Staff Picks
Immigration and Refugee Stories: Picture Books
- Caitlin B.
- Tuesday, August 16, 2022
Collection
Refugee and immigrant stories are American stories. Richland Library has a multitude of beautiful picture books that tell a variety of stories of children and families coming to America in search of a better life. You can place books on hold online or call us in the Children's Room at (803) 929-3434 and we will happily place holds for you to pick up in the CR or at any branch location.
Marwan's Journey
Published in 2018
"One night they came ... The darkness grew colder, deeper, darker, and swallowed up everything ... 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, crossing the deserts and the seas, fleeing war and hunger in search of safety. He must take one step after another--bringing whatever he can carry, holding on to dreams. This is the journey of one boy who longs for a home, and we follow his path, walking hand in hand with him as he looks forward with uncertainty and hopes for a peaceful future. This beautiful, heartfelt story gives a human face to the plight of refugees all over the world. Marwan's journey is everyone's journey"--Jacket.
A Thousand White Butterflies
Published in 2021
Newly arrived from Colombia, Isabella's first day of school in the United States is cancelled because of snow and when Isabella notices a girl playing outside she makes a new friend, despite the language barrier.
Anita and the Dragons
Published in 2021
Anita watches the dragons high above her as she hops from one cement roof to another in her village in the Dominican Republic. But being the valiant princesa she is, she never lets them scare her. Then one day, Anita must face her fears to begin a new life in a new country. Will she be brave enough to enter the belly of the beast and take flight to new adventures?
The Day War Came
Published in 2018
A powerful and necessary picture book - the journey of a child forced to become a refugee when war destroys everything she has ever known. Imagine if, on an ordinary day, war came. Imagine it turned your town to rubble. Imagine going on a long and difficult journey - all alone. Imagine finding no welcome at the end of it. Then imagine a child who gives you something small but very, very precious... When the government refused to allow 3000 child refugees to enter this country in 2016, Nicola Davies was so angry she wrote a poem. It started a campaign for which artists contributed drawings of chairs, symbolising a seat in a classroom, education, kindness, the hope of a future. The poem has become this book, movingly illustrated by Rebecca Cobb, which should prove a powerful aid for explaining the ongoing refugee crisis to younger readers.
La Luna Mango
Cuando La Deportación Divide a Una Familia
Published in 2019
Cuando un padre es apartado de su familia y enfrenta la deportación, su familia se queda sufriendo con el duelo y deseando saber qué sucederá después. Maricela, Manuel y su madre enfrentan los muchos desafíos al tener que su vida es cambiada completamente por la ausencia de su padre y su esposo. Mudarse a una casa nueva, juegos de fútbol perdidos, fiestas de cumpleaños, y el vacío son ahora la norma del día a día. La Luna Mango muestra cómo es la vida desde la perspectiva de un niño/a cuando un padre es deportado, y las realidades desgarradoras que tienen que enfrentar, pero Maricela descubre que su amor por su padre se mantiene a pesar de que ya no es parte de su vida diaria.
Mango Moon
Published in 2019
"Ten-year-old Maricela, her brother Manuel, and mother face many challenges when her father is taken away to face deportation, but love binds them close." -- (Source of summary not specified)
Carmela Full of Wishes
Published in 2018
Carmela, finally old enough to run errands with her brother, tries to think of the perfect wish, while his wish seems to be that she stayed home.
Islandborn
Published in 2018
"Lola was just a baby when her family left the Island, so when she has to draw it for a school assignment, she asks her family, friends, and neighbors about their memories of her homeland...and in the process, comes up with a new way of understanding her own heritage"-- Provided by publisher.
The Arabic Quilt
An Immigrant Story
Published in 2020
When her new classmates tease her, Kanzi finds comfort in wrapping up in a quilt from her teita and writing poetry.
Danbi Leads the School Parade
Published in 2020
"Danbi is thrilled to start her new school in America. But a bit nervous too, for when she walks into the classroom, everything goes quiet. Everyone stares. Danbi wants to join in the dances and the games, but she doesn't know the rules and just can't get anything right. Luckily, she isn't one to give up. With a spark of imagination, she makes up a new game and leads her classmates on a parade to remember! Danbi Leads the School Parade introduces readers to an irresistible new character. In this first story, she learns to navigate her two cultures and realizes that when you open your world to others, their world opens up to you"-- Publisher's description.
Lost and Found Cat
The True Story of Kunkush's Incredible Journey
Published in 2017
Describes how an Iraqi refugee family was separated from their beloved feline companion while on a crowded boat crossing to Greece before a worldwide community helped the cat and his owners reunite.
