Use these books on modern immigration and the refugee experience books for kids to teach empathy and compassion. What are your favorite books on this topic that I’ve left out? Thanks for sharing!
Modern Immigration Books for Kids
I’m New Here by Anne Sibley O’Brien
Three children from Guatemala, Korea, and Somalia are starting over in America where they have to learn a new language and make new friends. They feel isolated, confused, and sad. Slowly, they make progress, and they find their place with the help of kind classmates. [picture book, ages 4 and up]
Here I Am by
This wordless picture book that tells a Korean American immigration story beginning with a plane ride to New York City. It’s not easy adjusting to a new city and a new language but slowly, the young boy adjusts. He’s brought with him a seed from his old country, and it helps him make a new friend … and a new happy life. [wordless picture book, ages 6 and up]
One Green Apple by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Ted Lewin
A young Muslin girl joins her class on a field trip to an apple orchard. Because she doesn’t speak English, she feels isolated and unwelcome. When she chooses a green apple, a boy protests that it’s unripe. Her teacher intervenes and it’s added to the cider press. The resulting cider is delicious; an analogy for the beauty of diversity. By the end of the trip, the young girl makes a new friend, and feels like she is starting to fit in. [picture book, ages 6-11]
