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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What you need to be warm
Gaiman, Neil
Paper Book
A New York Times bestseller! During the coldest season, when the world feels scary--what do you remember about being warm? Baked potatoes. Trust. A kettle on the stove. Blankets. A smile. And, most of all, the reassurance that you...

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)

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)

To the other side
Meza, Erika
Paper Book
Author-illustrator Erika Meza delivers a stunning and emotionally rich book from the viewpoint of those most impacted by border walls: young refugee children. This powerfully told tale highlights the spirit and strength of those embarking on a dangerous trek, and what awaits them on the other...

A beautifully illustrated tale inspired by the real-life journeys of unaccompanied child migrants from central America. (Picture Book Age 4-8)

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)
A sky full of song
Meyer, Susan
Paper Book
This heartwarming, beautifully written middle-grade historicalnovel about an untold American frontier story is destined to be a cherished classic.    North Dakota, 1905   After fleeing persecution in the Russian Empire,...

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)

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)

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)

The new girl
Calin, Cassandra
Paper Book
Instagram sensation and Tapas webcomic superstar Cassandra Calin makes her long-form debut with this funny, feel-good middle-grade graphic novel about change. Goodbye, old life... Lia and her family are waiting to board a flight across the Atlantic, leaving behind family,...
A graphic novel exploring a middle schooler\'s experience moving from Romania to America, perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier. (Young Teen Graphic Novel 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)

Muzoon : a Syrian refugee speaks out
Almellehan, Muzoon
Paper Book
"Muzoon takes readers on her perilous and ultimately hopeful journey from refugee child to advocate for others in need." -Malala Yousafzai, bestselling author and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize When her family had to flee Syria, 14-year-old Muzoon was told to pack only the...

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)

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)

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)

The waiting place : when home is lost and a new one not yet found
Nayeri, Dina
Paper Book
An unflinching look at ten young lives suspended outside of time--and bravely proceeding anyway--inside the Katsikas refugee camp in Greece. Every war, famine, and flood spits out survivors. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) cites an...

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)

Alone : the journeys of three young refugees
Tom, Paul
Paper Book
Finalist, Governor General's Literary Award, Translation Each year, more than 400 minors arrive alone in Canada requesting refugee status. They arrive without their parents, accompanied by no adult at all. Alone relates the journey of three of them: Afshin, Alain and Patricia. Their...

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)


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