Mirha is so excited for her first day of school! She can't wait to learn, play, and make new friends. But when her classmates mispronounce her name, she goes home wondering if she should find a new one. Maybe then she'd be able to find a monogrammed keychain at the gas station or order a hot chocolate at the cafe more easily.

Mama helps Mirha to see how special her name is, and she returns to school the next day determined to help her classmates say it correctly--even if it takes a hundred tries.

Kindness is a friendly hello. A roaring cheer. A quick boost. Kindness is what makes us strong This joyful board book shows various children as they extend kindness in all kinds of situations: on the playground, at lunchtime, on a bike path, and on a neighborhood street. This sweet preschool read-aloud shows the way kindness helps build friendship and community.

Four starred reviews and over ten best-of-year lists!* Many readers will recognize themselves or their neighbors in these pages. -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Front Desk joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus content!

Winner of the Asian / Pacific American Award for Children's Literature!

Mia Tang has a lot of secrets.

Number 1: She lives in a motel, not a big house. Every day, while her immigrant parents clean the rooms, ten-year-old Mia manages the front desk of the Calivista Motel and tends to its guests.

Number 2: Her parents hide immigrants. And if the mean motel owner, Mr. Yao, finds out they've been letting them stay in the empty rooms for free, the Tangs will be doomed.

Number 3: She wants to be a writer. But how can she when her mom thinks she should stick to math because English is not her first language?

It will take all of Mia's courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year. Will she be able to hold on to her job, help the immigrants and guests, escape Mr. Yao, and go for her dreams?

Cherry Mo's stunning debut is about a young girl who immigrates to America and finds home in an unexpected place.

When Jun moves from Hong Kong to America, the only words she knows are hello, thank you, I don't know, and toilet. Her new school feels foreign and terrifying.

But when she opens her lunchbox to find her favorite meals--like bao, dumplings, and bok choy--she realizes home isn't so far away after all.

Through lush art and spare dialogue, Cherry Mo's breathtakingly beautiful debut picture book reminds readers that friendship and belonging can be found in every bite.

Spanning over 500 years, Pura Belpré Award winner Ruth Behar's epic novel tells the stories of four girls from different generations of a Jewish family, many of them forced to leave their country and start a new life.

In 1492, during the Spanish Inquisition, Benvenida and her family are banished from Spain for being Jewish, and must flee the country or be killed. They journey by foot and by sea, eventually settling in Istanbul.

Over four centuries later, in 1923, shortly after the Turkish war of independence, Reina's father disowns her for a small act of disobedience. He ships her away to live with an aunt in Cuba, to be wed in an arranged marriage when she turns fifteen.

In 1961, Reina's daughter, Alegra, is proud to be a brigadista, teaching literacy in the countryside for Fidel Castro. But soon Castro's crackdowns force her to flee to Miami all alone, leaving her parents behind.

Finally, in 2003, Alegra's daughter, Paloma, is fascinated by all the journeys that had to happen before she could be born. A keeper of memories, she's thrilled by the opportunity to learn more about her heritage on a family trip to Spain, where she makes a momentous discovery.

Though many years and many seas separate these girls, they are united by a love of music and poetry, a desire to belong and to matter, a passion for learning, and their longing for a home where all are welcome. And each is lucky to stand on the shoulders of their courageous ancestors.

Omar and his younger brother, Hassan, have spent most of their lives in Dadaab, a refugee camp in Kenya. Life is hard there: never enough food, achingly dull, and without access to the medical care Omar knows his nonverbal brother needs. So when Omar has the opportunity to go to school, he knows it might be a chance to change their future . . . but it would also mean leaving his brother, the only family member he has left, every day.

Heartbreak, hope, and gentle humor exist together in this graphic novel about a childhood spent waiting, and a young man who is able to create a sense of family and home in the most difficult of settings. It's an intimate, important, unforgettable look at the day-to-day life of a refugee, as told to New York Times Bestselling author/artist Victoria Jamieson by Omar Mohamed, the Somali man who lived the story.

A deeply moving, gorgeously illustrated picture book about leaving home and finding a new place to fit in, for anyone dealing with a move, to another town or to a new country.

