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Seeking Safety in a New Land: 25 Books About Mighty Girl Refugees

A Mighty Girl's top books for children and teens about the refugee experience.

With heart-wrenching photos and videos of mothers and children fleeing Ukraine filling television and computer screens, many children will be understandably curious and concerned about what is happening and what it means to be a refugee. As millions of people have been forced to leave Ukraine following the Russian invasion — sparking the fastest and largest displacement of people in Europe since World War II — it's more important than ever to talk to kids about refugees and the importance of the world opening its arms to help those in need.

To make such conversations easier and more relatable to kids, we've showcased a selection of books that explore the experiences of refugees, both in the past and in modern times. Just like Ukrainians today, the characters in these books were forced to flee their homes due to war or persecution and become refugees.

These stories, which range from picture books for young children to novels for teens, explore the entire refugee experience, from having to leave home to seek safety in another country, to accounts of life in a refugee camp, to stories of what it’s like to make a new home in an unfamiliar place for those unable to return to their homelands. While often emotional and poignant, these stories are also full of hope and optimism for the future. Most importantly, they will help deepen kids' understanding and empathy for those escaping war today.

Books About Mighty Girl Refugees of the Past and Present

When We Had To Leave Home
New!

When We Had To Leave Home
New!

Written by: Linda Ravin Lodding
Illustrated by: Anna Aronson
Recommended Age: 4 - 8

Soon after Sofiya starts hearing rumors about her home, Ukraine, fighting with another country, her mother says they have to go on a trip far away. And while Mom tries to make the best of it, she admits she's not sure when, or if, they will come back. And she can't answer questions like whether Sofiya will see her friend Nina again, or whether their new home will have a garden like the one she loves here. To remind herself of what she's leaving behind, Sofiya takes a sunflower with her. Her new country doesn't feel like home, but Sofiya's sunflower has a surprise that will help her feel confident that she can build a new life. This poignant picture book inspired by the experiences of Ukrainian refugees is a powerful way to talk to younger children about conflict, displacement, and what it means to bring home wherever you go.

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Amazon.ca
C$24.95 (CAD)
Amazon.co.uk
£18.60 (GBP)
Amazon.com.au
A$47.40 (AUD)
Amazon.com
$18.99 (USD)

The Memory Coat

The Memory Coat

Written by: Elvira Woodruff
Illustrated by: Michael Dooling
Recommended Age: 4 - 8

It’s the early 1900s, and Rachel’s cousin Grisha has come to live with her family after the death of his parents. He clings to the few reminders he has of them, like the woolen lining on his increasingly battered jacket, made from his mother’s old coat. When the Cossacks start threatening the Jews of their Russian shtetl, though, Rachel’s family decides to flee to America. Immigration means passing the rigorous inspection at Ellis Island... where Grisha’s tattered jacket gets him marked for deportation. Fortunately, clever Rachel thinks of a way to ensure that Grisha can stay with the family, but still keep this precious memento of his mother. This touching story of immigration and the love of extended family also shows how much refugee families have to leave behind.

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C$24.99 (CAD)
Amazon.co.uk
£18.95 (GBP)
Amazon.com.au
A$40.00 (AUD)
Amazon.com
$11.39 (USD)

My Name Is Bana

My Name Is Bana

Written by: Bana Alabed
Illustrated by: Nez Riaz
Recommended Age: 4 - 8

Bana was named after a tall tree that grows in her home country of Syria. "It is my favorite," her mother tells her, and she wanted it to be a reminder to her daughter that she could be as strong as the bana tree. Bana remembers how she has drawn on that strength in the past: when she comforted her brother as bombs fell, and when she used a computer and a Twitter account to tell the world, "I just want to live without fear." This stunning picture book memoir by Bana Alabed, who in 2016 — at the age of 7 — tweeted a child's perspective of the horrors in war-torn Syria, is a powerful message about strength, hope, and the importance of speaking up for refugees around the world.

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C$22.99 (CAD)
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£12.83 (GBP)
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A$23.09 (AUD)
Amazon.com
$12.14 (USD)

The Blessing Cup

The Blessing Cup

Written by: Patricia Polacco
Illustrated by: Patricia Polacco
Recommended Age: 4 - 8

Anna and her family live a life of hardship, with few possessions save the bare necessities — except for a treasured china tea set, given as a wedding gift with the promise that whoever drinks from the cups will always know happiness. They also live in fear of the Czar’s soldiers, who harass and abuse Jewish Russians with impunity. When Papa falls ill, a kindhearted doctor not only takes them in and treats him, but also arranges passage to America, and in gratitude they give him the tea set... all but one cup. Because as long as they have the last blessing cup, the family will indeed know joy — even in their new homeland — for generations to come. This companion to The Keeping Quilt is a tribute to the importance of love and family.

