Few subjects help young readers grow in empathy like a great migration story and there are now wonderful ones written just for them. These seven span middle-grade to young adult, from a Newbery classroom staple about a Lost Boy of Sudan to a gripping novel of teens fleeing Central America. Some are gentle verse novels for younger kids; others are unflinching reads for older teens. All turn headlines into human beings a young reader will never forget.
These are novels for young people, chosen for their honesty and heart. They are stories, not legal guidance on immigration.
Quick picks:
- Best overall: Refugee by Alan Gratz. View on Amazon
- Best for the classroom: A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park. View on Amazon
- Best for older teens: We Are Not from Here by Jenny Torres Sanchez. View on Amazon
Middle-grade (ages 9-13)
Refugee by Alan Gratz
Alan Gratz is a bestselling author of historical fiction for young readers. A gripping novel braiding three young refugees across different eras and continents into one story. One of the most-taught and most-loved immigration books for middle-grade readers.
Best for: Middle-grade readers.
→ View on AmazonA Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park
Linda Sue Park is a Newbery Medal-winning author. A short, powerful novel interweaving a Lost Boy of Sudan with a girl fetching water, based on a true story. One of the most-assigned books in middle school.
Best for: The classroom staple.
→ View on AmazonFront Desk by Kelly Yang
Kelly Yang is an award-winning author drawing on her own immigrant childhood. A warm, funny novel of a Chinese immigrant girl running the front desk of a motel while her parents work. Beloved by kids and classrooms alike.
Best for: Upbeat middle-grade.
→ View on AmazonThe Land of Forgotten Girls by Erin Entrada Kelly
Erin Entrada Kelly is a Newbery Medal-winning author. A moving novel of Filipino immigrant sisters finding hope and imagination in a hard new life. Lyrical and heartfelt.
Best for: Lyrical middle-grade.
→ View on AmazonVerse and young adult
Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai
Thanhha Lai is a National Book Award-winning author who fled Vietnam as a child. A verse novel, based on her own life, of a girl's flight from Saigon to Alabama. Spare, moving and perfect for younger readers.
Best for: Verse-novel newcomers.
→ View on AmazonOther Words for Home by Jasmine Warga
Jasmine Warga is a Newbery Honor-winning author. A tender verse novel of a Syrian girl adjusting to life in America while worrying about home. Gentle, timely and widely taught.
Best for: Gentle, timely reads.
→ View on AmazonWe Are Not from Here by Jenny Torres Sanchez
Jenny Torres Sanchez is an acclaimed young-adult novelist. A harrowing, beautifully written YA novel following three teens fleeing Central America north. Unflinching and unforgettable for older teens.
Best for: Older teens.
→ View on AmazonHow we chose these
We looked for authors with real authority or genuine lived experience: immigration attorneys and economists, credentialed historians and scholars, award-winning journalists and the memoirists who lived these stories. Where a book takes a policy position, we note it plainly and let you decide. We describe and compare these books to help you choose; we do not reproduce their contents.
Please note: these are books, not legal advice. U.S. immigration law changes frequently and every case is different. For your specific situation, consult a licensed immigration attorney.
