June is World Refugee Awareness Month, and June 20, 2023 is World Refugee Day. In recognition of the tremendous strength, bravery, and sacrifice that refugees must have and endure to ensure the safety of their loved ones and themselves, I’ve curated a collection of children’s books featuring the refugee stories.Plus, you’ll also notice one *grown up book* Body Counts: The Vietnam War and Militarized Refuge(es), for which I designed and created the cover art, and a cookbook featuring a collection of recipes from refugee chefs. My goal is to create a scene portraying refugees not as passive victims, but as survivors creating community, joy, and new life even amidst a backdrop of war.

 I share these stories with you and littles in the hopes of raising a new generation that will help to fight for and create a world where those seeking safety, those determined to start a new life, and those who understand the value of passion, the necessity of sacrifice, and the urgency of labor to create a safe home for the ones they love, are welcomed with open arms across borders.

Within these pages, you will find stories of resilience, courage, hope, and love in the face of loss, sacrifice and ultimately new beginnings.

If you have any recommendations to add to this reading list, please comment below and share your own Refugee Experience Titles.

Recommended Reading List: The Refugee Experience

*Continue to scroll for a sneak peek of a selected few from the collection*

For the Full Recommended Reading List:

Shop the Full Recommended Refugee Children’s Books Reading List Here

Children’s Books

Last Flight by Kristen Mai Giang // In April 1975, as Saigon faced imminent surrender to the North Vietnamese Army, the final flight evacuating over 400 individuals to the United States took off. Among them was eight-year-old Kristen Giang, who vividly recounts the intense emotions surrounding her family’s decision to flee Vietnam. In this poignant tale, Kristen shares her experience through the eyes of a young child, using imaginative games like playing space-explorers to shield herself and her sister from tear gas. She also reveals her secret act of sneaking a stuffed animal into their already packed suitcase, seeking a sense of comfort amidst the uncertainty and upheaval of their journey.

To the Other Side by Erika Meza // An emotionally rich story of border walls and two refugee children: A young boy and his older sister embark on a game where they need to travel through vast and challenging lands to reach the finish line. Along the way, they both imagine different possibilities of what they’ll find on the other side of the border: a spotted dog, ice cream, or a new school. However, the journey becomes tougher than expected, and they face real monsters that are scarier than they anticipated. Despite the challenges, the two siblings must find the strength to continue moving forward.

Migrants by Eduard Altarriba // This book highlights the historical nomadic nature of humanity, emphasizing that sedentary lifestyles, national borders, and identity documents are relatively new developments in comparison. These factors are paradoxical considering the increasing globalization of our world. The rise of populist movements in the West, advocating for closed borders and rejection of others, raises concerns about our sense of unity, especially in the face of potential large-scale migration due to the climate crisis. The book aims to provide children with clear and objective explanations about migration, including its causes, consequences, and the humanistic and legal aspects surrounding it. By presenting information in a simple and accessible manner, it equips children with the knowledge to better understand the world they live in.

Dounia and the Magic Seeds by Marya Zarif // In a tale set in war-torn Aleppo, Syria, a young girl named Dounia and her grandparents are forced to leave their beloved home to escape the violence. With only a bird sculpture and four baraké seeds, Dounia faces treacherous obstacles, including dangerous waters, a guarded camp, and unfriendly soldiers. Drawing strength from the seeds, believed to ward off evil, she overcomes each challenge on their arduous journey. Guided by a neighbor’s prophecy of a blue house, Dounia’s resilience and active participation in shaping her destiny shine through, beautifully depicted in captivating artwork.

My Beautiful Birds by Suzanne Del Rizzo //  Sami, a young Syrian boy, flees his war-ravaged home with his family and neighbors, trekking through treacherous terrain to escape the destruction caused by bombs. Despite the dangers, Sami’s main concern is the fate of his beloved pet pigeons. Upon reaching a refugee camp and finding safety, the community settles into their new temporary home. However, while the other children regain a sense of normalcy, Sami remains haunted by the memories of his lost birds and the tragedy his family has endured. Even when given art supplies, his paintings are marked by darkness and despair. However, a turning point occurs when a canary, a dove, and a rose finch enter the camp and alight on Sami’s outstretched arms.

