This study examines how adult immigrant authors portray childhood in their memoirs, focusing on encounters with the unfamiliar, processes of adaptation, the resilience they developed, and the ways these experiences shaped their identity and sense of belonging. Using narrative analysis with a phenomenological stance, it explores how authors reflect on their early lives, giving meaning to fear, loss, change, and moments of connection. The analysis draws on three memoirs that provide rich perspectives on migration experiences across different contexts, including voluntary migration, forced displacement and cultural transitions. The findings of these narratives reveal that migrant childhoods are shaped by constant encounters with new and sometimes unsettling experiences. Children navigate fear, loss and uncertainty in ways that show both adaptability and quiet determination. They develop strategies to cope, like reimagining threatening situations, holding back emotions or asserting small acts of control, which reflect resilience emerging in subtle forms. Memories of people, objects and routines serve as stabilizing anchors amid change, helping them preserve a sense of self. Across the memoirs, childhood is remembered as a space of both challenge and growth, where the difficulties of migration are intertwined with moments that teach strength, resourcefulness and shape a sense of identity. This analysis provides insights into the lived experiences of migrant children and understanding these experiences foster awareness, empathy and a deeper appreciation of the challenges and strengths of migrant childhoods, which can guide more supportive attitudes and practices in society.