World Refugee Day/Week

World Refugee Day falls on June 20th, and is an international day designated by the United Nations to honor, acknowledge, and celebrate refugees and the the strength and courage of people who are forced to flee their home to escape conflict or persecution. This is a curated list of children's books in English and Spanish that represent the Refugee experience.

Updated June 18, 2025
Lewisville Public Library
Drag items up and down to your preferred order then select the "Save Order" button.
Yusra swims
Abery, Julie
Paper Book
The true story of Yusra Mardini, as portrayed in the Netflix movie "The Swimmers".   Yusra Mardini loves to swim. As a girl in Damascus, she dreams about swimming for her country in the Olympics. But then war intervenes. Julie Abery's spare, rhyming verse...
Farewell Cuba, mi isla
Diaz, Alexandra
Paper Book
Two starred reviews! "Perfect for fans of Margarita Engle and impactful historical fiction" (School Library Journal, starred review), this "evocative and transportive" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) middle grade novel follows two girls fleeing 1960 Cuba with...
Hasta siempre Cuba, mi isla
Diaz, Alexandra
Paper Book
Basada en las experiencias reales de la madre de Alexandra Diaz como una refugiada cubana en los Estados Unidos, una historia oportuna y conmovedora de la familia, la amistad, y la lucha por un futuro mejor. A Victoria le encanta su hogar en Cuba con la tierra hermosa, la...
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...
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...
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,...
Who belongs here?
Knight, Margy Burns
Paper Book
This book helps children understand two of the most challenging issues of our time-immigration quotas and racism-in a sensitive way that encourages dialogue and creative problem-solving. Nary, a young Cambodian boy, flees the civil war in his homeland and leaves his family behind for a new life in...
Lost and found cat : the true story of Kunkush's incredible journey
Kuntz, Doug
Paper Book
This heartwarming true story of one lost cat's journey to be reunited with his refugee family gently introduces children to a difficult topic and shows how ordinary people can help with compassion and hope.   When an Iraqi family is forced to flee their home, they can...
Inside out & back again
Lai, Thanhha.
Paper Book
Inside Out and Back Again is a #1 New York Times bestseller, a Newbery Honor Book, and a winner of the National Book Award! Inspired by the author's childhood experience as a refugee--fleeing Vietnam after the Fall of Saigon and immigrating to Alabama--this coming-of-age debut novel told...
Finding home : the journey of immigrants and refugees
Lee, Jen Sookfong
Paper Book
What drives people to search for new homes? From war zones to politics, there are many reasons why people have always searched for a place to call home. InFinding Home: The Journey of Immigrants and Refugeeswe discover how human migration has shaped our world. We explore its origins and...
A story like the wind
Lewis, Gill
Paper Book
A masterful story about the power of hope  Rami is in a small dinghy filled with strangers, all of them refugees seeking a safe harbor. But with no motor, no oars, and a rising tide, their situation looks bleak. So Rami pulls out the only thing he brought with him--a violin-...
Still dreaming = Seguimos so?ndo
Martinez, Claudia Guadalupe
Paper Book
Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Honor 2023 - American Library Association (ALA) A 2023 Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Honor In the first children's book to describe the long-forgotten chapter of US history known as Mexican Repatriation, a boy and his family leave their...
La frontera : el viaje con papá = My journey with papa
Mills, Deborah (Architect)
Paper Book
★ "So simple, but so beautiful, the story depicts what many must go through when seeking a better life in America" -- Publishers Weekly, starred review For over 100 years, Alfredo's family has lived in the same small village in Mexico. He loves playing...
The banana-leaf ball : how play can change the world
Milway, Katie Smith
Paper Book
Separated from his family when they were forced to flee their home, a young East African boy named Deo lives alone in the Lukole refugee camp in Tanzania. With scarce resources at the camp, bullies have formed gangs to steal what they can, and a leader named Remy has begun targeting Deo. Then one...
Fly, girl, fly! : Shaesta Waiz soars around the world
Pimm, Nancy Roe
Paper Book
"You must believe in yourself and allow your dreams to soar." --Shaesta Waiz Shaesta Waiz, a refugee from Afghanistan, dreamed of doing great things. But first she had to leave a refugee camp with her family to make a new life in America, overcome gender stereotypes, be the first in...
The red pencil
Pinkney, Andrea Davis
Paper Book
"Amira, look at me," Muma insists. She collects both my hands in hers. "The Janjaweed attack without warning. If ever they come-- run." Finally, Amira is twelve. Old enough to wear a...
Salma the Syrian chef
Ramadan, Ahmad Danny.
Paper Book
Newcomer Salma and friends cook up a heartwarming dish to cheer up Mama. All Salma wants is to make her mama smile again. Between English classes, job interviews, and missing Papa back in Syria, Mama always seems busy or sad. A homemade Syrian meal might cheer her up, but Salma doesn't...
Me and my fear
Sanna, Francesca
Paper Book
"With its warm palette and gentle scenes of the worried child being comforted, this book could function as a sequel to Sanna's astounding debut picture book, The Journey, which recounted a family's dangerous flight from their home in a war zone. Sanna provides an empathetic exploration of...
Yo y mi miedo
Sanna, Francesca
Paper Book
"With its warm palette and gentle scenes of the worried child being comforted, this book could function as a sequel to Sanna's astounding debut picture book, The Journey, which recounted a family's dangerous flight from their home in a war zone. Sanna provides an empathetic exploration of...
Migrations : open hearts, open borders
Tan, Shaun
Paper Book
In a show of strength for migrants during a daunting time, more than fifty artists from around the world have created postcard images of birds, along with messages of hope. Featuring an introduction by Shaun Tan. From Mexico City's Natalia Gurovic comes a jewel-toned bird...
The most beautiful thing I have ever seen
Umadat, Nadia Devi
Paper Book
A little girl sees her mother's fear when war comes to their home. Fear is replaced with hope when they board a huge, shiny airplane. When it lands, they are somewhere new, and slowly, it comes to feel like home. There are many new experiences, like the beautiful, fluffy snow. And the shrill...
Gibberish
Vo, Young
Paper Book
BEST OF THE YEAR Kirkus · Parents · Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association · Chicago Public Library · Washington Post · Evanston Public Library · Los Angeles Public Library Charlotte Huck Recommended Book Common Sense Media...
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...
From the tops of the trees
Yang, Kao Kalia
Paper Book
Winner of the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature in the Picture Book Category "Father, is all of the world a refugee camp?" Young Kalia has never known life beyond the fences of the Ban Vinai Refugee Camp. The Thai camp holds many thousands of Hmong families who fled in the...
The rock in my throat
Yang, Kao Kalia
Paper Book
Praise for The Rock in My Throat by Kao Kalia Yang, illustrated by Jiemei Lin: Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature Picture Book Honor Booklist Editor's Choice The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books Blue Ribbon Award Heartland Booksellers Award Finalist...

Library staff! You can create and contribute to lists. Contact your catalog administrator or log in here.