Picture Books about the Immigrant Experience

Here's a list of books for children that share insights on the experience of leaving one's home country and moving to another one as an immigrant, migrant, or refugee. Children may find themselves and their family's experience reflected in these stories. Or they may find them as an entry point for empathizing with others who have lived these experiences.

Picture Books

We Came to America by Faith Ringgold

A short, but substantial picture book celebrating the diversity of groups that have come to America throughout history.

Two White Rabbits by Jairo Buitrago

This book is told from the perspective of a young girl as she travels north to the United States with her father. She counts the things she sees as she travels on foot and on top of a train she calls "the Beast".

One Green Apple by Eve Bunting

On a school trip to an apple orchard Farah, a young immigrant, gains confidence in her new community when the green apple she selects for the cider her class is making turns out to be the perfect ingredient.

Marwan's Journey by Patricia de Arias

This book was originally published in Spanish as El camino de Marwan by Amanuta in 2016 in Chile. It tells the story of a young boy fleeing his war-torn home in search of safety.

Saffron Ice Cream by Rashin Kheiriyeh

Rashin is an Iranian immigrant child living in New York City. On her first trip to Coney Island she notices all the differences between her new home and her native Iran where she used to enjoy saffron flavored ice cream on the beach.

A Different Pond by Bao Phi

This 2018 Caldecott Honor Book and 2018 Charlotte Zolotow Award winner is a quietly powerful story of a father and son. While fishing together in the early mornings before his full workday at a small pond in Minneapolis, the father tells his son about a different pond in his homeland of Vietnam.

From Far Away by Robert Munsch and Saoussan Askar

This book tells the author's story of adjusting to her new home in Canada after immigrating from war-torn Lebanon at age 7.

The Journey by Francesca Sanna

The author was inspired to write this story after meeting families in a refugee camp in Italy. In this beautiful book a mother and her two children set out on a journey for a new, peaceful home.