, and her preparations

for an arranged marriage, to help her

mother clean houses in a wealthy part of

Karachi, Pakistan, where she finally rebels

against the destiny that is planned for her.

Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins

Burma/Myanmar. Two Burmese boys, one

a Karenni refugee and the other the son

of an imprisoned Burmese doctor, meet

in the jungle. In order to survive, they

must learn to trust each other.

Duchessina by Carolyn Meyer

Italy. While her tyrannical family is out

of favor in Italy, young Catherine de

Medici is raised in convents, then in

1533, when she is 14, her uncle, Pope

Clement VII, arranges for her marriage

to the prince Henri of France, who is

destined to become king.

Students Across the Seven Seas (series)

This series of books follow girls who are studying abroad in a

wide variety of foreign countries, including China, Russia, Aus-

tralia, Italy, and more. They’re written by more than one author,

but they all look pretty similar, so you can spot them on the

shelf easily.

Once Upon a Time (series)

This series of books retells classic and foreign fairy tales. You

can read tales set in Japan, Italy, the Middle East, and more.

They’re written by more than one author, but they all look simi-

lar, so you can spot them on the shelf easily.

’

Anna and the French Kiss

by Stephanie Perkins

France. When Anna’s romance-novelist father

sends her to an elite American boarding

school in Paris for her senior year, she

reluctantly goes and meets an amazing boy

who becomes her best friend, in spite of

the fact that they both want something

more.

The Book Thief

by Marcus Zusak

Germany. Trying to make sense of the hor-

rors of World War II, Death relates the

story of Liesel — a young German girl whose

book-stealing and storytelling talents help

sustain her family and the Jewish man they

are hiding, as well as their neighbors.

The Agency: A Spy in the House by YS Lee

England. Rescued from the gallows in 1850s

London, young orphan and thief Mary Quinn

is offered a place at Miss Scrimshaw’s

Academy for Girls where she is trained to

be a part of an all-female investigative unit called The Agency

and at age 17, she infiltrates a rich merchant’s home in hopes

of tracing his missing cargo ships.

Blood Ninja by Nick Lake

Japan. After his father is murdered and a

ninja saves his life, Taro discovers the

connection between ninjas and vampires

and finds himself being dragged into a

bitter conflict between the rival lords

ruling Japan.

Trash

by Andy Mulligan

Philippines. 14-year-old Raphael and Gardo

team up with a younger boy, Rat, to figure

out the mysteries surrounding a bag Raph-

ael finds during their daily life of sorting

through trash in a third-world country’s

dump.

The Fetch

by Laura Whitcomb

Russia. After 350 years as a Fetch — a

death escort — Calder breaks his vows

and enters the body of Rasputin, whose

spirit causes rebellion in the Land of

Lost Souls while Calder struggles to con-

vey Ana and Alexis, orphaned in the Rus-

sian Revolution, to Heaven.

Toads and Diamonds

by Heather Tomlinson

India. A retelling of the Perrault fairy tale

set in pre-colonial India, in which two

stepsisters receive gifts from a goddess

and each walks her own path toe find her

gift’s purpose, discovering romance along

the way.

The Uninvited

by Tim Wynne Jones

Canada . After a disturbing freshman year at

NYU, Mimi is happy to get away to her fa-

ther’s remote Canadian cottage, only to

discover a stranger living there who has

never heard of her father and who is con-

vinces Mimi is responsible for leaving sinis-

ter tokens around the property.

A Little Wanting Song

by Cath Crowley

Australia. One Australian summer, two

very different 16-year-old girls — Charlie,

a talented but shy musician, and Rose, a

confident student longing to leave her

tiny town — are drawn into an unexpected

friendship, as told in alternating voices.

Peak by Roland Smith

Nepal and China. A 14-year-old boy at-

tempts to be the youngest person to

reach the top of Mount Everest.

Red Glass by Laura Resau

Mexico and Guatemala. 16-year-old Sophie

has been frail and delicate since her pre-

mature birth, but discovers her true

strength during a journey to Mexico,

where the 6-year-old orphan her family

hopes to adopt was born, and to Guate-

mala, where her would-be boyfriend hopes to find his

mother and plans to remain.

Revolver by Marcus Sedgwick

Finland. 15-year-old Sig is shocked to see a

hole in the frozen lake outside his family’s

cabin and to find his father’s corpse

nearby. Why did Einer steer his dog sled

across the lake instead of taking the

safer route? Sig’s sister and stepmom go

for help, leaving Sig alone with Einar’s

body in the cabin. Soon after, an armed

stranger barges in, demanding a share of

Einar’s stolen gold.