The Paper Boat
Published in 2020
"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 distances overwater, work hard, and thrive on almost every continent on the planet. Boat People starts with a story inspired by Thao's mother's life: a young girl watches as a bowl of sugar water is put out to attract (and get rid of) some pesky aunts. As the adults around her frantically make plans for escape, she dips her chopstick into the bowl to save the drowning insects. When the army arrives, the family must flee, and in the chaos, the girl and her mother become separated from the others, and get lost in the jungle. The mother gives the hungry girl a bun wrapped in paper, which she then folds into a paper boat. After they eat, the girl spots a trail of ants in the moonlight. They follow the insects to water and manage to meet up with the boat that will take them to safety. The story switches to the perspective of a family of ants who have boarded the paper boat. Their journey is full of peril. The sun is relentless, the ants are attacked by seagulls, they starve, a storm capsizes their boat, and many ants are lost. The survivors, however, cling to each other, creating a raft of their own bodies, eventually making it to shore. One ant ends up on a kitchen table, surrounded by food, much like the table from the first scene. But the family members around this table aren't quite the same. The grandmother is no longer there, the little girl has grown, and she's been joined by a baby sister. But they seem happy, and most importantly, they are safe. As the story ends, the reader zooms out to see that they are but one family in an apartment building full of families, in a busy city full of apartment buildings full of tiny, seemingly insignificant creatures, working hard and thriving. With this picture book, Thao is returning to an earlier format: the wordless picture book of sequential art. But she has pushed herself again with the artwork--and this story is a collage of simple shapes, clean geometry, and impressionistic washes of colour. Its simplicity belies its great depth of feeling. This is a heartfelt, one-of-a-kind book on every level."-- Provided by publisher.
Where Will I Live?
Published in 2017
Young refugees wonder what their new homes will be like in this photo-based picture book featuring images of refugee children from around the world.
Dónde Viviré?
Published in 2017
A photographic essay examines the thousands of children who have been displaced by war or disasters, showing the struggle of refugees around the world.
Mango, Abuela, and Me
Published in 2015
"Mia's abuela has left her sunny house with parrots and palm trees to live with Mia and her parents in the city. The night she arrives, Mia tries to share her favorite book with Abuela before they go to sleep and discovers that Abuela can't read the words inside. So while they cook, Mia helps Abuela learn English ("Dough. Masa"), and Mia learns some Spanish too, but it's still hard for Abuela to learn the words she needs to tell Mia all her stories. Then Mia sees a parrot in the pet-shop window and has the perfecto idea for how to help them all communicate a little better. An endearing tale from an award-winning duo that speaks loud and clear about learning new things and the love that bonds family members."-- From Amazon.com.
De Dónde Eres?
Published in 2019
When other children and their parents keep asking a young girl where she is from, she puts the same question to her grandfather who describes the land and people from which her family originated.
Where Are You From?
Published in 2019
"When a young girl is asked where she's from�where she's really from�she's no longer as she was. She decides to turn to her dear abuelo for some help with this ever-persistent question. But he doesn't quite give her the answer she expects."--Page [2] of cover.
Bright Star
Published in 2021
"A nurturing voice reassures the lonely and afraid in difficult times"-- Provided by publisher.
From Far Away
Published in 2017
"When Saoussan immigrated with her family from war-torn Lebanon, she was only seven years old. This picture book tells the story of how she had to adjust to her new home in Canada. She describes the frustration of not understanding the teacher when she started school, not knowing how to ask to go to the bathroom, and being terrified of a prop skeleton. This is the perfect book to help kids empathize with immigrant children whose experiences are very similar to Saoussan's."-- Provided by publisher.
I'm New Here
Published in 2015
Three children from other countries (Somalia, Guatemala, and Korea) struggle to adjust to their new home and school in the United States.
Coquí in the City
Published in 2021
"When Miguel and his parents move from Puerto Rico to the U.S. mainland, Miguel misses their home, his grandparents, and his pet frog, Coquí, but he soon realizes that New York City has more in common with back home than he originally thought"-- Provided by publisher.
Between Us and Abuela
A Family Story from the Border
Published in 2019
When Maria, Juan, and their mother go to the border between California and Mexico to visit their grandmother at Christmas, Maria must devise a way to get Juan's gift over the fence.
A Different Pond
Published in 2017
"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 father told him about a different pond in their homeland of Vietnam"-- Provided by publisher.
Calling the Water Drum
Published in 2016
"A young boy loses both parents as they attempt to flee Haiti for a better life, and afterward is only able to process his grief and communicate with the outside world through playing the drums. Includes author's note"-- Provided by publisher.
Stepping Stones
A Refugee Family's Journey
Published in 2016
"In this picture book, a young girl and her family are forced to flee their village to escape the civil war that has engulfed Syria and make their way toward freedom in Europe"-- Provided by publisher.
Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote
A Migrant's Tale
Published in 2013
When Papa Rabbit does not return home as expected from many seasons of working in the great carrot and lettuce fields of El Norte, his son Pancho sets out on a dangerous trek to find him, guided by a coyote. Includes author's note.
Sugar in Milk
Published in 2020
"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, until one day, her aunt takes her on a walk. As the duo strolls through their city park, the girl's aunt begins to tell her an old myth, and a story within the story begins"-- Provided by publisher.
Wishes
Published in 2021
"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"--Provided by publisher.
The Day You Begin
Published in 2018
Other students laugh when Rigoberto, an immigrant from Venezuela, introduces himself but later, he meets Angelina and discovers that he is not the only one who feels like an outsider.