Open Discussion Forum

  • 1.  Books about immigrants, including refugees, for young children

    Posted 07-19-2019 09:06 AM
    There's an annotated list of these, available at least for members of the Peace Educators Interest Forum, at HERE.
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    John Surr
    Peace Educators Interest Forum
    Charlottesvle VA
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  • 2.  RE: Books about immigrants, including refugees, for young children

    Posted 07-20-2019 10:52 AM
    Pragmatic Mom has done a great job cataloging Multicultural books. https://www.pragmaticmom.com/

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    Jamie Nolan
    Early Childhood Educator and Data Administrator
    Port Washington School District
    Garden City NY
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  • 3.  RE: Books about immigrants, including refugees, for young children

    Posted 07-22-2019 07:45 AM
    There is a new title coming out Sept. 2019 called What is a Refugee by Elise Gravel.  I think it's an excellent book to introduce this topic to young children.
    It's from Penguin Random House and should be available this fall.

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    Leslie Silk Eslinger
    Director of Education and Development
    Becker's School Supplies
    Pennsauken, NJ
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  • 4.  RE: Books about immigrants, including refugees, for young children

    Posted 07-23-2019 02:18 AM
    Hi John,
     Thanks for bringing up this topic. I'm unable to see the forum linked, but I've worked in school libraries and can add some more resource lists:

    We Need Diverse Books is a great resource for older children, but the lists in there can take time to find younger children's books.
    The School Library Journal Reviews board books as well as picture books, so it's always a good place to go for ideas. There are issues in most libraries' magazine area. 
    Social Justice Books includes picture books and board books in their lists: https://socialjusticebooks.org/booklists/

    Last year I read:
    Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote by Duncan Tonatiuh (abstract and you'll recognize the art right off)
    Dreamers by Yuyi Morales (few words!)
    Teacup by Rebecca Young (no words)
    La Frontera by Deborah Mills, Alfredo Alva & Claudia Navarro
    Camera Full of Wishes by Matt De la Pena
    I'm New Here by Anne Sibley O'brien
    Mango, Abuela, and me by Meg Medina & Angela Dominguez
    Dear Baobab by Cheryl Foggo
    Lubna and Pebble
    My Name is Yoon by Helen Recorvits (older EC will understand this one better)
    Mama's Nighingale by Edwidge Danitcat
    Migrant by Maxine Trottier
    The Day the War Came by Nicola Davies & Rebecca Cobb (K+, maybe)
    Two White Rabbits by Jairo Buitrago
    Marwan's Journey  by Patricia de Arias (K+, but visually striking)
    The Journey by Francesca Sanna
    Stepping Stones by Ali Badr

    Best of luck!

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    Kari Ramadorai
    Sammamish WA
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  • 5.  RE: Books about immigrants, including refugees, for young children

    Posted 07-23-2019 09:10 AM

    There is a project called I'm Your Neighbor Books and the Welcoming Library, that include lists of books, many that are on your list Kari.  The information and links are below.  

    I'M YOUR NEIGHBOR BOOKS is a project that highlights the lives of New Arrivals and New Americans through the sharing of children's literature. By reading and engaging with children's books, readers of all ages and backgrounds can experience immigration, resilient resettlement and adjustment, and cultural celebration. Fiction, from picture books to novels, allows readers to see themselves and others in a way that changes the culture of Belonging and Welcoming.

    IMYOURNEIGHBORBOOKS.ORG sorts and features books by the culture represented allowing for schools, libraries, and organizations to best select and share books that represent their neighborhoods and the diversity of the nation. This site also offers lesson plans and event kits to facilitate engagement between neighbors.

    You can browse books by age and communities represented.


    THE WELCOMING LIBRARY  is their signature project - a pop-up community conversation on immigration. That conversation is driven by a collection of acclaimed picture books featuring New Arrival and New American families. Readers of all ages "meet" these families on the page and explore the commonalities of all families with embedded discussion questions. The collection - with its pop-up display unit - packs into a crate and travels between schools, libraries, and community centers in a given region building an environment of Welcoming and Belonging.  
    http://www.welcominglibrary.org/

    NOTE:  In the welcoming library page, click on books on the top margin and it will take you to the book covers for each of the books.  I would say most of the books are PreK through school age.  The Welcoming Library display can be loaned although it has mostly been loaned in-state at this time.  Contact information is included in these links.

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    Gretchen Greenberg
    Independent Consultant
    none
    Portland ME
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  • 6.  RE: Books about immigrants, including refugees, for young children

    Posted 07-23-2019 08:22 PM
    We have found many wonderful age appropriate books about immigrants, but have found that most of the books about refugees are really written for six year olds on up.
    Here are two that work well with fours and fives: "the Lost and Found Cat: the True Story of Kenkush's Incredible Journey" by Kuntz and Swodes, and "Where Will I Live?" 
    a gorgeous picture book by Rosemary McCaring. 
    A good data base for books on Immigrants is www.childpeacebooks.org. Click on Make All People Visible (Immigrants) and on the age range you are searching for.

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    [Julie] [Olsen Edwards]
    Soquel CA
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  • 7.  RE: Books about immigrants, including refugees, for young children

    Posted 07-25-2019 12:29 AM
      |   view attached
    I found a book today that would be valuable for anyone who works with children who are refugees, or any children that have experienced the stress of being apart from their parents. When You Weren't With Me by Chandra Ghosh Ippen is available in English and Spanish and there is a video on youtube of the author reading the whole story. It is very moving but also very useful to help adults and children talk about the experience of being separated and of coming back together. I'm not sure Hello will let me post a link to a youtube video but if you visit Youtube and search for When You Weren't With Me, the video should appear.


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    Karen Nemeth
    Author/consultant/keynotes
    Language Castle LLC
    Newtown PA
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  • 8.  RE: Books about immigrants, including refugees, for young children

    Posted 07-25-2019 09:02 AM
    There is a wonderful book called Yuvi's Candy Tree by Lesley Simpson about a young Ethiopian girl named Yuvi and her difficult journey to Israel.

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    Cheryl Karp
    Hewlett-East Rockaway Jewish Centre
    East Rockaway NY
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