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 November 30, 2023
LINCC (Libraries in Clackamas County)Oregon City Public Library
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To the other side
Meza, Erika
Paper Book
'A thoughtful, profound, important book' Irish Independent 'A realistic but hopeful look at two children's emigration' Publishers Weekly Powerful and timely, To The Other Side explores the journey of two young refugee children in search of safety. Pe...

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

Front desk
Yang, Kelly
Paper Book

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)

You don't know what war is : the diary of a young girl from Ukraine
Skalietska, Yeva
Paper Book
***A SUNDAY TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR****** Shortlisted for the Children's Book of the Year: Older Non Fiction The Week Junior Book Awards***Featured on This Morning, Steph's Packed Lunch, Radio 4: Today and Channel 4 News_______________Everyone knows the word 'war'. But...

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)

Refugee
Gratz, Alan
Paper Book
  "A gripping, visceral, and hold-your-breath intense story of three young refugees." - John Green This action-packed novel tackles topics both timely and timeless: courage, survival, and the quest for home. JOSEF is a Jewish boy living in 1930s Nazi Germany. ...

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

When stars are scattered
Jamieson, Victoria
Paper Book
A heart-wrenching true story about life in a Kenyan refugee camp that will restore your faith in real-life happy endings.

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)


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