Children's Book Suggestions | Citizenship Status

In honor of the UN's International Day of Migrants, here are a few books for young readers about the experiences of immigrants and refugees.

Updated October 19, 2024
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County)Oregon City Public Library
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I is for immigrants
Alko, Selina
Paper Book
This alphabet picture book companion to the popular B Is for Brooklyn weaves together a multitude of immigrant experiences in a concise, joyful package. For readers of Dreamers by Yuyi Morales. What do African dance, samosas, and Japanese gardens have in common?...

An alphabet book highlighting the contributions immigrants have made to America. (Picture Books Age 4-8)

Saffron ice cream
Kheiriyeh, Rashin
Paper Book
A joyous celebration of a girl's first family outing in a new country"With her colorful, exuberant folk-art illustrations and upbeat, friendly tone, Rashin makes a daunting cross-cultural leap seem as easy as a summer breeze." -- New York Times Book ReviewRashin is excited about her...

A sweet (pun absolutely intended) about a young girl's first summer beach trip in America. (Picture Book Age 3-7)

Wishes
Van, Muon
Paper Book
An arresting, poetic journey and a moving reflection on immigration, family, and home, from an acclaimed creative team. Wishes tells the powerful, honest story about one Vietnamese family's search for a new home on the other side of the world, and the long-lasting and powerful...
A story of a Vietnamese refugee family's escape, narrated as a series of wishes as they leave their home and brave a dangerous ocean voyage in search of safety. (Picture Book Age 4-8)
The wonder of wildflowers
Staniszewski, Anna
Paper Book
Ten-year-old Mira must balance the loyalty she feels towards her family with the desire to be accepted by her new classmates in this powerful coming-of-age story about identity, community, and finding a place to call home. I'm not like most of my classmates. At least not yet.
A Polish-born author uses a fantasy world, where citizens have access to a magical substance called amber, to explore her own experiences as a child immigrant. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)
Save me a seat
Weeks, Sarah
Paper Book
A new friend could be sitting right next to you.Joe and Ravi might be from very different places, but they're both stuck in the same place: SCHOOL.Joe's lived in the same town all his life, and was doing just fine until his best friends moved away and left him on his own. Ravi's family just...

Two authors from different cultures explore friendship and belonging in this story about two boys who become friends after one immigrates to the US from India. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Front desk
Yang, Kelly
Paper Book
Four starred reviews and over ten best-of-year lists!* "Many readers will recognize themselves or their neighbors in these pages." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred reviewWinner of the Asian / Pacific American Award for Children's Literature!* "Many readers will recognize themselves or their...

Another series based on the author's childhood experiences as an immigrant starring a Chinese girl whose parents take over the management of a hotel in 1990s LA. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)

Refugee
Gratz, Alan
Paper Book
The award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling novel from Alan Gratz tells the timely--and timeless--story of three different kids seeking refuge. A New York Times bestseller! JOSEF is a Jewish boy living in 1930s Nazi Germany. With the threat of concentration...

Three stories of refugees from different times and places that intertwine in present-day New York City. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

World in between : based on a true refugee story
Trebinc?evic?, Kenan
Paper Book
Co-written by a New York Times best-selling author, this moving story of a Muslim boy's exile from war-torn Bosnia to the United States offers a riveting refugee saga.​ Kenan loves drawing and playing soccer with his friends. He wants to be a famous athlete...
It's rare in the US to find children's books featuring Balkan characters. This novel, co-written by a child survivor of the Bosnian genocide, offers a window into a turbulent time. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)
Other words for home
Warga, Jasmine
Paper Book
New York Times bestseller and Newbery Honor Book! A gorgeously written, hopeful middle grade novel in verse about a young girl who must leave Syria to move to the United States, perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds and Aisha Saeed. Jude never thought she'd be...

An award-winning novel in verse about a tween girl who immigrates to Ohio after war breaks out in her native Syria. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)

When stars are scattered
Jamieson, Victoria
Paper Book
A National Book Award Finalist, this remarkable graphic novel is about growing up in a refugee camp, as told by a former Somali refugee to the Newbery Honor-winning creator of Roller Girl. Omar and his younger brother, Hassan, have spent most of their lives in Dadaab,...

The Newbery Honor-winning comic artist Victoria Jamieson illustrates the moving story of two brothers in an African refugee camp. (Children's Graphic Novels Grades 3-5)

What is a refugee?
Gravel, Elise
Paper Book
An accessible picture book that oh-so-simply and graphically introduces the term "refugee" to curious young children to help them better understand the world in which they live. Who are refugees? Why are they called that word? Why do they need to leave their country? Why are they...

A colorful, straightforward guide to explaining this difficult topic to young children. (Children's Nonfiction Age 4-8)

Where will I live?
McCarney, Rosemary A.
Paper Book
Every child needs a home. Children need somewhere safe where they can be happy, eat their meals with their family, play with their toys, and go to sleep at night feeling unafraid. But many children all over the world have had to leave their homes because they are no longer safe. Because of war and...
A picture book that explores the questions refugee children may have, using photos of actual refugee children around the world. (Children's Nonfiction Age 4-8)
Areli is a dreamer : a true story
Morales, Areli
Paper Book
In the first picture book written by a DACA Dreamer, Areli Morales tells her own powerful and vibrant immigration story. When Areli was just a baby, her mama and papa moved from Mexico to New York with her brother, Alex, to make a better life for the family--and when she was in...

A picture book biography of a girl whose parents brought her to the US as a young child. (Children's Nonfiction Age 4-8)

Someone new
O'Brien, Anne Sibley
Paper Book
"A great book to help students of all ages understand how they can welcome new members into their classrooms and communities."−School Library Journal In this companion story to I'm New Here, three elementary schoolers--who aren't new--begin to understand and...

A book designed for parents to share with elementary age children to help create a welcoming environment for classrooms welcoming refugees and immigrants. (Children's Parenting Age 4-8)

Stepping stones : a refugee family's journey
Ruurs, Margriet
Paper Book
Rama and her family, are forced to flee their once-peaceful village to escape the ravages of the civil war raging ever closer to their home With only what they can carry on their backs, Rama and her mother, father, grandfather and brother, Sami, set out to walk to freedom in Europe. This...

A narrative story that recounts an all-too-common refugee experience, illustrated with stone collages. (Children's Nonfiction Age 4-8)

You don't know what war is : the diary of a young girl from Ukraine
Skalietska, Yeva
Paper Book
An inspiring memoir of resilience by a young survivor of the war in Ukraine, as told through her diary entries--a harrowing and ultimately hopeful survival story. Yeva Skalietska's story begins on her twelfth birthday in Kharkiv, where she has been living with...

The diary entries of a young girl who escaped Kharkiv when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, providing a timely insight into an ongoing crisis. (Children's Nonfiction Age 9-12)


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