Sometimes we leave home in the mornings, in the evenings, or for much longer. But we always come back.

Home becomes a wish when we move, when the new place isn't the same. Everything might be different: the sounds, the smell, the people, the weather.

But home isn't just a place. We carry home in our hearts, and it can grow and change as we do in our lives. With time, new faces become friends, and what is different becomes familiar.

Home can be a wish that comes true.

Like Evelyn Del Rey Is Moving Away and The Day You Begin, this beautiful exploration of what it's like to deal with a big change is personal, emotionally resonant, and relatable. With page after lovely page of captivating art, New York Times bestselling illustrator Julia Kuo has created a lasting story about how time, patience, and an open heart can help someone feel at home anywhere in the world.

Inside Out and Back Again is a #1 New York Times bestseller, a Newbery Honor Book, and a winner of the National Book Award!

Inspired by the author's childhood experience as a refugee--fleeing Vietnam after the Fall of Saigon and immigrating to Alabama--this coming-of-age debut novel told in verse has been celebrated for its touching child's-eye view of family and immigration.

Hà has only ever known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, and the warmth of her friends close by. But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Hà and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope--toward America.

This moving story of one girl's year of change, dreams, grief, and healing received four starred reviews, including one from Kirkus which proclaimed it enlightening, poignant, and unexpectedly funny.

An author's note explains how and why Thanhhà Lại translated her personal experiences into Hà's story. This paperback edition also includes an interview with the author, an activity you can do with your family, tips on writing poetry, and discussion questions.

When Geetha and her mom move from India to Rhode Island after her parents' divorce, they leave everything Geetha loves behind--her family, her friends, her dog, and all that's familiar. As if that's not hard enough, Geetha is bullied at her new school for her clothes, her food, and her English (who knew so many English words could be spelled or pronounced differently in the US--or just be altogether different!). She finds some solace in playing her flute and writing poetry, and even more when she meets Miguel, a kid with whom she has a lot in common, and the two of them help rescue an injured harp seal stranded on the beach. But Geetha can feel her anger building over lots of things--careless people who pollute the sea and hurt animals, and her mom for making her move. She's never been so sad and angry. She can see a lot of her fears mirrored in the injured seal when she visits it at the Marine Mammal Rehabilitation Center, and this broadens her understanding of survival skills. And when she and Miguel start a beach-clean-up venture, she's surprised to find how many kind kids are out there. Geetha is torn as the time comes to let the seal go, knowing she'll miss him, but wanting the best for him. She's learning to live with mixed feelings and accept that while there will always be rough waters, there are plenty of safe harbors too.

Can one spoiled cousin upend three kids' hard-won happiness and stability? Find out in this hilarious, big-hearted, high stakes companion to the award-winning bestseller Parachute Kids! Perfect for fans of School Trip, A First Time for Everything, The Tryout, and The Squad.

★ Humorous and relatable...tugs at the heartstrings. -Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ Powerful and triumphant. -School Library Journal, starred review

Another truly superb graphic novel from Betty C. Tang! Fascinating, funny, and, at times, heart-wrenching. I adored this story! -Christina Soontornvat, New York Times bestselling author of The Squad and The Tryout

An incredible, refreshing, heartfelt companion to Parachute Kids that is not afraid to illustrate the hardships of many immigrant families. I could not put this book down! -Joanna Cacao, New York Times bestselling illustrator of The Squad and The Tryout

WITH FAMILY LIKE THIS, WHO NEEDS ENEMIES?

After seven months on their own as undocumented immigrants, the Lin siblings have settled into their new lives in California. Jia-Xi (Jesse) has a new job, Ke-Gang (Jason) has a new crush, and Feng-Li (Ann) is excited to celebrate her eleventh birthday with her new friends. Their parents still await visa approval in Taiwan, so the trio is trying to take better care of one another and stay under the radar of immigration authorities. But when their stuck-up cousin Josephine-a violin prodigy-arrives with her privilege and demands, suddenly their world is in turnaround. Will they have to give up the life they worked so hard to achieve?

Laila knows how clever, kind, and funny her Mama and Baba are--but sometimes they need her help translating things from English. With English classes being too expensive, Laila decides to become her parents' teacher, even though she's just learning the language too. There's lots that Laila knows (like you don't pronounce the t in ballet) but there's so much she doesn't know too. Together, they embrace the joy and struggles of learning a new language.

