Books about change and transition

Our Writer in Residence Patrice Lawrence recommends eight books that might help children going through changing circumstances. 

As I was compiling a list of books on the theme of transition, I thought hard about what that word means. For me ‘transition’ is a journey through change. That journey can be geographical, emotional, psychological, biological – and for children, it’s often a combination of all of these, because children are in a constant state of transition. Their bodies are continually growing and changing while their brains face a constant barrage of stimuli to be absorbed and processed. This is exhausting and confusing at the best of times, but potentially even more so for children facing challenging circumstances. Here are some books to give to children, or even better, to read with children, that may help during times of change. 

Matt Goodfellow’s The Final Year, illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton, is a verse novel narrated by Nate as he navigates his last year at primary school before transitioning to high school. His family is a loving one, but the type of family that is often misjudged by wider society. His mother is a lone parent who drinks, smokes and dreams of winning big at bingo. The three brothers all have different fathers. Lack of money is a constant. Nate becomes estranged from PS, his long-time best friend, while Dylan, Nate’s youngest brother, is suddenly close to death. A compassionate teacher and the power of words help Nate negotiate these profound changes in his life. 

Eleven-year-old Al in S.E. Durrant’s Running On Empty, also lives in a non-typical family. His parents have learning differences, though as Al says, ‘it’s no big deal… I don’t look after them. We look after each other.’ Al’s goal is to be a sprinter like his hero, Usain Bolt. Everything changes when his beloved maternal grandfather dies. Afraid that social services will remove him from his parents, Al struggles with his new secret role as a young carer while trying to realise his dreams. 

The middle-grade short story anthology Black Girl Power, edited by Leah Johnson, will be relatable to all children on the cusp of change. The protagonists overcome the challenges of starting new schools, losing old friends, processing grief and guilt and moving away from a familiar neighbourhood. It is full of hope, humour and self-affirmation as well as a literal pastry witch and a vampire! 

And now a switch to picture books, where the combination of images and text enables readers to explore the stories on many different levels.  

I’m constantly infuriated by the universal media adoption of the term ‘migrant’ in reporting people fleeing challenging homelands. ‘Migrant’ removes the individuality and humanity from children seeking asylum, so books that centre asylum-seeking children are essential. However, I want books to acknowledge the trauma without dwelling heavily on it. We must take care that children who have survived those experiences don’t relive the horror in what should be the safety of books.  

Story Boat (words by Kyo Maclear, illustrations by Rashin Kheiriyey) and Kende! Kende! Kende! (words by Kirsten Cappy & Yaya Gentille, illustrations by Rahana Dariah) both follow children fleeing war. Story Boat focuses on the everyday details that bring comfort when the rest of the world is filled with danger and uncertainty. It also celebrates children’s magnificent imaginations. Kende! Kende! Kende! is a multilingual book in English, French and Lingala. While Story Boat focuses on moments in a journey, Kende! Kende! Kende! has a longer timescale. The story takes us from Lolie’s ordinary life, through the journey fleeing violence until the family find safety in a refugee camp. Finally, they are resettled in the US, embracing the challenges of a new culture and language. 

A non-fiction alternative to read with older children is the graphic novel The Power of Welcome: Real-life Refugee and Migrant Journeys, written and illustrated by Ada Jusic, with contextual information by Bali Rai. It tells the personal stories of children’s writers and artists who left countries in conflict. 

Finally, I want to recommend two picture books that show how others can support children experiencing change. Jarvis’s The Boy With Flowers in His Hair depicts a compassionate, empathetic friendship between two children. David has flowers in his hair and is loved by all. When the flowers disappear, David is ‘twiggy, spikey and brittle’ and other children start to avoid him ‘in case they got hurt by his branches’. His best friend refuses to abandon David and finds a way to restore his flowers. 

Julian is a Mermaid is written and illustrated by Jessica Love. It’s so tempting as an adult caregiver to project our own hopes and expectations on to children, regardless of what children know and understand about themselves. In this beautifully illustrated story of very few words, Julian tells his Abuela that he is a mermaid, just like the ones he saw on the subway. Is this a book about gender norms? Yes. But on a wider level, it’s a book about reminding adults to change their own embedded ideas and stereotypes if they want all children to feel accepted, supported and loved.  

Read more from Patrice