Refugees have long sought safety and a new beginning in countries all over the world. Here in America, refugees and immigration are certainly not a new thing. I believe them to be one of the foundations of our country, but they are certainly on our minds more these days with the startling news stories that have be recounted over the past few months.
The list below is my best attempt to gather picture books for children under the age of 9 about refugees and immigrants of all kinds. Some of these account stories from people fleeing Nazi Germany or wars long ago, but some account stories more recent in our memories.
I have found that the emotions and experiences are often similar across time and place. The unique details and people are of course diverse and varied, but the fear, hardship, and hope are universal.
If you want more – don’t miss the resources section at the bottom of this post for more book lists and ideas for talking about these topics with children.
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31 Children’s Books about Refugees and Immigration
There are many middle grade and YA chapter books on the topic of refugees, however this is a list of books for younger children. Here are beautiful, inspiring, well written picture books about refugees for kids.
1. Luli and the Language of Tea
by Andrea Wang
pictures by Hyewon Yum
LULI AND THE LANGUAGE OF TEA what will students from all different cultures and countries connect to? Tea. This is such a sweet book about how some things transcend language and bring us together – tea in this case. Darling illustrations, wonderful inclusion of cultures, brief readable text. A warm picture book with such depth and heart.
2. Lost and Found Cat: The True Story of Kunkush’s Incredible Journey
by Doug Kuntz and Amy Schrodes
illustrated by Sue Cornelison
I believe this is the only book about a cat immigrant. When a mother and her four children are forced to leave their dangerous home in Iraq, they risk everything to bring their cat along. This is a journey, an adventure, and an emotion filled story of one cat and his hazardous immigration to a new country. Well written, this book is full of suspense and heart. Don’t miss the real pictures of Kunkush the cat at the back of the book.
3. My Beautiful Birds
by Suzanne Del Rizzo
A young boy is forced to leave behind his war torn home in Syria in this beautiful book. The harsh realities of his world are contrasted beautifully by the textured clay and mixed media illustrations and the focus on the young boy’s concern for his beloved birds. There is anger and fear on these pages, but also a childlike wonder that is both heartwarming and heartbreaking. A unique look at war and refugee life.
4. Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family’s Journey
by Margriet Ruurs
illustrated by Nizar Ali Badr
translated by Falah Raheem
This is a story about the Syrian refugee crisis. Rama and her family as forced to flee their village to escape the civil war that is growing closer and closer. Carrying only what they can manage on their backs, this little girl sets out with her family to walk to Europe.
5. Joseph’s Big Ride
by Terry Farish
art by Ken Daley
This is about a refugee boy who wants to ride a bicycle and the unexpected friendship that results. This was inspired with the author’s interviews of refugee children from the Sudan and I love how it take something huge and foreign and makes it relatable. Children all over know what it’s like to learn how to ride a bike – to fall down and try again.
6. The Journey
By Francesca Sanna
Fantastic dramatic illustrations. The story of a mom and son and daughter who leave a war torn country. This picture book so vividly paints a more universal picture of the emotional journey taken by immigrants. Described as a “collage of all those personal stories and the incredible strength of the people within them” this book sets out to humanize the words migrant and refugee.
7. The Color of Home
by Mary Hoffman
Immigration and the power of art in one. This book is about a little boy named Hassan who has moved to America from Somalia. His family was forced to leave and he desperately misses the colorful landscape of his former home in Africa. His parents, an incredible teacher and an art project help lesson his homesickness.
8. Four Feet, Two Sandals
by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed
illustrated by Doug Chayka
I think this really brings home the concept of not having what you need for little kids. This is about two girls who share a pair of sandals that is brought to their refugee camp. I imagine this producing wonderful conversations in a classroom.
9. Mama’s Nightingale: A Story of Immigration and Separation
by Edwidge Danticat
illustrated by Leslie Staub
This is an empowering and heartbreaking story. Saya’s mother is sent to an immigration detention center. During the separation her mother sends her stories via cassette tapes while her family works to find a way to get her released. While cassette tapes are not in use much anymore, the rest of the story is unfortunately very timely.
10. Oskar and the Eight Blessings
by Richard Simon and Tanya Simon
illustrated by Mark Siegel
This one takes us back to the time of immigration via Ellis Island. Oskar arrives in New York City and wanders the city in December. It is a story of welcoming which is a different feel than many of these immigration and refugee tales.
11. My Two Blankets
by Irena Kobald and Freya Blackwood
This is a story of adapting to a new place where everything seems foreign. I love the gentle, sweet illustrations.