The Carpet: An Afghan Family Story by Dezh Azaad // Follow an Afghan refugee child through a single day in their life and witness the profound significance of love, family, and a special carpet that symbolizes their connection to home. The carpet serves as the focal point of their family life, fostering moments of togetherness through shared meals, stories, laughter, and cherished memories.

Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine by Hannah Moushabeck // Through their father’s vivid memories, three young girls learn about their distant homeland of Palestine. Through his stories, the Old City of Jerusalem springs to life, with the enchanting sounds of juice vendors rhythmically tapping brass cups, the enticing scent of argileh wafting through open windows, and the sight of doves gracefully soaring towards their nests. These daughters of the diaspora develop a deep affection for a place they have never personally experienced, a home they cannot physically visit. However, they find solace in knowing that through their father’s cherished recollections, they will always be able to return to their ancestral roots.

From the Tops of the Trees by Kao Kalia Yang // In the Ban Vinai Refugee Camp, as part of the Hmong families who sought refuge after the little-known Secret War in Laos during the Vietnam War. young Kalia and her cousins lead a life confined within its fences. Despite the challenges they face, Kalia and her cousins find joy in playful activities like racing chickens and bonding with their pet dog. At the age of four, Kalia’s curiosity about the world beyond the camp grows, and though her father initially has no answers, he guides her to the tallest tree. From there, embraced by her father, Kalia witnesses the vastness of a world that extends beyond the camp’s boundaries, offering a glimmer of hope and new possibilities.

Finding Papa by Angela Pham Krans // No one brings laughter to Mai’s heart like her beloved Papa. They share a special game, the crocodile chomp chomp, that fills their days with joy. However, when Papa embarks on a journey to America in search of a better life for their family, Mai feels a profound sense of longing for him. Eventually, Mama and Mai courageously leave behind their familiar home in Vietnam, carrying only a small bag, bidding farewell to everything Mai has ever known.

The Cambodian Dancer  by Daryn Reicherter // This is the inspiring true story of a Cambodian refugee who survived the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge’s Killing Fields and went on to build a new life in the United States. Despite the hardships she faced, she found solace in her passion for dance and teaching. As she established herself in her new home, she became a counselor for fellow Cambodian refugees and established a dance school for children.

Yang Warriors by Kao Kalia Yang, Illustrated by Billy Thao // An inspiring tale of resourceful children, the Yang Warriors, confronting adversaries in Ban Vinai refugee camp. This story is based on the author’s own experiences in the refugee camps as a child with her family. The Yang Warriors practice drills, balance rocks on their heads, wield magical swords from fallen branches. Led by ten-year-old Master Me, the ten cousins are ready to defend the family at all costs. After a week without fresh vegetables , the warriors embark on a dangerous mission to look for food, leaving the camp’s boundaries, knowing their punishment would be severe if they were caught by the guards. Check out MaiStoryBook Youtube’s Interactive Read Aloud video of *Yang Warriors*

Idriss and His Marble by Rene Gouichoux, Illustrated by Zau // This story explores the perilous path refugees often walk to find a new home and the hope it takes to get them there.  Idriss and his mother must flee when war comes and threatens their home. Idriss clutches his lucky charm, his marble, as walk over dangerous terrain, crawl under barbed wire, and take sail on a rickety boat. Will the marble’s luck help them survive?

Wishes by Muon Thi Van, Illustrated by Victo Ngai // This newly released children’s book shares this resilient spirit of the Vietnamese Boat People ~ narrating through a series of heart-felt wishes and hauntingly beautiful illustrations an emotional journey of belonging and hope. We watch through a little girl’s eyes as her family quickly packs up and leaves their country in the middle of the night~ leaving everything behind in search of a new and unknown safe harbor. As we follow them along their harrowing journey, we hear the wishes that carry them on. This is a story of fear and loss, but also of hope and new beginnings. 

The Paper Boat by Thao Lam // A wordless story of one family’s escape from Vietnam that is visually intertwined with an ant colony’s parallel narrative.  In Vietnam, a young girl rescues ants from the sugar water set out to trap them. Later, when the girl’s family flees Vietnam during the war, ants lead them through the moonlit jungle to the boat that will take them to safety. Before boarding, the girl folds a paper boat from a bun wrapper and drops it into the water, and the ants climb on. Their perilous journey before reaching a new beginning, mirrors the family’s own. 

