The Refugee Experience in Picture BooksLike this list

17 items

• A Journey Toward Hope

  Hinojosa, Victor,

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  Four unaccompanied migrant children come together along the arduous journey north through Mexico to the United States border in this ode to the power of hope and connection even in the face of uncertainty and fear.

• Kind

  Green, Alison, 1963 December 4-

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  Illustrations by prominent illustrators accompany this story on how to make the world a better place through kindness, with an emphasis on welcoming refugees.

• My Beautiful Birds

  Del Rizzo, Suzanne

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  A gentle yet moving story of refugees of the Syrian civil war, My Beautiful Birds illuminates the ongoing crisis as it affects its children. It shows the reality of the refugee camps, where people attempt to pick up their lives and carry on. And it…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Carpet

  An Afghan Family Story

  Azaad, Dezh,

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  A day in the life of an Afghan refugee child and their family, where every moment revolves around love, family, and the carpet that connects them to home.

• Night on the Sand

  Mayper, Monica,

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  A little boy looks to his big brother for guidance after a disaster levels their city. Together, the boys journey to a sheltering beach, where they are welcomed by fellow survivors. Absorbing the warmth of the new community, they begin to help…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• These Olive Trees

  Ghanameh, Aya,

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  The story of a Palestinian family's ties to the land, and how one young girl finds a way to care for her home, even as she says goodbye. Debut author-illustrator Aya Ghanameh boldly paints a tale of bitterness, hope, and the power of believing in a…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Blue Scarf

  Danawi, Mohamed,

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  When she loses her beloved scarf, Layla becomes a refugee from her Blue world, journeying to worlds of different colors and searching for her prized possession.

• Dounia and the Magic Seeds

  Zarif, Marya,

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  When fleeing her war-ravaged home, a young girl brings four magic seeds to help her family on their difficult journey. Elegant, eye-catching artwork beautifully illustrates one young girl's strength and resilience as she takes an active part in her…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• From the Tops of the Trees

  Yang, Kao Kalia, 1980-

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  A true story of a young girl who has never known life outside a refugee camp and a father determined to help her dream beyond the fences that confine them.

• Mustafa

  Gay, Marie-Louise,

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  After leaving his war-torn country with his family, Mustafa visits a park near his new home and finds beautiful flowers, lady bugs, fall leaves, and finally, a friend.

• A Different Pond

  Phi, Bao, 1975-

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  As a young boy, Bao Phi awoke early, hours before his father's long workday began, to fish on the shores of a small pond in Minneapolis. Unlike many other anglers, Bao and his father fished for food, not recreation. Between hope-filled casts, Bao's…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Lubna and Pebble

  Meddour, Wendy,

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  Lubna's best friend is a pebble. Pebble always listens to her stories. Pebble always smiles when she feels scared. But when a lost little boy arrives in the World of Tents, Lubna realizes that he needs Pebble even more than she does.

• Sugar in Milk

  Umrigar, Thrity N.

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  A young immigrant girl joins her aunt and uncle in a new country that is unfamiliar to her. She struggles with loneliness, with a fierce longing for the culture and familiarity of home.

• The Paper Boat

  Lam, Thao,

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  Thao Lam's family came to Canada as refugees during the Vietnam War. When Thao started thinking about how to tell this story, she couldn't stop thinking about ants: small, seemingly insignificant creatures who are able to travel amazingly long…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Wishes

  Van, Muon,

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  In this spare, poetic picture book based on author Muon Van's family history and told through a series of wishes, a family packs up everything they own and embarks on a perilous oceanic voyage toward a better life.

• Marwan's Journey

  Arias, Patricia de,

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  Marwan is a young boy on a journey he never intended to take, bound for a place he doesn't know. On his journey, he relies on courage and memories of his faraway homeland to buoy him. With him are hundreds and thousands of other human beings,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Day War Came

  Davies, Nicola, 1958-

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  A moving, poetic narrative and child-friendly illustrations follow the heartbreaking, ultimately hopeful journey of a little girl who is forced to become a refugee.