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.
An alphabet book highlighting the contributions immigrants have made to America. (Picture Books Age 4-8)
Three stories of refugees from different times and places that intertwine in present-day New York City. (Young Teen Fiction Grades 5-7)
Newbery Award-winning author Neil Gaiman posed a question on social media (What do you need to be warm?) and used answers submitted by real-life refugees to write the poem that became this book. (Picture Books Age 4-8)
A sweet (pun absolutely intended) about a young girl's first summer beach trip in America. (Picture Book Age 3-7)
A beautifully illustrated tale inspired by the real-life journeys of unaccompanied child migrants from central America. (Picture Book Age 4-8)
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)
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)
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)
A memoir by a teenage refugee from Syria that highlights her work as an advocate for child refugees around the world. (Children's Nonfiction Age 10-14)
A colorful, straightforward guide to explaining this difficult topic to young children. (Children's Nonfiction Age 4-8)
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)
An award-winning nonfiction book for elementary school readers featuring photos and interviews with children in a Greek refugee camp. (Children's Nonfiction Ages 8-12)
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)
A narrative story that recounts an all-too-common refugee experience, illustrated with stone collages. (Children's Nonfiction Age 4-8)
Three unaccompanied child refugees arrive in Canada in this illustrated novel for older readers. Great for kids who prefer graphic novel hybrid-style storytelling. (Children's Nonfiction Age 10-14)
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)
A picture book biography of a girl whose parents brought her to the US as a young child. (Children's Nonfiction Age 4-8)
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)
A historical look at refugees, featuring a young Jewish girl whose family escapes violence in Russia and starts a new life in turn-of-the-century North Dakota. (Children's Fiction Grades 3-5)
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)
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)
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)