Escape: One Day We Had to Run by Ming & Was, Illustrated by Carmen Vela // Throughout history, refugees have been forced to leave their families and homes because of war, famine, slavery, intolerance, economic and political upheaval, or climate change. This is a collection of remarkable true stories of escape that show how courageous people all around the world have overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles in their flight to freedom.

Anita and the Dragons by Hannah Carmona, Illustrated by Anna Cunha // This read addresses the fears and complicated emotions that a child may experience when leaving their home to begin life in a new country. In her village in the Dominican Republic, Anita is a valiant princesa, hopping from cement rooftop to cement rooftop, keeping an eye on the metal dragons that soar above her head. When one day, it comes time for Anita and her family to enter the belly of these great winged beasts, to take flight to a new life in a new land, Anita must prepare to leave her island ~ sending a silent message filled with *mango-sweet kisses, black story nights, glassy-blue waves, spicy, hot heat, and sandy, snug hugs* and promising her home island that *I will see you again*~ she must prepare to leave her Abuela behind ~ promising to send her thousands of pictures while she holds her hand tightly and puts on a brave smile~ and she must prepare to face her fears of the flying dragons and the unknown that they will carry her to.

The Most Beautiful Thing by Kao Kalia Yang, Illustrated by Khoa Le // Inspired by Hmong-American author Kao Kalia Yang’s childhood experiences as a Hmong refugee, this matriarchal intergenerational story weaves together young Kalia’s story with that of her resilient grandmother’s~ moving from the jungles of Laos, to the refugee camps, to the family’s early years struggling financially in the United States. When Kalia becomes tired of longing for things she can’t have, it is her grandmother who helps her see *the most beautiful thing*~ a family and community of tradition, care, respect, and love.

Hear My Voice complied by Warren Binford // This bilingual read in both English and Spanish shares the testimonies of children detained at the Southern Border of the United States. Every day, children in migration are detained at the US-Mexico border. They are scared, alone, and their lives are in limbo. This book shares the stories of children from Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Ecuador, and Mexico, ranging in age from five to seventeen.

Story Boat by Kyo Maclear, Illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh // In this lyrical, imaginative children’s book, readers experience the refugee story through a child’s eyes. When a little girl and her younger brother are forced to flee their home, they are thrust into a journey of uncertainty, where the only consistency is constant change. Leaving the only *home* they’ve ever known, the littles ones turn to imagination, dreams, hope, and family to create a new home for themselves, wherever they may be. What I love about this story is the agency the refugees display, highlighting that those forces to flee their countries aren’t just passive victims, but, rather, brave, driven, and adaptable agents, surviving on will and relying on each other to weave their own story of hope and a new future.

The Journey by Francesca Sanna // When *home* is no longer safe~ when danger and violence disrupt and change a family forever~ the only option – the *responsible* option, is to keep the children safe and flee. When your own country can no longer be *home,* it’s up to families to find a new country, a safe place to call home. This story explores one family’s escape from the dangers of their own homeland, and the journey and perils they endure together as search for safety. From hiding in the backs of fruit trucks and carts, escaping from guards, smuggling across the border, and crossing waters on tipping ferries, this family leaves more and more behind the farther they travel. However, they still have each other, and as they search for their new home, *each other* is what gives them the hope and courage to journey on. .

Me and My Fear by Francesca Sanna // Another beautiful read from Francesca Sanna, this book could serve as a sequel to “The Journey.” When a young girl has to move to a new country and start a new school, where she doesn’t understand anyone and no one understands her, her Fear starts to grow bigger. Her Fear, which used to be her tiny friend, looking after her and keeping her safe while she explored, now tells her to be afraid, to be alone, and to be angry. Fear threatens to encompass the girl’s life, but she is stronger than Fear, and beings to connect with her new life around her. The personification of fear in the book will help children talk about and identify this feeling. They can connect with this concrete form of fear. I also appreciate how the story acknowledges the value of fear as well as the danger of letting it grow too large and control your actions. In the book, fear doesn’t go away- that’s not the goal. What’s important is to acknowledge when that fear gets too overwhelming and to share your fear when it does. We all have a little fear, and that’s ok.