12. How I Learned Geography
by Uri Shulevitz
This is a Caldecott Honor Book and the most personal of Uri Shulevitz’s many books. It is the story of a boy who is disappointed when his dad comes home with a map instead of bread…at first.
13. Passage to Freedom: The Sugihara Story
Written by Ken Mochizuki
Illustrated by Dom Lee
This is the story of five-year-old Hiroki Sugihara, the eldest son of the Japanese consul to Lithuania. He watches as hundreds of Jewish refugees from Poland come to his father for help escaping the Nazis. When his government won’t help, his dad makes the decision to save them on his own. This is an incredible story of a courageous man and the relationship between a father and son as they decide to act instead of just stand witness.
14. Where Will I Live?
by Rosemary McCarney
Most children around the world take having a home for granted, however there are also many children who have had to leave their homes because their families are no longer safe. This is their story. It is a heartbreaking story told with simple words and stunning photographs. It is the photographs that draw you in. They capture children and families around the world. They capture harsh conditions and yet they also capture the universality of childhood. The need for a place to sleep. The love of parents. The joy of friendship. The wonder. All this amid the uncertainty and despair of their refugee status. It is sobering, but also hopeful. A poignant and timely book to share with children.
15. A Different Pond
by Bao Phi
illustrated by Thi Bui
It is truly remarkable how much is captured on these pages. At the surface this is a quiet story about a dad and son who go fishing. Interwoven into their story are the underlying truths about being a refugee, about the long days, the worries about having food, the histories they escaped. The emotion and heart leaves you with a lump in your throat, but the relationships and every day capture of fishing is relate-able and warm. A must read.
16. Lubna and Pebble
by Wendy Meddour
illustrated by Daniel Egneus
The simplicity and beauty of childhood soars off the pages of this book. A little girl finds a pebble and draws a face on it. The pebble becomes her best friend as she endures the uncertainty of life as a refugee with her father. When another little boy arrives at the World of Tents, the little girl’s friendship and kindness is an ode to the kindness that can endure no matter the circumstances. An achingly lovely book about dislocation and childhood and life as a child refugee.
17. We Came to America
by Faith Ringgold
“We came to America, / Every color, race, and religion / From every country in the world” is the refrain throughout this simple book. This book has brief text that reads like a poem where every line is one you could easily break down and discuss for a while. The message is clear and strong. The illustrations aren’t my personal taste, but I think this is a great book to have in classrooms and libraries.
18. Dreamers
by Yuyi Morales
Based on her experience, this is the story of a mom and her child who immigrate from Mexico to the United States. It is the story of new beginnings and courage and finding a new home and it is a story that celebrates the wonderful gift of libraries.
19. Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story from the Border
by Mitali Perkins
illustrations by Sara Palacios
Oh my. This story grabs your heart. I got a lump in my throat a few pages in and tears were forming in my eyes before the end. It is the story of a mom and her two kids who go to the border to visit with their Abuela. It brings to the forefront how families are affected by the border and humanizes immigration in a way that feels so needed right now. But it is also just a really good story. It has heart and love and drama and kids triumphing in an every day way. So so good.
20. Dancing Hands
by Margarita Engle
illustrated by Rafael Lopez
This is the story of Teresa Carreno an immigrant from Venezuela who played the piano for Abraham Lincoln. It is a story about the beautiful power of music to bring joy and lift spirits in the darkest of times. Well written and gorgeously illustrated with lush colors, this book is a bright depiction of the music and spirited Teresa it describes.
21. Boundless Sky
by Amanda Addison and Manuela Adreani
This is the story of migration of a bird, but also immigration. A little bird travels from Europe across all of Africa each year. As you follow the tiny but mighty migrating bird, you encounter a little girl who soon begins a journey of her own. It is a subtle and yet powerful story of quiet strength. A creative way to discuss a complex issue and draw unexpected parallels. The soft, muted illustrations depict the changing landscapes and great treks with grace. A unique picture book.
22. Dear Primo: A Letter to My Cousin
by Duncan Tonatiuh
A book of letters between cousins, one in American and one in Mexico. This book doesn’t specifically mention immigration, but I love the comparison between life in America and life in Mexico. The cousins share letters about the ordinary aspects of their lives; how they get to school, what they eat for snack. It feels like a bridge between the two places, but also highlights the differences and adjustments you’d have to make moving from one place to the other. I also love the integrated Spanish.
