Books about refugees and asylum seekers for younger children

A boy wonders why his new classmate won’t join in and looks so sad, then discovers she has had to flee her home and everything she knows. A gorgeously illustrated book celebrating being welcoming and kind. 

A story expressed in muted colour and with a wonderful focus on the small details of this Vietnamese family’s life as they prepare for a perilous journey, Wishes is a deeply moving story told with very minimal text about a child’s experience of being a refugee. 

A little mouse, and a medley of animals, create a home where everybody is welcome, no matter who they are. With beautiful illustrations and rhyming text, the poignant message of tolerance and inclusivity is integral to this heart-warming tale of love, friendship and hope. 

This charming, funny, sweet picture book combines concerns about arctic erosion, animal conservation and immigration in a lovely story about polar bears. It’s sure to be a favourite with little ones, who will love Sheibani’s illustration.

A strange animal arrives with a big suitcase, very tired after travelling a long way. But what is really in his suitcase? A powerful, succinct story about kindness and empathy.

This heart-warming true story about working hard to achieve your dreams will inspire children to believe that they can be whoever they want to be.

This beautiful book follows Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus as they flee into Egypt as refugees. The gorgeous drawings and Booth’s sparse, poetic words make this a Christmas book to treasure.

A heartbreaking picture book that perfectly explains the displacement of people, and especially children, in war, and the trauma experienced by people forced to leave their homes. 

This story explores the vibrancy and diversity of city life through gritty, yet child-friendly illustrations that are beautifully atmospheric and evocative.

An essential book that not only introduces children to the importance of human rights, freedom, and the history of these concepts, but also to a wonderful variety of illustrations.

A haunting and immersive story of hope in the darkest of places, this picture book tells younger readers about a child’s life in a refugee camp. 

This is a moving tale of a refugee family told in graphic novel style and so appealing to a wide range of younger readers.

Picture book exploring how whoever you are and wherever you live there is someone in this world just like you. Joyful. 

A boy has come to start his life in a new country where nothing is familiar, apart from the racing pigeons kept by his neighbour. Soon, he has a pigeon of his own called King of the Sky: will he win the competition? A touching, quiet tale of community.

Paddington, the brown bear from darkest Peru, is found by the Brown family on Paddington Station with his hat, duffel coat and marmalade sandwiches.

What is it like to leave everything behind and travel somewhere strange? This incredibly poignant story introduces the concept of refugees with straightforward language, tackling this difficult subject with truth, clarity and strikingly beautiful illustrations.