Refugees & Immigration KS2
Refugees and Immigration Booklist (KS2) We’ve put together a list of recommended texts for primary school aged children on the topic of refugees and immigration. For this community booklist, we asked our community of primary teachers, TAs, children’s authors, librarians and book lovers to nominate their top recommended texts that explore the topic of immigration […]
When Jessie Came Across the Sea
In an inspiring pairing, Amy Hest and P.J. Lynch create an unforgettable tribute to the immigrant experience. Jessie lives with her grandmother in a poor village in the valleys of eastern Europe. When, to everyone’s surprise, young Jessie is chosen by the village rabbi to travel to America, and to leave her grandmother behind, they […]
Here I am
Newly arrived from their faraway homeland, a boy and his family enter into the lights, noise, and traffic of a busy city in this dazzling wordless picture book. The language is unfamiliar. Food, habits, games and gestures are puzzling. The boy clings tightly to his special keepsake from home and wonders how he will find […]
A Story Like The Wind
A beautifully illustrated story of freedom, music, and seeking refuge. A small group of refugees is crowded on to a boat on the sea. They share their stories as the boat travels towards the dream of safety and freedom. One boy, Rami, has brought his violin, and his story of how the violin was invented, […]
The Unforgotten Coat
From the award-winning author of Millions comes a story of friendship in the midst of adversity. Winner of the 2012 Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize, this magical and poignant book is enriched by stunning and atmospheric Polaroid photos. Two refugee brothers from Mongolia are determined to fit in with their Liverpool schoolmates, but bring so much […]
Who are Refugees and Migrants? What Makes People Leave their Homes? And Other Big Questions
What does it mean for people to have to leave their homes, and what happens when they seek entry to another country? This book explores the history of refugees and migration around the world and the effects on people of never-ending war and conflict. It compares the effects on society of diversity and interculturalism with […]
Home Ground
Sam’s team are edging closer to the bottom of the league this season and team captain Jordan’s bad attitude isn’t helping anyone. When Sam spots Hasan playing on the refugee team, he can see that Hasan’s got talent and invites him along to practice. Hasan and his friend Faisal prove to be exactly what the […]
Do You Speak Chocolate?
I just knew we were going to be friends. Don’t ask me to explain why. I can’t. But i just knew.’ Jaz has found the best way to make friends with new girl Nadima, who doesn’t speak any English – by offering her a chocolate bar. Nadima grins and offers back some Turkish Delight, the […]
Running On The Roof Of The World
Join 12-year-old Tash and her best friend Sam in a story of adventure, survival and hope, set in the vivid Himalayan landscape of Tibet and India. Filled with friendship, love and courage, this young girl’s thrilling journey to save her parents is an ideal read for children aged 9-12. There are two words that are […]
Azzi In Between
Azzi and her parents are in danger. They have to leave their home and escape to another country on a frightening journey by car and boat. In the new country they must learn to speak a new language, find a new home and Azzi must start a new school. With a kind helper at the […]
The Journey
With haunting echoes of the current refugee crisis this beautifully illustrated book explores the unimaginable decisions made as a family leave their home and everything they know to escape the turmoil and tragedy brought by war. This book will stay with you long after the last page is turned. From the author: The Journey is […]
King of the Sky
A breathtaking new picture book by children’s author Nicola Davies, illustrated by Laura Carlin, winner of the Bratislava Illustration Biennale and the Bologna Ragazzi Prize for Illustration. Starting a new life in a new country, a young boy feels lost and alone – until he meets an old man who keeps racing pigeons. Together they […]
No Ballet Shoes in Syria
Aya is eleven years old and has just arrived in Britain with her mum and baby brother, seeking asylum from war in Syria. When Aya stumbles across a local ballet class, the formidable dance teacher spots her exceptional talent and believes that Aya has the potential to earn a prestigious ballet scholarship. But at the […]
Welcome to Nowhere
Twelve-year-old Omar and his brothers and sisters were born and raised in the beautiful and bustling city of Bosra, Syria. Omar doesn’t care about politics – all he wants is to grow up to become a successful businessman who will take the world by storm. But when his clever older brother, Musa, gets mixed up […]
The Arrival
What drives so many to leave everything behind and journey alone to a mysterious country, a place without family or friends, where everything is nameless and the future is unknown? This silent graphic novel is the story of every migrant, every refugee, every displaced person, and a tribute to all those who have made the […]
Boy 87
Shif is just an ordinary boy who likes chess, maths and racing his best friend home from school. But one day, soldiers with guns come to his door – and he knows that he is no longer safe. Shif is forced to leave his mother and little sister, and embark on a dangerous journey; a […]
The Boy at the Back of the Class
Told with heart and humour, The Boy at the Back of the Class is a child’s perspective on the refugee crisis, highlighting the importance of friendship and kindness in a world that doesn’t always make sense. There used to be an empty chair at the back of my class, but now a new boy called […]
The Silence Seeker
When a new family moves in next door, Joe’s mum explains that they are asylum seekers. Joe hears that they are silence seekers, especially as Mum adds that they need peace and quiet. When he sees a young boy from the family sitting disconsolately on the steps, Joe decides to help him find a quiet […]
When Stars Are Scattered
A heart-wrenching true story about life in a Kenyan refugee camp that will restore your faith in real-life happy endings. Omar and his brother Hassan, two Somali boys, have spent a long time in the Dadaab refugee camp. Separated from their mother, they are looked after by a friendly stranger. Life in the camp isn’t […]
The Fox Girl and The White Gazelle
Reema runs to remember the life she left behind in Syria. Caylin runs to find what she’s lost. Under the grey Glasgow skies, twelve-year-old refugee Reema is struggling to find her place in a new country, with a new language and without her brother. But she isn’t the only one feeling lost. Her Glasgwegian neighbour […]
Front Desk
Mia Tang has a lot of secrets: 1. She lives in a motel, not a big house. 2. Her parents hide immigrants. 3. She wants to be a writer. It will take all of Mia’s courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year. Will she be able to hold on to her job, […]
