Embracing the Immigration Experience

Embracing the Immigration Experience

By Amanda McAnally

The topic of immigration and refugees can be tough to talk about with your little ones. Where do you begin? How can we inspire our children to think deeper about their peers? Start the conversation with four fun and informative reads all about acceptance, courage, and the shared need to find a place to call home.

All the Way to America: The Story of a Big Italian Family and a Little Shovel by Dan Yaccarino

(Starting at $8, Random House Children’s Books, Ages 5–9)

This loving retelling of a family member’s journey from Italy to New York City can resonate with almost any person living in the United States. The warm, colorful illustrations provide a timely reminder that America has always been a nation of immigrants.

Refugee by Alan Gratz

(Starting at $8, Scholastic, Inc., Ages 9–12)

This action-packed novel follows three children from three separate time periods all searching for the same thing: refuge. Chock full with themes of courage, survival, and the quest for home, tweens won’t want to put down this gripping tale.

From Far Away by Robert Munsch

(Starting at $8, Annick Press, Ages 4–7)

This endearing picture book illustrates the struggles little Saoussan experienced when she immigrated with her family from war-torn Lebanon to Canada. It teaches young ones about the importance of acceptance and the universal need to belong somewhere.

Amercanized: Rebel Without a Green Card by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan Sara Saedi

(Starting at $13, Random House Children’s Books, Ages 14–17)

Get ready to laugh and cry through Saedi’s memoir about being an undocumented teenage Iranian immigrant living in the United States. Filled with pop culture references and a relatable coming-of-age narrative, teens will get a chance to understand what it’s like for those struggling with immigration.