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C$26.99 (CAD)
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£15.22 (GBP)
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A$28.09 (AUD)
Amazon.com
$18.12 (USD)

From the Tops of the Trees

From the Tops of the Trees

Written by: Kao Kalia Yang
Illustrated by: Rachel Wada
Recommended Age: 5 - 8

4-year-old Kalia has never known life outside the Ban Vinai Refugee Camp in Thailand, where she and thousands of other Hmong people live after escaping Laos' Secret War. Although Kalia and her cousins play like any children, she recognizes the hardship her family faces in the camp, and the fear everyone has of moving beyond it: "They are scared to return to the old country. They are scared to go to a new country." Finally, when she asks her father what things are like outside the camp, he helps her climb the tallest tree, so she can see the world beyond — and imagine the potential for a better life. Based on the author's real experience as a child, this stunning and poignant story is a celebration of resilience, hope, and a father's love.

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C$8.57 (CAD)
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£11.89 (GBP)
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A$29.98 (AUD)
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$12.59 (USD)

Hold On to Your Music

The Inspiring True Story of the Children of Willesden Lane

Hold On to Your Music

The Inspiring True Story of the Children of Willesden Lane

Illustrated by: Sonia Possentini
Recommended Age: 5 - 8

In Vienna in the 1930s, a young girl named Lisa Jura discovered a talent for music, and dreamed of becoming a concert pianist. But when the Nazis bombs started to fall, it became obvious that Vienna was dangerous — particularly for Jewish people like her. Lisa's parents made a painful decision and sent her to London through the Kindertransport, a rescue effort dedicated to relocating Jewish children. At the home for refugee children on Willesden Lane, she yearned for her family... and found that her music could provide her with the solace she needed, while also giving hope to others. Lisa's story, originally published for adult readers as The Children of Willesden Lane, will inspire young readers to contemplate what they would hold onto when they needed it most.

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C$23.99 (CAD)
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£13.99 (GBP)
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A$21.23 (AUD)
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$13.39 (USD)

The Key From Spain: Flory Jagoda and Her Music

The Key From Spain: Flory Jagoda and Her Music

Written by: Debbie Levy
Illustrated by: Sonja Wimmer
Recommended Age: 5 - 9

When Flory Jagoda's ancestors were forced to leave Spain during the Spanish Inquisition, they fled with two precious possessions: the Ladino language of Sephardic Jews, and the key to the home they left behind. In their new home in Bosnia, the family lived for centuries, and Flory was born to a home full of music and joy. Then the horrors of World War II strike, and Flory flees to begin a new life in America. She may not have the key, but she has Ladino, her harmoniku, and her love of music to share with her new country. This powerful picture book biography of Ladino singer Flory Jagoda celebrates the importance of preserving connections to the past, even when you must travel to a new country.

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C$4.46 (CAD)
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£12.27 (GBP)
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A$23.15 (AUD)
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$7.99 (USD)

Four Feet, Two Sandals

Four Feet, Two Sandals

Recommended Age: 6 - 9

At a refugee camp in Pakistan, 10-year-old Lina has been eagerly waiting for relief workers to bring her a desperately needed new pair of shoes, but when she grabs a sandal that fits perfectly, she discovers that another girl has snapped up its mate! Lina and Feroza decide that sharing the sandals makes more sense than each keeping one, and from there a friendship is born. As they go about their daily routine — washing clothes in the river, standing in line for necessities, and anxiously waiting for their names to appear on the list of people being transported to a new home in America — they laugh, play, and share their dreams. And when one girl’s name finally comes up on the lists, the sandals take on a new, symbolic role, linking the friends forever. This beautiful picture book is a touching story of how friendship can blossom even in the most difficult of circumstances.

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C$22.55 (CAD)
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£12.39 (GBP)
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A$42.89 (AUD)
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$12.03 (USD)

The Whispering Town

The Whispering Town

Written by: Jennifer Elvgren
Illustrated by: Fabio Santomauro
Recommended Age: 6 - 9

During World War II, the Danish Resistance successfully smuggled over 7,000 people — nearly Denmark's entire Jewish population — across the sea to safety in Sweden. This powerful picture book captures the suspense and heroism of this incredibly brave act through the story of two children. Anett's family lives in a small Danish fishing village, and they're concealing Carl and his mother, the last pair they need to get aboard a fishing boat and to safety. But with the occupying soldiers getting suspicious and a cloudy sky that will prevent Carl from seeing which way is safe from patrols, it takes Anett's clever idea of a chain of whispers to ferry them safely to the harbor.