23. Escape: One Day We Had to Run
written by Ming & Wah
illustrated by Carmen Vela
This book feels so unique and timely. Each page has a word that relates to escape and flights to freedom and then a short story about one example. Some of them will be familiar, the underground railroad for one, but most are not stories told in many picture books. Daring, inspiring and unbelievable, these are stories about the lengths people will go to in order to be safe and free. It feels most appropriate for elementary school kids, perhaps even upper elementary school, but a book infinitely worth reading and sharing.
24. My Two Border Towns
written by David Bowles
illustrated by Erika Meza
This warm, beautifully illustrated story is based on the author’s real life experiences. The little boy in the story accompanies his dad on a trip from a US border town across into Mexico and back on what is clearly a routine event. Through the little boy’s eyes you see both towns and the experience of newly immigrated and those waiting to be allowed entrance into the US. There is a lot of joy and childhood portrayed, but also a candid look at life waiting to enter the US.
25. The Capybaras
by Alfredo Soderguit
What appears to be a simple story with limited text and spare color palette is a surprisingly deep analogy for encountering those who are different. A great translated story that works as a surface level read aloud, but also so well for deeper conversations about outward differences and meeting people from somewhere else.
26. Rosa’s Song
by Helena Ku Rhee and Pascal Campion
Coping with moving to a new place and being left behind when friends move away is a the heart of this story. These are experiences and feelings with which so many of us can relate. Imagination is what makes this story soar. When Jae bravely knocks on the door of his new neighbor’s apartment Rosa tumbles out with her vivid imagination, parrot and song. His story is told in words and illustrations that invigorate the senses. A heart filled story about the transient nature of our society, adapted to change, and the hope of new friendships.
27. Amy Wu and the Warm Welcome
by Kat Zhang and Charlene Chua
AMY WU AND THE WARM WELCOME might be my favorite Amy Wu story so far. In this one, Amy has a new kid in her class. She does her best to make him feel welcome but he doesn’t seem to respond much at all. Being sweet Amy Wu she comes up with a plan. How do you make a new student or friend feel welcome? Amy Wu has wonderful ideas for kids to imitate. This is a great story to share in an elementary school classroom, especially one that has a new non-English speaker arriving. It helps the reader think about how hard that might be and how they can help, but couched in a highly readable, endearing story.
28. From Far Away
by Robert Munsch and Saoussan Askar
illustrated by Michael Martchenko
This tells tells the true story of her family’s flight from war-ridden Lebanon. Saoussan wrote a letter to Robert Munsch, and together they made her letter into this book – amazing back story, right?
29. Five Stories
by Ellen Weinstein
History is beautifully captured in this highly readable story. FIVE STORIES shows how one neighborhood has changed over time by sharing five families that have lived in one building. It is based on the building the author’s grandmother lived in and the real people who have lived in it since. From 1914 to the modern day, New York’s Lower East Side has transformed dramatically. Zeroing in on one building and specific families personalizes the history to deepen the reader’s connection and understanding. What I love most as you read through the stories of these immigrant families is that although their cultures differ and the world has modernized, the experiences at their heart are much the same. Each family is hopeful about a new life, each family works hard, each family has left behind loved ones. It is their commonalities that sing from these pages amongst the vibrant diversity. A beautiful tribute to a building, a city, immigrants and a must read explanation of the history that connects us all.
30. A Star Shines Through
by Anna Desnitskaya
A STAR SHINES THROUGH is a story of emigration. From the author’s note you learn that it is inspired by her family’s immigration from Moscow to Israel but it could easily be set in many places. The story is about adjusting to somewhere new and figuring out how to make it home. The text is sparse and well chosen. The illustrations are warm. The whole book shines with heart even in the parts that are hard. It is a simply beautiful story.
31. The Light of Home
by Diana Farid
illustrated by Hoda Hadadi
A little girl lives a happy, creative life near the ocean. One night that is torn away when violence forces her family runs away to find a safer place to live. When she finds herself relocated to a large city, far away from the ocean she loves it is painting that brings joy back into her life. A powerful story of refugees and immigration and about making the best of any space. It is a well paced, well written story brought to life with vibrant, collage illustrations. A beautiful picture book.
Additional Resources:
As both a parent and teacher, I know that talking about issues like this with children can be tricky. Here are some (hopefully) useful resources to help you know where to start or go further with discussions. If you have more to add to this list – please note them in the comments!
More about Immigration and Refugees
- Children of Our World Nonfiction Series – full review on Babies to Bookworms.
- 10 Cultural Diversity Activities for Elementary School Age – Fun with Mama
