Read Aloud: Immigration, Migration, & Refugees

Read Aloud Videos: Immigration, Migration and Refugees

Sitti’s Olive Tree| By Ndaa Hassan

This book is about the Olive Harvest in Palestine.

What is your favorite family tradition?

Simran Kaur World Traveler | By Jacquelyn Morris

This is a story of young immigrant in the US learning to share and love her culture.

How do you help someone different feel welcomed?

Eyes that Kiss in the Corners | By Joanna Ho

A story about a young girl embracing her differences from her peers.

What makes you different and unique that you share with others you love?

Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller | Pura Belpré

An immigrant bring home to the New York Public Library.

What did you learn from this story?

Baba, What Does My Name Mean?: A Journey to Palestine | By Rifk Ebeid

A young girl asks her father about the meaning behind her name.

What are some things you family has told you about your history?
Why is it important to you to know about your history?

The Journey | By Francesca Sanna

This book is about the current refugee crisis. A girl and her family are forced to flee their home country when a war breaks out. They embark on a dangerous journey to find a safe place to live.

Have you ever welcomed someone from another part of the world to your community?
How can you learn more about this individual’s story, culture, and language?
How can you make them feel safe and loved?

For more activities related to this book, visit this sheet.

Between Us and Abuela: A Family Story from the Border | By Mitali Perkins

This book is about a girl and her family visiting her grandmother at the Mexican border. She has to figure out how to give her grandmother her Christmas presents because they do not fit through the fence.

Have you ever been away from someone for Christmas?

For more activities related to this book, visit this sheet.

Dreamers | By Yuyi Morales

Yuyi Morales tells her own immigration story and how the public library helped her feel like she belonged.

What do you think of when you hear the word dreamers?

Stepping Stones: A Refugee Family’s Story | By Margriet Ruurs

Rama and her family once lived in a peaceful village. A war breaks out and they are forced to flee their home. They begin a journey to reach safety in Europe.

Albert Einstein said that “Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.” What do you think this means?

For additional activities related to this story, view our worksheet.

Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez | By Kathleen Krull

This book tells stories from Cesar Chavez’s childhood, and how Chavez became an activist for change.

Why were Cesar’s methods so effective?

For additional activities related to this book, visit the following link.

Lubna and Pebble | By Wendy Meddour

Lubna lives in a refugee camp with her family. Her best friend is a rock named Pebble that she tells everything to. A boy named Amir arrives at the camp and he is frightened. Lubna becomes friends with Amir and decides to give him Pebble when she leaves the camp.

Why did Lubna give Pebble to Amir? Do you think it was the right thing to do?

The Name Jar | By Yangsook Choi

Unhei moves to the U.S. from Korea and is nervous about her first day of school. On the bus, the kids tease her because of her name. When she gets to class, she tells everyone that she will be choosing a new name for herself by the end of the week. Her classmates make a name jar to give her name suggestions. In the end, Unhei decides to keep her name and explains to her classmates what her name means and why it is important to her.

If you could choose your own name, what would you pick and why?

We Are a Rainbow | By Nancy Tabor

This book helps young readers begin building cultural bridges through simple comparisons.

While reading this book please thing and reflection on these questions while you watch this video:

What makes you and your family unique?
What language do you speak?
Do you make special food?
What things from other cultures do you enjoy?