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C$11.99 (CAD)
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£8.42 (GBP)
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A$19.18 (AUD)
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$8.99 (USD)

Yusra Swims

Yusra Swims

Written by: Julie Abery
Illustrated by: Sally Deng
Recommended Age: 6 - 9

A girl named Yusra dreams of swimming at the Olympics someday, and devotes countless hours to training. When war breaks out in her home country of Syria, her dreams have to get put on hold as she and her sister try to figure out how to flee to safety. They pay smugglers for a chance to ride a boat to Greece, but the inflatable's engine fails in the middle of the sea, threatening everyone on board. Yusra dives into the water to pull the boat — and becomes an international sensation. And not too long after, she finally achieves her Olympic dream, competing for the first ever refugee team. Told in spare quatrains of poetry, with dramatic illustrations that capture the destruction and hardship of war, this stunning picture book biography of Olympic swimmer and Syrian refugee Yusra Mardini is a powerful story about resilience, determination, and hope.

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C$27.09 (CAD)
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£18.81 (GBP)
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A$50.39 (AUD)
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$16.44 (USD)

The Journey

The Journey

Written by: Francesca Sanna
Illustrated by: Francesca Sanna
Recommended Age: 6 - 9

In this beautifully illustrated book, a young girl's life goes from peace and comfort to turmoil and tragedy as war envelops her home and forces the family to flee. As they seek out a place of safety, the family must make decisions that are difficult for kids to imagine, but critical to understanding the experiences of the millions of children caught up in the current refugee crisis. At the same time, simple comforts — like books and storytelling — help the family stay strong through their journey. While the ending isn't a true resolution, it is tinged with hope and optimism: the journey has been grueling but soon, perhaps, they will find a place to call home again. Debut author Francesca Sanna followed up this picture book with a companion, Me and My Fear, which highlights the challenges of adjusting to life in a new country — and how welcoming, accepting friends can help.

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C$23.99 (CAD)
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£11.75 (GBP)
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A$23.09 (AUD)
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$10.99 (USD)

The Lotus Seed

The Lotus Seed

Written by: Sherry Garland
Illustrated by: Tatsuro Kiuchi
Recommended Age: 6 - 9

In 1945, young Ba saw the last emperor of Vietnam weeping as he abdicated his throne and snuck into the Imperial Gardens to take a single lotus seed. For Ba, the seed becomes a precious reminder of her birthplace and culture, especially since it is small enough to carry with her as she travels to a new land, full of tall steel buildings and strange new customs. Ba keeps the seed as she grows, marries, raises children, and sees grandchildren born, until one day her unknowing grandson takes the seed and plants it. The next spring, a glorious blossoming lotus provides a new memory for Ba to keep close to her heart — and share with her family. Full of beautiful illustrations and poetic text, this book also contains an endnote to help readers learn about Vietnam’s history.

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C$12.06 (CAD)
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£7.99 (GBP)
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A$9.99 (AUD)
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$7.99 (USD)

The Day War Came

The Day War Came

Written by: Nicola Davies
Illustrated by: Rebecca Cobb
Recommended Age: 6 - 9

An ordinary day at this girl's school gets interrupted when war suddenly comes to town, depicted as a destructive, giant cloud. In a moment, her whole life is turned upside down, and she's forced to flee, hoping to find a place of safety. But even in a country that's physically safe, things aren't easy: when she shows up at a school, she's turned away... until a boy welcomes her in and gives her a chair he brought from home. Lyrical, poignant, and emotional, this picture book will help young readers understand the trauma caused by war and violence — and how even small gestures can have a big impact.

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C$62.50 (CAD)
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£7.35 (GBP)
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A$22.74 (AUD)
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$23.98 (USD)

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit

Written by: Judith Kerr
Recommended Age: 8 - 12

Anna is growing up in Berlin, and thinks of herself as a German like everyone else she knows. Hitler’s face on posters around the city doesn’t mean anything to her — until one night her father disappears. Her mother explains that he had to leave, and soon, they will join him. Escaping Nazi Germany means a life as a refugee, leaving everything Anna knows behind, but at first it just seems like an adventure. Soon, though, Anna realizes the move is permanent, complete with new languages to learn, financial struggles, and a new realization: the most important thing of all is that their family is together. Kids will empathize with Anna's confusion as this book provides a gentle introduction to World War II and Holocaust history.

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C$16.37 (CAD)
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£7.14 (GBP)
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A$23.81 (AUD)
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$8.99 (USD)

Hedy's Journey: The True Story of a Hungarian Girl Fleeing the Holocaust

Hedy's Journey: The True Story of a Hungarian Girl Fleeing the Holocaust

Written by: Michelle Bisson
Illustrated by: El Primo Ramon
Recommended Age: 8 - 12

In 1941, Hedy's Hungarian Jewish family faces tough decisions: Hitler's armies are beginning to round up Jews across Europe, and no one is safe, but the family's circumstances don't allow them all to travel together. At 16, Hedy must travel across Europe by train — alone — in hopes of reaching a port where she can board a ship to America. Along the way she encounters good luck and bad, kind helpers and cruel soldiers; she dreams of happy reunions and fears that, instead, she'll find herself alone forever. This thoughtful picture book from the Encounter: Narrative Nonfiction Picture Books series includes a note at the end that follows Hedy's story after she arrives in America, capturing the aftermath and epilogue of her refugee experience.