Can one spoiled cousin upend three kids' hard-won happiness and stability? Find out in this hilarious, big-hearted, high stakes companion to the award-winning bestseller Parachute Kids! Perfect for fans of School Trip, A First Time for Everything, The Tryout, and The Squad.

★ Humorous and relatable...tugs at the heartstrings. --Kirkus Reviews, starred review

★ Powerful and triumphant. --School Library Journal, starred review

Another truly superb graphic novel from Betty C. Tang! Fascinating, funny, and, at times, heart-wrenching. I adored this story! --Christina Soontornvat, New York Times bestselling author of The Squad and The Tryout

An incredible, refreshing, heartfelt companion to Parachute Kids that is not afraid to illustrate the hardships of many immigrant families. I could not put this book down! --Joanna Cacao, New York Times bestselling illustrator of The Squad and The Tryout

WITH FAMILY LIKE THIS, WHO NEEDS ENEMIES?

After seven months on their own as undocumented immigrants, the Lin siblings have settled into their new lives in California. Jia-Xi (Jesse) has a new job, Ke-Gang (Jason) has a new crush, and Feng-Li (Ann) is excited to celebrate her eleventh birthday with her new friends. Their parents still await visa approval in Taiwan, so the trio is trying to take better care of one another and stay under the radar of immigration authorities. But when their stuck-up cousin Josephine--a violin prodigy--arrives with her privilege and demands, suddenly their world is in turnaround. Will they have to give up the life they worked so hard to achieve?

Newbery Medalist Avi is back with a gripping exploration of the immigrant experience at the turn of the twentieth century. A must-read for fans of Moon over Manifest and Echo Mountain.

When Santo's father left their tiny town in Italy for America, he made Santo promise to keep their family together until he has enough money to bring the rest of them to the US.

It takes a few years, but Mama finally gets word that their family can join Papa. Santo couldn't be more excited to go to America--and to see his father again. However, Santo gets separated from his mother and siblings at Ellis Island, and he is left to fend for himself on the mean streets of Manhattan. Santo doesn't speak English, he doesn't know anyone, and he has nowhere to go. He has no money and no help.

While searching desperately for a clue as to where his family has gone, Santo gets caught up with a gang of boys who steal to stay alive. But when an unexpected betrayal leaves Santo scrambling, it will take all the street smarts he's gained to find a way back to his family.

Best of the Year: Publishers Weekly - NYPL - Booklist

Winner of the national book award for children's literature in the Netherlands -- a sweet and tender story of a girl refugee finding a new home!

Roya, her three brothers, and their parents have a new family member -- Mishka, a bunny rabbit. He soon becomes a beloved part of their new home and gradually, the rabbit -- and also Roya -- get to hear the story of the family's journey from Afghanistan to the Netherlands. Told from different perspectives every time: big Bashir, gentle Hamayun, tough Navid, and sometimes Mom and Dad. Mishka and Roya listen.

Anoush Elman and Edward van de Vendel became friends upon Elman's arrival in the Netherlands, and fifteen years later, they decided to write a story for younger readers about his family's experience. This gorgeous chapter book -- illustrated throughout in full color -- is a tender, lyrical story of a young girl processing a new country, new school, and new friends -- and a bunny escape! -- in a story readers and parents will treasure.

New York Times bestseller and Newbery Honor Book

A gorgeously written, hopeful middle grade novel in verse about a young girl who must leave Syria to move to the United States, perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds and Aisha Saeed.

Jude never thought she'd be leaving her beloved older brother and father behind, all the way across the ocean in Syria. But when things in her hometown start becoming volatile, Jude and her mother are sent to live in Cincinnati with relatives.

At first, everything in America seems too fast and too loud. The American movies that Jude has always loved haven't quite prepared her for starting school in the US--and her new label of Middle Eastern, an identity she's never known before.

But this life also brings unexpected surprises--there are new friends, a whole new family, and a school musical that Jude might just try out for. Maybe America, too, is a place where Jude can be seen as she really is.

