Esma Farouk, Lost in the Souk by Lisa Boersen, Hasna Elbaamrani & Annelies Vandenbosch

As a third culture kid, this book really hit home, perfectly depicting not only fairly commonplace events (travelling to see family, getting separated from a parent while shopping) but also the existential angst of feeling lost and disoriented in a place of wonders that, one feels at one’s core, should feel more intimately familiar.

Plenty of readers will wonder what I’m going on about and that’s okay! Because you don’t have to be a third culture kid to delight in this picture book on either its face or at that deeper level. Esma Farouk is a young girl who lives in The Netherlands with her family. Every summer they head back to Morocco to visit her grandparents, and engage in the gift-giving dance known to so many cultures worldwide. Expatriates’ suitcases always come to their native lands full, empty out, then miraculously manage to fill themselves up again for the return trip. And it isn’t just the reciprocal generosity of family that helps stuff their bags. There must, ofc, be shopping!

Esma goes with her mom and her Aunt Fatima to the souk, the big open-air market filled with strange and enticing sights and fragrances. As is the way of all expats, Mom swiftly finds things she absolutely must bring home with her. Esma is distracted by the snake charmer, and when she hurries to catch up with Mom again, discovers that she’s been following the wrong person! Will she be able to find her mom, with the help and ingenuity of a bunch of souk regulars?

This is an absolutely delightful depiction of the Moroccan souk, as well as a charming tale of travel, family and community. Annelies Vandenbosch’s art brings the scenes to life with color and verve: it’s clear she’s done a lot of research and truly understands diversity. I super loved how information was included in the front about her use of digital painting techniques to create these illustrations, too, in a subtle rebuke to AI-generated art. Kudos to Floris Books for understanding how important that is to creators everywhere.

But the information in the backmatter was what really moved me. This book’s loving and respectful depiction of what it feels like to move between cultures makes so much more sense when you realize that both of the authors are third culture kids themselves, with ample experience of the emotions depicted here. Like Esma, Hasna Elbaamrani would visit her grandparents in Morocco, while Lisa Boersen made regular trips to family in the Dominican Republic. This shared background was what inspired the women to collaborate on this picture book, which immediately resonated in my soul.

This is a terrific book to give to any kid of any age who loves heartwarming stories involving family and travel to exciting destinations. It’s especially outstanding for feeling so lived in and real, without a shred of pretentiousness or patronization. Recommended.

Esma Farouk, Lost in the Souk by Lisa Boersen, Hasna Elbaamrani & Annelies Vandenbosch was published October 15 2024 by Floris Books and is available from all good booksellers, including