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C$16.11 (CAD)
Amazon.co.uk
£4.67 (GBP)
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A$26.35 (AUD)
Amazon.com
$14.02 (USD)

The Children of Willesden Lane

A True Story of Hope and Survival During World War II: Young Readers Edition

The Children of Willesden Lane

A True Story of Hope and Survival During World War II: Young Readers Edition

Recommended Age: 8 - 12

As the Nazi regime rose — and people began to suspect its aims — one program, the Kindertransport, brought 10,000 children into the United Kingdom for safety. Lisa Jura was a 14-year-old musical prodigy whose parents were offered the chance to send one of their three children; they chose her. In a home for refugee children she yearned for her family, but her music offered hope to both her and many around her in the midst of the war. This young readers adaptation of the biography for teens and adults, The Children of Willesden Lane: Beyond the Kindertransport: A Memoir of Music, Love, and Survival, captures both the pain caused by the war and the power of music to lift everyone up.

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C$11.00 (CAD)
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(Unavailable)
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A$22.63 (AUD)
Amazon.com
$8.99 (USD)

Drita, My Homegirl

Drita, My Homegirl

Written by: Jenny Lombard
Recommended Age: 8 - 12

10-year-old Drita is a Muslim Albanian refugee, struggling with the transition from war-torn Kosovo to Brooklyn, New York; she doesn’t speak any English, and her mother is falling into depression. Maxie is an African-American girl who still wrestles with grief after her mother died in an accident, and as one of the “cool kids,” she doesn’t want anything to do with this strange new girl. But when their teacher assigns a project to Maxie, interviewing Drita about her life in Albania and her move to the US, the two girls slowly develop a friendship as they discover unexpected connections between their lives. This unique novel alternates between both girls’ perspectives, creating a poignant and powerful tale of bridging cultural divides.

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C$7.83 (CAD)
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£8.54 (GBP)
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A$21.23 (AUD)
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$7.99 (USD)

A Faraway Island

A Faraway Island

Written by: Annika Thor
Recommended Age: 8 - 12

12-year-old Stephanie and her 7-year-old sister Nellie love their lives in Vienna, but as the Nazi influence rises, their parents send them to safety with two foster families in Sweden. They plan to join their daughters shortly so that the whole family can travel to America — and safety — together. Nellie settles in quickly but Stephanie wrestles with loneliness and isolation, particularly when a clique of bigoted girls begin taunting her at school. She clings to the hope that her parents will come, but as time goes on, she begins to realize that she will need to make the best of her temporary — or perhaps not so temporary — home. This is the first book of a quartet about the sisters, of which three volumes have been translated from the original Swedish; fans eager to follow Stephanie’s story can check out The Lily Pond and Deep Sea.

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C$9.19 (CAD)
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£4.79 (GBP)
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A$24.08 (AUD)
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$7.99 (USD)

Lily’s Crossing

Lily’s Crossing

Written by: Patricia Reilly Giff
Recommended Age: 8 - 12

Lily has always looked forward to her summers at a beach house in Rockaway, New York: at home, everyone knows she tells lies, but her summer friend Margaret understands her need to feel important. In the summer of 1944, though, Margaret has moved to a wartime factory town, and her father is on his way overseas to fight in the war. It’s not until she meets Albert, a refugee from Hungary, that the summer brightens. Lily is shocked to hear Albert’s tales of life in the war — particularly the loss of most of his family — and without thinking, she tells him one of her lies, one that could threaten his life. Lily will have to wrestle with her own feelings of insecurity and learn to tell the truth if she is going to help Albert find a new life in America. This Newbery Honor book tells the story of two struggling children with subtlety and compassion.

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C$8.22 (CAD)
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£17.69 (GBP)
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A$24.71 (AUD)
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$8.02 (USD)

Which Way Is Home?

Which Way Is Home?

Written by: Maria Kiely
Recommended Age: 9 - 12

11-year-old Anna's family live in Czechoslovakia, where the Communists saved the country from the Nazis at the end of World War II — but now they don't feel safe under the authoritarian regime. Her father had to flee the country to avoid arrest, and Anna, her mother, and her sister know they're in danger. So the family escapes, hoping to reunite with Papa even though they don't know where he is or have any way to contact him. As they hide from authorities and struggle to survive, the family realizes they'll have to put their trust in strangers, no matter the risk. Based on the author's family history, and including several anecdotes from the real-life Anna, this thrilling novel about escaping Czechoslovakia after the 1948 Communist takeover captures a riveting yet little-known part of history.

