Bobby and his siblings were full of excitement when they finally flew from their home country, the Netherlands, to Pakistan. Although they were used to adapting to different cultures because of their father's flood control work, settling into Pakistan in the 1950's proved to be a challenge.
Ten year old Bobby really struggled to understand the boys he met: wealthy Sadiq, subservient Jahja, mud-slinging Mahmoud, and others. Dignified Hafiz, who ran the house, also had secrets. Just as Bobby was adjusting to life in his new town, he was caught up in a dangerous mystery and his friendships took on life and death significance.
I've devoured Bobby's Friends! by Phia van den Berg twice in the last month. Now I'm reading it aloud to the children. The little ones laughed when Bobby confronted spoiled Sadiq during a tantrum, frowned when boys threw mud and manure at Bobby's mother, and sighed longingly about the camel ride. Even my older children are enjoying the story, although it is clearly not written for teens.
Besides being a well-written children's book with some thoroughly lovable characters, Bobby's Friends! is also an insightful look at how culture shapes behavior. Children enjoy it for the excitement and the humor, but any parent who reads it out loud will be moved by natural way that Bobby's parents relate cultural issues to God's Word. I understand why Bobby's Friends! is the publisher's favorite juvenile story.
Although the original Dutch version of this book was written in the 1950's, the appeal of the story is still strong, and the message of the book still valid. As Mother said to Bobby in a serious moment, "Besides our normal work, there is also the task we have as Christians toward everyone God puts on our path. And that task becomes doubly heavy when we stand before someone who
does not know the Lord Jesus. We are His messengers, and if we pass on His message in a wrong manner, it would be better if we had stayed home, right?"
I highly recommend Bobby's Friends! both as an exciting story as well as a vivid illustration of Christian living in a different time and place. It has exactly the right combination of humor, excitement, and reflection for reading out loud to a wide range of ages. On the other hand, most nine year olds could easily read it on their own.
(When you order this book, also be sure to request the free catalogue, available near the bottom of the home page. It contains a complete translation of a best-selling Dutch youth adventure that I read many times as a youngster and that my children now also enjoy. )

Source: Tea Time with Annie Kate

Bobby’s Friends by Phia van den Berg relates the story of a family whose father, an agricultural engineer, is assigned by the Dutch
government to aid Pakistan in developing a dike system. It is interesting to learn how the author shows that children are impacted
by different cultures (they have also been to New Guinea and Kenya). The story focuses on the children’s discovery of a plot where class distinctions and a low view of Christianity have important roles. All turns out well and their Pakistani friends are introduced to Christian prayer and biblical instruction via a Children’s Bible.

Source: The Messenger

Oftentimes, the only way kids learn about other countries and cultures is from the news media or from textbooks. While the facts and figures may be fascinating, they may not "stick" if they don't have meaning or relevancy to the student. Stories have the power to enliven all subjects and to make details significant and memorable.
Written from the perspective of Bobby, a nine-year old boy who loves adventure, Bobby's Friends is about a family of five who travels around the world. Bobby's dad has a job as that requires him to go from country to country helping to fix flooding problems and his mom is responsible for running the household and educating the children (Bobby, his ten-year old sister, and his five-year old brother).
The family moves to Afghanistan and the reader explores a new country and culture along with Bobby--from the airplane coming in to land to the mansions with servants and the tent homes of the poorer people to the varieties of food and people. There are new children to meet, new traditions to respect, and new fun to find! There is mystery, adventure, and a bit of growing up too.
In many ways, the novel incorporates universal challenges to which the targeted readers (ages 9-99) can relate. The story is about leaving friends and making new ones, leaving the known and learning about the unknown, testing authority and the consequences of disobedience, and the lessons realized when different faiths collide.
Bobby's Friends is quick and easy to read. It would be appropriate as a read-aloud book or for read-alone time. Besides its use as a language arts tool, the story touches on the subjects of geography, history, religion, and even some science. The novel would be a good choice for a summer reading program as well.

Pros: My nine-year-old remembers things better when he can put them in perspective. Bobby's Friends helps the reader do just that. It's easy to assign and discuss. It would also be interesting to see if he notices that it has been translated from another language.

Cons: It doesn't come with discussion questions, so it's not really a complete tool as is. However, it is a good complement or supplement for other curricula.

I am looking forward to discussing Bobby's Friends with all of my children, ages 7 to 14. I am sure we will all come away with a richer understanding of Afghanistan and, perhaps, more of a general awareness of foreign countries, cultures, and religions.

Source: The Old Schoolhouse Magazine