Lilah Tov Good Night by Ben Gundersheimer, Illustrated by Noar Lee Naggan // In this visually stunning children’s book, author Ben Gundersheimer uses a Hebrew lullaby to narrate a refugee family’s journey towards a new beginning. As the moon rises, a family steps into the night, leaving their home, saying good night to their hens and chickens, and saying good night to the creatures and natural wonders that they pass along the way while traveling on foot and by boat towards a new home. The repetitive, simple text will connect with younger readers as on each page they’ll say Lilah Tov, good night to a new animal or natural element. It’s the illustrations that will initiate the conversations about the story. Through the pictures, readers will see the small family trudging through the woods and through mountain passes, carrying only small bundled sacks of there belongings, sailing on a small row boat across the seas, sleeping huddled under the stars in the vast expanse of the ocean, and finally arriving at new home where they can all safely lay down to dream new dreams of a new life.

Mama’s Nightingale: A Story of Immigration and Separation by Edwidge Danticat, Illustrated by Leslie Staub // This is a story about parent-child separation, immigration, and the power of stories to connect even those separated and far apart. When Saya’s mother is sent to an immigrant detention center, she is soothed by the sound of her mother’s voice on their answering machine recording. To help bridge the distance between them while she is in jail, Saya’s mother begins to record herself on cassette tape telling tales of Haitian folklore and sending them to Maya. While her father attempts to reunite their family, Says is inspired by her mother’s stories to write a story about her own family, a powerful tory that may just help reunite them all.

Dreamers by Yuyi Morales // This is a story about family~ about resilience, grit, and hope in the face of uncertainty and vulnerability. It is about home~ about finding a safe harbor of refuge and love in a new place that is foreign, daunting, and at times -unwelcoming-. *Dreamers* is a poetic, colorful portrait of migrantes~ refugees and immigrants who, although may be forced to leave behind everything they own in search of a better place to live, never leave their homeland empty handed. Instead of material possessions, they bear gifts of passion, strength, determination, and deep bonds of love that give them the courage to find and create a new home. This tale follows the journey of a mama and her young child as they leave their home, becoming caminantes, walking endless miles to reach a new place where the language is “different than that of our ancestors,” and the landscape and community are guarded and recluse. It is through the public library and books that the little family finds their voice in this strange, new land~ and when you find your voice~ you can share your dreams with the world. Watch MaiStoryBook’s Interactive Read Aloud of this Books.

Lost and Found Cat: The True Story of Kunkush’s Incredible Journey by Doug Kuntz & Amy Shrodes, Illustrated by Sue Cornelison // This is the remarkable, true story about Kunkush, a cat who inspired an International search effort to reunite him with the refugee family he lost. When a Iraqi family is forced too lee their home, they secretly stow away their beloved cat, carrying him with hem from Iraq to Greece. However, during a crowded boat crossing in Greece, their cat, Kunkush gets lost in the chaos. He is found several days later by aid workers in Greece who, knowing how much the family of this cat must have sacrificed in leaving their home, become determined to reunite the cat with his family. As word spreads across the Internet and the news media, a worldwide community comes together to search for the cat’s missing family. After several months, the seemingly *impossible* happens, and Kunkush is reunited with his family. Readers will be able to connect to the bond between a family and its pet, and will empathize with the cat’s journey and fear~ these connections are the gateway to conversations about the more difficult topics in the book regarding the refugee crisis and the circumstances that force families to flee their home. This true story also shows readers how ordinary people have the power to help through compassion and action and how they can make an everlasting impact on other’s lives.

A Different Pond by Bao Phi, Illustrated by Thi Bui // In a story of memories, family, and home, a young boy and his father, an immigrant from Vietnam, awaken in the early hours of the day~ while the skies are still dark and the sun is still sleeping. Tip-toeing softly and packing quietly so as not to wake up Mama, son and father prepare their fishing poles and equipment for a trip to the pond~ hoping to catch fish for tonight’s dinner. While fishing, the young boy imagines what life must have been like at the other pond where his father used to live~ in Vietnam. Their are subtle subtexts throughout the story about the father’s haunting memories of the Vietnam War. This book is beautifully illustrated by Thi Bui. The coordinated color palette and striking images combine with Bao Phi’s rhythmic and honest prose to create a powerful story of tradition, family, and home. A beautiful book that offers a glimpse into the lives of refugee families, the story takes a mundane fishing activity~ and with expertly crafted details and imagery, turns this small outing into a meaningful and hopeful cherished memory.