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C$34.22 (CAD)
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£13.24 (GBP)
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A$38.66 (AUD)
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$15.22 (USD)

Escape From Aleppo

Escape From Aleppo

Written by: N. H. Senzai
Recommended Age: 9 - 13

Nadia's perfect twelfth birthday is interrupted by shocking news marking the beginning of the Arab Spring — and the start of the civil war in Syria. In mere months, her home city becomes a war zone, and her family decides to flee... but before they can, Nadia is buried in the rubble after a bombing, and her family is forced to go without her. As Nadia attempts to follow them, she receives help from an elderly bookbinder and encounters others like her: people young and old who just want safety and peace. Author N. H. Senzi uses Nadia's memories to highlight both the normal lives that most Syrians lived before the war, but also hints at the dangers when your country is ruled by a dictator, creating a compelling look at the trauma facing Syrian refugees.

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C$11.99 (CAD)
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£7.13 (GBP)
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A$45.94 (AUD)
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$8.99 (USD)

Inside Out and Back Again

Inside Out and Back Again

Written by: Thanhhà Lại
Recommended Age: 9 and up

10-year-old Hà has lived her whole life in Saigon, and she loves everything about the city — the bustling markets, its unique traditions, and her very own papaya tree. But when the Vietnam War reaches the capital, Hà and her family are forced to flee. They make their way by boat to a tent city in Guam, then to Florida, and finally, to a new home in Alabama. To Hà, this new land is all wrong: her neighbors are cold, the food is dull, and even the landscape feels alien. Even still, thanks to the strength of her family and help from a teacher with a very unexpected connection to the country where she was born, Hà begins to find her own place in this new world. This National Book Award-winning novel is written in free verse. Fans of this story will enjoy the 2015 companion novel, Listen, Slowly.

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C$12.50 (CAD)
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£18.00 (GBP)
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A$24.49 (AUD)
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$6.78 (USD)

37 Days at Sea: Aboard the M.S. St. Louis, 1939

37 Days at Sea: Aboard the M.S. St. Louis, 1939

Written by: Barbara Krasner
Recommended Age: 9 - 12

It's May, 1939, and 12-year-old Ruthie Arons is one of over 900 Jewish refugees who have boarded the M.S. St. Louis, a luxury liner that's supposed to take them from Nazi Germany to safety in Cuba. Ruthie misses her grandmother and her dog, both of whom had to stay behind, and she's worried about her father, who is sick. Then the ship isn't allowed to dock in Havana... and worse, Ruthie and her friend Wolfie discover a Nazi on board. Will Ruthie be able to defy the odds and keep up her hope for a new life? Based on the true, tragic story of the M.S. St. Louis, which was eventually forced to return to Europe, where at least a third of its passengers died, this is a powerful novel in free verse told through the eyes of one young Jewish girl.

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C$23.99 (CAD)
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£9.35 (GBP)
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A$26.33 (AUD)
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$15.57 (USD)

The Red Pencil

The Red Pencil

Written by: Andrea Davis Pinkney
Illustrated by: Shane Evans
Recommended Age: 9 and up

12-year-old Amira lives an ordinary life in South Darfur, Sudan, dreaming of adulthood and the chance for an education, but there is a constant fear under the surface: the Janjaweed, who are so dangerous that Amira’s mother tells her to run immediately if she sees them. When the Janjaweed do come, Amira’s village is destroyed, her father is killed, and the rest of her family is forced to flee. Amira is so traumatized that she falls into silence, even as the family finds a place to stay in the Kalma refugee camp. Slowly, with the help of the people around her — and the gift of a red pencil — Amira must find a way to restore hope to her life. Davis Pinkney includes an endnote with details about the conflict in Sudan and the real Kalma refugee camp, which still exists today. This compassionate telling in free verse also incorporates simple pen drawings to capture a brutal conflict in deft strokes.

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C$11.00 (CAD)
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£6.99 (GBP)
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A$12.32 (AUD)
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$6.99 (USD)

Brother's Keeper

Brother's Keeper

Written by: Julie Lee
Recommended Age: 10 - 13

12-year-old Sora is familiar with the tight restrictions of life within North Korea, a Communist dictatorship, in 1950 – and with the equally harsh expectations on girls. Her mother makes it clear that her 8-year-old brother, Youngsoo, is far more important than Sora could ever be. When war breaks out, the family decides to escape to South Korea, over 300 miles away — but when Sora and Youngsoo are separated from their parents, she finds herself responsible for getting herself and her increasingly weak younger brother to safety. Loosely based on the experiences of the author's mother, this wartime survival story is a poignant look at a girl struggling within the shackles of an totalitarian state and a culture that makes her feel less worthy than a boy.

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C$23.99 (CAD)
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£14.14 (GBP)
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A$38.66 (AUD)
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$10.49 (USD)

Across So Many Seas
New!

Across So Many Seas
New!

