Books for Primary
Many children and young people in your schools will be concerned about the images shown on television recently, highlighting the plight of refugees and particularly the effects on children caught up in the crisis.
You may want to address their questions and concerns in class but feel unsure about how to best approach it.
Please send any further refugee related classroom or assembly resources that you are willing to share with other teachers to: .
Books for Primary
Abela: The girl who saw lions; Berlie Doherty (2008 Anderson Press) KS2
240 page book. Fictional tale of two girls, one a Tanzanian orphaned by HIV/AIDS; the other a Liverpudlian whose mother is keen to adopt.
All The Way To America: the story of a big Italian family and a small shovel; Dan Yaccarino (2011 Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers) KS1/2
40 page picture book. Account of author’s family origins when they came over to America looking for work at the turn of the 20th century and how they fared over the generations – connected by a shovel.
Azzi in Between; Sarah Garland (2012 Frances Lincoln Children’s Books) KS1/2
40 page picture book. Fictional, but based on real experiences, tale of a refugee family fleeing conflict and their experiences within a host country. Endorsed by Amnesty International.
Boy Overboard; Morris Gleitzman (2003 Puffin) KS2
192 page book. Fictional account of an Afghan refugee boy, fleeing to Australia, and the difficult experiences once there.
Girl Underground; Morris Gleitzman (2005 Puffin) KS2
204 pages. Sequel to Boy Overboard. Adventure of two Australian children trying ot help the boy form Boy Overboard. Deals with differences between refugees and criminals, as well as immigration, terrorists and public attitudes.
Brothers in Hope: the story of the Lost Boys of Sudan; Mary Williams (2007 Lee and Low Books) KS1/2
40 page picture book. Tells the true story of the march of 1000 child refugees from Sudan through Ethiopia to Kenya and eventual safety, as part of the wider movement of over 20,000 children.
The Colour of Home; Mary Hoffman (2002 Frances Lincoln Childrens Books) KS1
32 page picture book, fictional. Following the harrowing and emotional experiences of a Somali refugee as he slowly discovers how to articulate his story.
Dia’s Story Cloth: The Hmong People’s Journey of Freedom; Dia Cha (1996 Lee and Low Books) KS1/2
24 page story picture book. Autobiographical tale of fleeing Laos to the United States after the Vietnam war. Comes with bibliography for further reading on the Hmong and their culture.
Journey Home; Lawrence McKay Jr (1998 Lee and Low Books) KS2
30 page picture book. Fictional account of a refugee girl who returns to Vietnam to find out about her family’s past and her own identity.
For Every Child; UNICEF (2000 The rights of the child according to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child; Hutchinson) KS1/2
40 page picture book reiterating the rights of the child in a format designed for children.
Goodnight Mr Tom; Michelle Magorian (1981 Puffin) KS2
384 pages. Classic fictional story of a child internally-displaced due to the London Blitz.
The Island; Armin Greder (2008 Allen & Unwin) KS2
32 page picture book. Fictional parable, exploring how insularity and fascism can easily grip a community when a stranger arrives.
One Day we had to Run; Sybella Wilkes (2000 Evans Brothers, UNHCR and Save the Children) KS2
64 page picture book. Recounts the true experiences of refugee children from Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia. Each account is different, reflecting that child’s emotions and effort to tell their story. UNHCR and Save the Children also described. Includes teacher notes and maps. Very powerful stuff.
Petar’s Song; Pratima Mitchell (2004 Frances Lincoln Publishers Ltd) KS1
32 Pages. Fictional account of a young boy’s experiences when his Balkan community is ripped apart by war.
The Refugee Diaries Series – a series of books written using real accounts from refugees from various conflicts:
Gervelie’s Journey; Anthony Robinson (2009 Frances Lincoln Children’s Books) KS2
32 page picture book. True story of Gervelie’s jourey from the Republic of Congo’s civil war and arrival in the UK. Over 8s.
Hamzat’s Journey; Anthony Robinson (2009 Frances Lincoln Children’s Books) KS2
32 page picture book. Tells the journey of Hamzat from when he loses a leg to a landmine in Chechnya, through to his arrival in London for medical treatment. Over 8s.
Meltem’s Journey; Anthony Robinson (2010 Frances Lincoln Children’s Books) KS2
32 page picture book. True story of Meltem’s family as they flee from Eastern Turkey and the conditions and uncertainty of Yarls Wood Detention Centre. Over 8s.
Mohammed’s Journey; Anthony Robinson (2011 Frances Lincoln Children’s Books) KS2
32 page picture book. True story of Mohammed and his family’s escape from Kirkuk, Iraq in 2000, after his father was ‘disappeared’ by the Saddam Hussain regime. Over 8s.
Christophe’s Story; Nikki Cornwell (2011 Frances Lincoln Children’s Books) KS1/2
80 pages. Fictionalised account, telling of a Rwandan refugee’s experiences of trying to fit into a British school. Based on stories the author heard while working as an interpreter.
Armel’s Revenge; Nikki Cornwell (2011 Frances Lincoln Children’s Books) KS1/2
96 pages. Fictionalised account. Sequel to Christophe’s Story. Introduces Armel, from the Congo, and his problesm with Christophe. Explores the issues of prejudice and how hatred can be multi-generational.
The Unforgotten Coat; Frank Cottrell Boyce (2012 Walker) KS2/3
Fictional tale ofa girl reminiscing about her experiences of two Mongolian children who attended her primary school, only to be suddenly deported as illegal immigrants. Won the 2012 Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize. Written by the screenwriter for Welcome to Sarajevo.
When Jessie Came Across The Sea; Amy Hest (1999 Walker Books Ltd) KS2
40 page picture book. Historical fictional tale of a young Polish girl who sets out for a new life in America. Looks at the motivations and emotions of emigration. Reviews recommend for year 4.
The Whispering Cloth; Peggy Deitz Shea (1995 Boyds Mill Press) KS1/2
32 page picture book. Fictional version of Dia’s Story Cloth – very similar subject matter.
Zlata’s Diary; Zlata Filipovic (1995 Puffin) KS2
Zlata’s diary aged 10 to 13, of her time living in Sarajevo from the outbreak of war through to her family’s escape to France. Zlata continues to write today, and has co-edited Stolen Voices: Young People's War Diaries, from World War I to Iraq.
Additionally, Home Economics/Cooking classes might find this interesting:
Cooking a Home: a collection of recipes and stories of Syrian refugees; Pilar Puig Corteda (2015 Authorhouse UK)
Collection of experiences and recipes gathered by the author during her work in a refugee camp in Jordan. An interesting way to view the culture and resilience of refugees as they hold on to their identity while escaping the conflict.