10 Picture Books About an Immigration Experience

There aren’t a lot of books, but there are some books that deal with immigration for kids of all ages – from picture books to young adult novels. I chose to focus on just a few picture books, trying to get a wide variety of immigration stories. And if you haven’t heard today is “Day Without Immigrants” as immigrants will strike across America today to show how much of the social and economic structure benefits from immigrants living and working here. And regardless of your opinion on the immigration issue, there are many people who immigrate to this country and other countries around world and that cannot be an easy thing to do. Take a moment to share these characters’ experiences in these stories.

1. All the Way to America: The Story of a Big Italian Family and a Little Shovel by Dan Yaccarino
2. My Name is Yoon by Helen Recorvits, illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska
3. My Name is Bilal by Asma Mobin-Uddin, illustrated by Barbara Kiwak
4. The Arrival by Shaun Tan
5. My Name is Sangoel by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed, illustrated by Catherine Stock
6. The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
7. Here I Am by Patti Kim, illustrated by Sonia Sanchez
8. Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant’s Tale by Duncan Tonatiuh
9. My Diary from Here to There by Amada Irma Pérez, illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez
10. One Green Apple by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Ted Lewin