Written by: Ruth Behar
Recommended Age: 10 - 13

Award-winning author Ruth Behar tells the story of four generations of Sephardic Jewish women, each facing their own journey to find themselves. In 1492, Benvenida and her family are exiled from Spain, eventually settling in Istanbul. In 1923, headstrong Reina is disowned by her family and sent to Cuba for an arranged marriage. In 1961, Reina's daughter Alegra becomes a brigadista teaching literacy until Castro's oppression drives her to flee to America. And in 2003, Alegra's daughter, Paloma, takes a family trip to Spain to rediscover her family's heritage — and discover family history. This sweeping epic captures how these four different girls are united by their hope to build a new home for themselves — and by the strength provided by their ancestors.

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C$24.50 (CAD)
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£14.25 (GBP)
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A$33.80 (AUD)
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$16.99 (USD)

Samira Surfs

Samira Surfs

Written by: Rukhsanna Guidroz
Illustrated by: Fahmida Azim
Recommended Age: 10 - 13

11-year-old Samira and her family are unregistered Rohingya refugees, eking out a living in the Bangladeshi town of Cox's Bazar. Samira struggles with trauma after watching her village burn and seeing her grandmother and grandfather drown during their desperate flight away from Burma by boat, and dreams of going to school like her brother, Khaled — something her father forbids. When Samira discovers a local girls' surfing club, she wonders if winning the cash prize for a big surfing contest might prove to her father that a daughter can change their family's fortune. But along the way, she realizes that finding her feet on a surfboard also gives her confidence and connects her with a community who will support her, no matter what. This middle grade novel in verse, with black and white illustrations throughout, is a tribute to the power of connection and sisterhood.

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C$23.99 (CAD)
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£12.99 (GBP)
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A$43.99 (AUD)
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$15.99 (USD)

Letters From Rifka

Letters From Rifka

Written by: Karen Hesse
Recommended Age: 10 - 14

It's 1919, and Rifka and her family are fleeing the brutal treatment that Russian soldiers direct towards Jewish people in their home country. In her dreams, America will be a perfect place, where she and her family can have all the opportunities they could never have in Russia. On her travels, Rifka brings a book of Alexander Pushkin's poetry, in which she writes letters to Tovah, her beloved cousin who stayed behind, about her experiences — humiliating physical examinations, disease running rampant, terrifying storms that threaten her ship, detainment on Ellis Island, and even the loss of her long, blonde hair, something she never imagined she would have to give up. This story, which is based on a real piece of author Karen Hesse's family history, captures the courage and persistence that refugees need, as well as the sense of optimism and hope that drives them.

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Buy:
Amazon.ca
C$8.99 (CAD)
Amazon.co.uk
(Unavailable)
Amazon.com.au
A$18.54 (AUD)
Amazon.com
$7.67 (USD)

Dear World: A Syrian Girl's Story of War and Plea for Peace

Dear World: A Syrian Girl's Story of War and Plea for Peace

Written by: Bana Alabed
Recommended Age: 10 and up

In October, 2016, seven-year-old Bana Alabed became the voice of millions of children when she took to Twitter to tell the world about the horrors of the Syrian civil war. She lost her best friend, her school, and her home, and her heartrending messages — including “I just want to live without fear.”  — captured the world's attention. Following her and her family's life in Syria and eventual escape to Turkey, this book alternates Bana's words with short chapters by her mother, for a powerful and poignant reminder of the resiliency of the human spirit, the unconquerable courage of a child, and the abiding power of hope.

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Buy:
Amazon.ca
C$22.00 (CAD)
Amazon.co.uk
(Unavailable)
Amazon.com.au
A$35.37 (AUD)
Amazon.com
$10.26 (USD)

I Lived On Butterfly Hill

I Lived On Butterfly Hill

Written by: Marjorie Agosin
Illustrated by: Lee White
Recommended Age: 10 and up

Celeste’s childhood in Chile is idyllic... until warships appear in the harbor. The country’s new government calls artists, protesters, and those who help the needy “subversive” and vows to eliminate them. Some of Celeste’s classmates stop coming to school, and soon Celeste begins to feel that no one is safe. Celeste’s parents, who are both educated and generous to the poor around them, realize they need to go into hiding, but before they do, they send Celeste to her aunt in Maine. Celeste must learn to cope with being exiled from the country and family she loves, and also with the fear that no one, anywhere, can truly be safe. Seeing the turmoil of dictatorship and the harsh treatment of dissenters through Celeste’s eyes is heartbreaking, but tinged with optimism as Celeste realizes that Chile will always remain an important part of who she is.

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Buy:
Amazon.ca
C$11.33 (CAD)
Amazon.co.uk
£10.07 (GBP)
Amazon.com.au
A$27.02 (AUD)
Amazon.com
$8.17 (USD)

Other Words For Home

Other Words For Home

Written by: Jasmine Warga
Recommended Age: 10 and up

When violence erupts near 12-year-old Jude's Syrian home, her Baba and older brother refuse to leave. Her mother, though, believes that it's no longer safe for her, Jude, and the baby she's carrying to stay. Jude finds herself winging across the ocean to Cincinnati, where an aunt, uncle, and cousin she's never met live. But life in America is a big adjustment: her cousin isn't welcoming, nobody looks like her, and she misses everything she left behind. "It is strange to feel lucky for something that is making my heart feel so sad," she thinks. With time, though, Jude finds her place in her new country — and who she really is. This lyrical and hopeful novel in verse will give kids new perspective on the experience of refugees as they leave an old home to find a new one.