Four Feet, Two Sandals by Karen Lynn Williams & Khadra Mohammed , Illustrated by Doug Chayka // This book was inspired by a refugee girl who’s asked the authors why there were no books about children like her. In response, the authors created this tale of friendship, and connection that portrays the strength, courage, and hope of these refugees who live in camps filled with uncertainty and fear. When relief workers bring used clothing to a refugee camp, everyone crumbles to grab what they can. Lina is thrilled when she finds a sandal that fits her foot perfectly, but then looks up to see another girl wearing the matching sandal on her other foot. At first the girls disagree, and each leaves with only one sandal. However, soon they decide that it’s better to take turns and share the sandals rather than only wearing one. The two form a special bond of friendship and begin to do everything together: washing their clothes in the river, waiting in lines for food, and waiting for their names to appear on the list of families accepted to asylum in America. However, when only one families names appear on the list, their sandals will remind them that friendship lasts forever and and their are no borders between love.

For Adults

Body Counts: The Vietnam War and Militarized Refuge(es) by Yen Le Espiritu, Cover art by Maya Le Espiritu

Synopsis from the back of the book: Written by University of California San Diego Ethnic Studies Professor, Yen Le Espiritu, this book examines how the Vietnam War has continued to serve as a stage for the shoring up of American imperialist adventure and for the (re)production of American and Vietnamese American identities. Focusing on the politics of war memory and commemoration, this book retheorizes the connections among history, memory, and power and refashions the fields of American studies, Asian American studies, and refugee studies not around the narratives of American exceptionalism, immigration, and transnationalism but around the crucial issues of war, race, and violence―and the history and memories that are forged in the aftermath of war. At the same time, the book moves decisively away from the “damage-centered” approach that pathologizes loss and trauma by detailing how first- and second-generation Vietnamese have created alternative memories and epistemologies that challenge the established public narratives of the Vietnam War and Vietnamese people. Explicitly interdisciplinary, Body Counts moves between the humanities and social sciences, drawing on historical, ethnographic, cultural, and virtual evidence in order to illuminate the places where Vietnamese refugees have managed to conjure up social, public, and collective remembering.

The Kitchen Without Borders by the Eat Offbeat Chefs

This cookbook shares a collection of recipes from immigrant and refugee chefs. It also includes intimate chef profiles and photographic portraits-offering a glimpse into the journey of displaced people and highlighting the profound link between food and home. Discover 70 authentic recipes celebrating the culinary traditions of Syria, Iran, Eritrea, Venezuela, and more.

Craft & Resource

I created this book-craft to pair with “A Different Pond.” This is a story about family, memories and home. Use this craft template to encourage students to create their own Fishing Buckets of Family Memories.

Immigrant History Initiative: A Different Pond History Guide

I akso partnered with the Immigrant History Initiative to create read-aloud lesson plans for K-5 students that center Asian American voices and stories. We created this historical resource for “A Different Pond.” This resource is designed for use alongside Capstone Publishing’s “A Different Pond Reader’s Guide” (available here). The Reader’s Guide provides discussion questions and activity ideas. This historical summary fills in the gaps to Bao Phi’s A Different Pond, providing historical context for many of the clues left in the book’s beautiful narrative. It provides a brief introduction of the Vietnam War and the lasting effects of the war on refugee families.

Interactive Read Aloud Videos

Read along with MaiStoryBook YouTube for interactive, shared-reading read aloud adventures where I ask questions throughout the story, point out main themes and ideas, and introduce vocabulary to keep little learns engaged and participating throughout the story.

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I hope you found some reading recommendations to add to your own shelves and share with your littles. Please comment below and share any other Refugee Experience Titles  to add to this themed collection.

*~Also, I’d love to  see and hear about your own reading adventures you are having with your little learners, so please share your story times below in the comments ~ Or Tag me on Instagram @MaiStoryBookLibrary , FaceBook , find me onTikTok, or contact me via email . I’d love to hear from you!~*~*

Plus, checkout out MaiStoryBook’s Interactive Read Aloud Video Playlist of Diverse Reads here.

*~Until Next Time, Happy Reading~*

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