This lyrical, life-affirming story is about losing and finding home and, most importantly, finding yourself.

Each evening Coqui waits for the familiar cry of the Peanut Man-- Mani! Peanuts!--and watches for him to appear on the street below her window. They always greet each other in their own special way--Coqui tucks her thumbs in her ears and sticks out her tongue at Emilio. And Emilio, to her great amusement, does the same in return. Night after night, the two friends continue their ritual.

One evening, Coqui sadly announces, Nos vamos. She tells him that they have to leave Cuba. They are going to the United States. Emilio tries to assure her that she will like many things about los Estados Unidos, especially beisbol, her favorite sport. But don't forget your friend Emilio, he says as he walks away. Nunca! she calls out through tears. She could never forget him.

Coqui and her family arrive in Decatur, Georgia, in the dead of winter to snow-covered ground. Her father seals the windows with duct tape and they await the arrival of spring. Coqui watches for the Peanut Man, but he does not appear.

Several years pass, she learns wobbly English, and becomes a devoted Atlanta Braves fan. She forgets her beloved Peanut Man. Then one day her father surprises her with the perfect birthday gift--two tickets for a Braves game to see their favorite player Hammerin' Hank Aaron. As they settle into their seats amid the cheering crowds, Coqui hears a man yelling Peanuts! Get your peanuts! The delicious smell of roasted peanuts reaches her and memories of home and Emilio rush into her head.

With luminous illustrations by the award-winning artist Raúl Colón, this story of immigration, of being displaced and finding a connection to home, reminds us how much alike we humans are, regardless of culture, color, or creed.

Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Books About Families List (2024)

Straightforward, heartfelt words and thin-lined, fully imagined drawings from Desnitskaya (On the Edge of the World) give tender voice to one child's refugee experience. -- Publishers Weekly (STARRED REVIEW)

Encouraging empathy and understanding, this illuminating picture book offers a realistic account of finding oneself in a new place and shines a light on the healing power of hope. -- Booklist (STARRED REVIEW)

A beautiful tale of loss and adjustment; for those who have never had to leave home, perhaps a lesson in insight and empathy. Highly recommended. -- School Library Journal (STARRED REVIEW)

Beautifully crafted and warmly empathetic. -- Kirkus Reviews (STARRED REVIEW)

A poignant story about a displaced family making a home in the aftermath of war.

We used to live in a big city. In our apartment window was a star-shaped lamp, shining through the cold. I could recognize home from far away. But then the war began, and we left for another country. Everything is different here--the food, the language, even Mom and me. Today Mom bought us a package of scissors, glue, and cardboard. Can we make this place feel a little more like home?

Narrated by a young refugee, A Star Shines Through is based on the experiences of the author-illustrator, who left Russia with her family after the start of the Ukraine War. With an evocative palette of blues and yellows, Anna Desnitskaya shows how making art can create a sense of hope, even amidst emigration and resettling.

Cooperative Children's Book Center CCBC Choices List - Picture Books (2025)

A moving story about a young girl and her family who are forced to flee their beloved home after violence erupts all around them, and their journey to make a new sense of home.

One day someone asks me,
Where is home?
And I don't know what to say.
Is home here or there?

Told from the perspective of a young refugee girl, debut children's book author and New Voices winner Maham Khwaja tells the story of a family forced to flee their home due to violence. Emotive illustrations by Daby Zainab Faidhi balance the family's love for one another and hope for the future with the harrowing journey to escape on foot, travel by boat, and then finally resettle in a safe place. Through it all, the young girl tries to hold on to all the pieces of her life before and find a way to rebuild a sense of home.

Lakshmi just moved from rural, sunny Guyana to a city in icy, frigid Minnesota. Her family is trying hard to adjust to a new country, but for Lakshmi, the hardest part is the cold, slushy, white stuff everywhere. Snow didn't exist in Guyana, but it's inescapable in Minnesota. Lakshmi's too scared to walk in it, so her mama has to carry her everywhere. But when she meets a new friend on the bus, Lakshmi's fears melt away, revealing a bravery she didn't know she had.

Based on the author's own childhood experience of immigration, Snow Steps fosters empathy for newcomers and provides reassuring comfort to children facing new experiences.