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Buy:
Amazon.ca
C$15.92 (CAD)
Amazon.co.uk
£12.99 (GBP)
Amazon.com.au
A$34.99 (AUD)
Amazon.com
$12.39 (USD)

The Night Diary

The Night Diary

Written by: Veera Hiranandani
Recommended Age: 10 and up

Twelve-year-old Nisha is half-Muslim, half-Hindu, and in 1947, when Pakistan and India have just separated, she feels like she doesn't know where she belongs. After losing her mother as a baby, she's desperate to cling to the familiar. But when her father decides it's too dangerous to stay in Pakistan, Nisha and her family set out as refugees in search of a new home, first by train and then on foot. It's long and dangerous travel, but Nisha still believes that the future will be bright. In a series of letters to her mother, Nisha relates her journey and explores the search for home, identity, and hope.

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Buy:
Amazon.ca
C$10.30 (CAD)
Amazon.co.uk
£4.99 (GBP)
Amazon.com.au
A$11.85 (AUD)
Amazon.com
$7.99 (USD)

The Road From Home: A True Story of Courage, Survival and Hope

The Road From Home: A True Story of Courage, Survival and Hope

Written by: David Kherdian
Recommended Age: 11 and up

8-year-old Veron Dumehjian is used to a life of privilege as the child of a wealthy Armenian family. Then, in 1915, the Ottoman government removes her family from its home and deports them, forcing them on a death march into the Syrian desert. Veron watches in horror as her parents and siblings slowly die to exhaustion and disease. She survives thanks to the help of distant relatives, and spends years in an orphanage before being reunited with he grandmother in her hometown. And then, just as she begins to believe in safety, the Greco-Turkish war displaces her to Smyrna, where she escapes the horrors of the Great Fire thanks to a rescue from a nearby boat. This Newbery Honor book, written by Veron's son, explores the horror of the Armenian Genocide of 1.5 million people through the eyes of one girl.

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Buy:
Amazon.ca
C$11.79 (CAD)
Amazon.co.uk
£20.19 (GBP)
Amazon.com.au
A$17.28 (AUD)
Amazon.com
$10.99 (USD)

Children of the River

Children of the River

Written by: Linda Crew
Recommended Age: 12 and up

When she was thirteen, Sundara fled Cambodia and the horrors of the Khmer Rouge, leaving behind her family and the boy she had loved since childhood. Now, four years later, she struggles with her identity, trying to be a typical American teen at high school and a "good Cambodian girl" in her aunt and uncle’s home. A good Cambodian girl would never date, or even be caught spending time with a boy... but when Jonathan, a star football player who wants to be more than a jock, asks for her help with a project, Sundara risks her family’s disapproval by sitting with him at lunch. The pair grows close, but when their relationship is discovered, Sundara is desperately conflicted: she feels disloyal to her past, but how can she honor where she came from when such terrible things happen there? This remarkable novel examines the aftermath of resettling: finding a way to live between cultures.

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Buy:
Amazon.ca
C$10.99 (CAD)
Amazon.co.uk
£5.90 (GBP)
Amazon.com.au
A$16.99 (AUD)
Amazon.com
$7.99 (USD)

We Are Displaced: My Journey and Stories from Refugee Girls Around the World

We Are Displaced: My Journey and Stories from Refugee Girls Around the World

Written by: Malala Yousafzai
Recommended Age: 13 and up

68.5 million people in our world are displaced — fleeing violence and war — and many of them are young. Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai recounts the stories of just some of the displaced and refugee girls she has met in her global role as an education activist, and connects them to her own story — both becoming an Internally Displaced Person as a young child in Pakistan, and then being forced to flee the homeland she loved after the infamous attempt on her life. This powerful and personal exploration of the real people behind the immigration crisis and border conflict stories provides a new perspective on these issues to today's teens.

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Buy:
Amazon.ca
C$14.29 (CAD)
Amazon.co.uk
£23.03 (GBP)
Amazon.com.au
A$33.65 (AUD)
Amazon.com
$8.29 (USD)

Butterfly Yellow

Butterfly Yellow

Written by: Thanhhà Lại
Recommended Age: 13 and up

Six years ago, Hằng tried to escape the Vietnam War with her brother, Linh; instead, American soldiers took him on board their plane and left her behind. After a brutal journey and time in a refugee camp, Hằng has finally made it to Texas and she's determined to find Linh. On the way, she meets LeeRoy, a would-be cowboy who drives her to Linh's adopted home — only for Hằng to discover that Linh doesn't remember her or Vietnam. Hằng refuses to give up on her brother, though, and LeeRoy won't leave her. As Hằng struggles with her trauma and her guilt about her brother, she and LeeRoy find their relationship evolving in ways neither expected. This powerful YA novel by the author of Inside Out & Back Again explores loyalty, family, and the deep impressions war leaves on its innocent victims.

