IN MY GOOD BOOKS • Refugees + Migration
Remember when Barack Obama echoed Nelson Mandela’s enduring words of tolerance and it became the most liked tweet in Twitter’s history? Well, that restored my faith in humanity - for now. Children are naturally unprejudiced; they don’t see differences the ways adults have learned to. Hating a person goes against a child’s nature, and as Nelson Mandela famously said, it’s something we learn to do. It is especially pertinent in this global political climate to remind ourselves that fear of the unknown - people from other backgrounds, countries and religions - is a strong driver towards hate.
This list of thoughtful and moving books may help to preserve your child’s precious natural tolerance for others. Maybe they can teach us adults a thing or two.
For clear explanations of the myths and facts surrounding asylum seekers and refugees in Australia, read this excellent info by the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.
Early Years
Whoever You Are by Mem Fox
A brightly illustrated book for children that celebrates cultural diversity around the world. At its core it explains that despite our differences, we are all human with the same capacity to feel fear, pain, and happiness no matter who we are or where we come from.
Madlenka by Peter Sis
Madlenka’s tooth is wobbly and she has to tell the whole neighbourhood! She tells the shopkeepers around her apartment building and ends up travelling the ‘world’ through their diverse ethnicities and cultural beliefs. A beautifully illustrated book that uses darker charcoals with bursts of colour for each new character and culture that is discovered.
Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal
Alma Sofia Esperanza Jose Pura Candela has a loooong name, and asks her Daddy for an answer. She finds out she’s named after special family members with their own interests and stories. This book is great to begin conversations about your own cultural histories and family stories.
I’m Australian Too by Mem Fox
A poignant book that celebrates the diverse faces and backgrounds of Australians - for many of us have come across the seas.
Age 4 and over
The Journey by Francesca Sanna
The timeless folk-style illustrations of this colourful book illuminate the emotional heartache of leaving home and embarking on a terrifying journey to safety. The tale is based on a collection of personal stories the author gathered while speaking with children in an Italian refugee centre.
Same, Same But Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw
Elliot from America, and Katlash from India are penpals. They send letters to each other about their homes, families, hobbies and languages. Although they and the places they live look different, it turns out they have more in common than they first thought.
My Two Blankets by Irena Kobald & Freya Blackwood
The experience of a newly arrived refugee from Africa told through the eyes of a little girl. Lightly sketched, playful drawings illustrate her journey from sadness and isolation to happiness and light by making new friends and building a new home.
Four Feet Two Sandals by Karen Lynn, Khadra Mohammed & Doug Chayka
A beautifully illustrated story told from the perspective of two young girls living in a refugee camp. The everyday life and uncertainty of the camp where people have to wash clothes in a river and wait in long lines for water, sets the unlikely scene for a flourishing friendship.
Refuge by Ann Booth & Sam Usher
A clever retelling of one of the oldest refugee journeys: the Nativity story. Written from the perspective of the donkey that transports the new family to safety from Bethlehem to Egypt.
Age 7 and over
Boy Overboard by Morris Gleitzman
This is the heartfelt and humorous story of Jamal and Bibi, a brother and sister on an incredible journey from Afghanistan to Australia. They face landmines, pirates, storms and assassins, just so they can live their dream: leading Australia to glory in the next World Cup.
Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai
Hà is ten years old and lives happily alongside her friends in Saigon until the Vietnam War reaches her doorstep. Her family is forced to flee for their lives, and they board a ship for America. Hà’s poignant story is written in poetic form, and follows her honest experiences of new food, new sounds and a new hopeful life.
Stormy Seas: Stories of Young Boat Refugees by Mary Beth Leatherdale & Eleanor Shakespeare
The remarkable true stories of five young refugees fleeing war and persecution throughout history from Nazi Germany to war-torn Vietnam. This book presents their brave journeys in collage form, and is filled with interesting facts about the political and historical contexts alongside photographs that will be captivating for older children and adults.
Tween & young adult
The Arrival by Shaun Tan
This beautifully illustrated graphic novel depicts the daunting experience of an immigrant fleeing destruction and arriving in a completely foreign land – without a single word. Set in an unknown time in an alternative but familiar landscape, it feels simultaneously historic and futuristic. This book is a timeless, extraordinary and thought-provoking work of art.
I Lived on Butterfly Hill by Marjorie Agosin
Eleven-year-old Celeste Marconi’s idyllic childhood in Chile has been taken over by a military dictatorship that makes some people she knows ‘disappear’. Those in power declare artists, protestors and anyone who helps the needy to be a threat. To escape the violence, her family is forced into hiding and Celeste is sent to live with her aunt in America for protection.
Refugee boy by Benjamin Zephaniah
Alem and his father are on holiday in London. Having never left his home country of Ethiopia before, he is excited to explore the city. One morning, Alem wakes up to find his father has returned to Ethiopia, leaving Alem behind to protect him from the civil war between Ethopia and Eritrea. This book explores the refugee experience from Alem’s perspective, coming of age in an unfamiliar and isolated landscape.