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Buy:
Amazon.ca
C$13.61 (CAD)
Amazon.co.uk
(Unavailable)
Amazon.com.au
A$40.92 (AUD)
Amazon.com
$11.64 (USD)

Muzoon: A Syrian Refugee Speaks Out

Muzoon: A Syrian Refugee Speaks Out

Recommended Age: 12 and up

Muzoon grew up in Syria, enjoying activities much like any child — soccer with friends, family gatherings — but when she was 14, her family had to flee the growing violence. She was told to pack only the essentials; she took her school books, because she knew that education was the key to her future. Once settled in a refugee camp in Jordan, she started going from tent to tent, encouraging other kids to keep going to school. Since then, she has been known as the "Malala of Syria" and became the first refugee to hold the position of UNICEF goodwill ambassador. In her own voice, Muzoon reminds young readers that "'a refugee is not a type of person... [they are] someone in a kind of situation that could happen to anyone."

Buy:
Buy:
Amazon.ca
C$16.53 (CAD)
Amazon.co.uk
£11.75 (GBP)
Amazon.com.au
A$29.94 (AUD)
Amazon.com
$12.99 (USD)

What the Night Sings

What the Night Sings

Written by: Vesper Stamper
Recommended Age: 14 and up

14-year-old Gerta Richter was a talented singer with a promising future — until June 1944, when Nazi soldiers burst into her home and she found out that her Papa had spent years concealing their Jewish heritage. She survived to liberation, but her father didn't... and without her music, and unsure of her place in the world, Gerta's not sure she'll find a way to move on. In a displaced persons camp, though, she meets Lev, a fellow teen survivor. As she grows closer to Lev, Gerta begins to accept her new Jewish identity, and even sees the possibility of music entering her life again. This powerful novel, with haunting spot images and larger illustrations that capture the deep emotion of the text, explores the challenges that faced survivors of the Holocaust, who had to try to rebuild lives that could never be the same.

Buy:
Buy:
Amazon.ca
C$26.99 (CAD)
Amazon.co.uk
£17.26 (GBP)
Amazon.com.au
A$49.99 (AUD)
Amazon.com
$12.19 (USD)

The Bite of the Mango

The Bite of the Mango

Recommended Age: 14 and up

Mariatu has heard stories of rebel attacks in other places in Sierra Leone, but only rumors — how could they possibly be true? But one day, the 11-year-old encounters their brutality first-hand: rebel soldiers, only a few years older than her, destroy her village, murder her neighbors, and cut off both her hands with a machete. “We want you to go to the president and show him what we did to you,” they say. “You won’t be able to vote for him now.” Miraculously, Mariatu survives, a single mango providing her first meal after the attack — and giving her the desire to live on. Her journey will take her to a refugee camp in Freetown, a home and education in Canada, and, finally, a position as a UNICEF Special Representative. Kamara's raw and powerful account of the conflict in 1990s Sierra Leone is unsettling, but inspiring: if Mariatu can find new hope, others can, too.

Buy:
Buy:
Amazon.ca
C$12.95 (CAD)
Amazon.co.uk
£17.28 (GBP)
Amazon.com.au
A$31.47 (AUD)
Amazon.com
$8.99 (USD)

The Cat I Never Named: A True Story of Love, War, and Survival

The Cat I Never Named: A True Story of Love, War, and Survival

Recommended Age: 14 and up

Before 1992, Amra's life in Bosnia was that of a typical teenager, full of volleyball games and birthday surprises — but things were about to change. Suddenly Muslims like her started arriving in her hometown of Bihac, fleeing Serbian persecution... and soon even her own best friend refuses to talk to her. When the Serbian tanks beseige the town, Amra thinks all happiness has vanished until she meets a stray calico cat who seems to charm her way into everyone's heart... and perhaps even serves as the family's guardian. Now a professor in the United States, Sabic-El-Rayess uses her teenage self's viewpoint to explore the horrors of the Bosnian genocide and how war brings out the worst — and the best — in humanity.

Buy:
Buy:
Amazon.ca
C$26.76 (CAD)
Amazon.co.uk
£15.38 (GBP)
Amazon.com.au
A$29.99 (AUD)
Amazon.com
$12.19 (USD)

Additional Resources

  • For more stories about the experiences of immigrants and refugees, visit our selection of books about Immigration & Migration.
  • For stories that tackle the realities of conflict — and its consequences for the population of a country — visit our War & Conflict section.
  • For books that capture the spirit of hope that drives refugees to seek new homes, visit our Hope & Optimism section.

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