I'm Not From Here: The Immigrant Experience (Fall 2025)
For this CBC Fall Showcase, we’re opening windows and holding up mirrors to tell the stories of those who have left their homelands and are starting over in a foreign land. Grappling with assimilation while retaining ties to beloved customs, immigrants often walk in a liminal space between two cultures, creating communities that tie together the familiar and the new. With themes of resilience, family, and connection, books about the immigrant and refugee experience can help young people empathize with what kids go through when they move to a new country and start new lives, and children and teens from immigrant families can see reflections of their own struggles and triumphs.
This list is also available as a downloadable spreadsheet.
Anita and the Dragons
By: Hannah Carmona
Illustrated by:
Anna Cunha
Anna Cunha
ISBN: 9781911373636
Fiction, 7-12, Immigrant Experience
Areli is a Dreamer
By: Areli Morales
Illustrated by:
Luisa Uribe
Luisa Uribe
ISBN: 9781984893994
Nonfiction, 4-6, Biography / Memoir
Beast Rider
By: Tony Johnston, María Elena Fontanot de Rhoads
ISBN: 9781419733635
Fiction, Teen, Places / Travel
Before
By: Molly McNamara Carter
Illustrated by:
Denitsa Shopova
Denitsa Shopova
ISBN: 9781958302385
Fiction, 7-12, Immigrant Experience
The Boy Who Tried To Shrink His Name
By: Sandhya Parappukkaran
Illustrated by:
Michelle Pereira
Michelle Pereira
ISBN: 9781419761584
Fiction, 4-6, Social Emotional Learning
The Brothers Zzli
By: Alex Cousseau; translated by Vineet La
Illustrated by:
Anne-Lise Boutin
Anne-Lise Boutin
ISBN: 9780802856098
Fiction, 7-12, Immigrant Experience
Brown Girl in the Snow
By: Yolanda T. Marshall
Illustrated by:
Marianne Ferrer
Marianne Ferrer
ISBN: 9781771649261
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Carlito’s Butterfly / La mariposa de Carlito
By: Angèle Delaunois; translated by Ann Marie Boulanger and Patricia Bendito Gordon
Illustrated by:
Augusto Mora
Augusto Mora
ISBN: 9781459840744
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Carpet: An Afghan Family Story
By: Dezh Azaad
Illustrated by:
Nan Cao
Nan Cao
ISBN: 9781419763618
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Carry On: Poetry by Young Immigrants
By: Various Contributors
Illustrated by:
Rogé Girard
Rogé Girard
ISBN: 9781771474160
Nonfiction, 7-12, Immigrant Experience
Counting Kindness
By: Hollis Kurman
Illustrated by:
Barroux
Barroux
ISBN: 9781623542290
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
The Day Saida Arrived
By: Susana Gómez Redondo; translated by Laurence Schimmel
Illustrated by:
Sonja Wimmer
Sonja Wimmer
ISBN: 9781733121255
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Dear New Friend
By: Taraneh Matloob
Illustrated by:
Alida Massari
Alida Massari
ISBN: 9781636551463
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Diyas at Circle Time
By: Anjali Joshi
Illustrated by:
Tim Palin
Tim Palin
ISBN: 9781949528008
Fiction, 4-6, Holidays / Seasons / Celebrations
Dounia and the Magic Seeds
By: Marya Zarif; translated by Yvette Ghione
Illustrated by:
Marya Zarif
Marya Zarif
ISBN: 9781771475235
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Dreams to Ashes: The 1871 Los Angeles Chinatown Massacre
By: Livia Blackburne
Illustrated by:
Nicole Xu
Nicole Xu
ISBN: 9798765627228
Nonfiction, 7-12, Immigrant Experience
The Eidi Bag
By: Shazia Afzal
Illustrated by:
Shiva Delsooz
Shiva Delsooz
ISBN: 9781771475426
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Ellis Island Passover
By: Marissa Moss
Illustrated by:
Marissa Moss
Marissa Moss
ISBN: 9781954354326
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Escape
By: Ming Chen, Wah Chen
Illustrated by:
Carmen Vela
Carmen Vela
ISBN: 9781911373810
Nonfiction, 7-12, Immigrant Experience
Facing Fear
By: Karen Lynn Williams
Illustrated by:
Sara Palacios
Sara Palacios
ISBN: 9780802854902
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Finding Home: The Journey of Immigrants and Refugees
By: Jen Sookfong Lee
Illustrated by:
Drew Shannon
Drew Shannon
ISBN: 9781459818996
Nonfiction, 7-12, Immigrant Experience
Finding Refuge: Real-Life Immigration Stories from Young People
By: Victorya Rouse
ISBN: 9781541581609
Nonfiction, Teen, Immigrant Experience
From Far Away
By: Robert Munsch & Saoussan Askar
Illustrated by:
Rebecca Green
Rebecca Green
ISBN: 9781554519392
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Gittel’s Journey
By: Lesléa Newman, Amy June Bates
ISBN: 9781419727474
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Granny Came Here on the Empire Windrush
By: Patrice Lawrence
Illustrated by:
Camilla Sucre
Camilla Sucre
ISBN: 9798887771267
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Hear My Voice / Escucha mi voz
By: Compiled by Warren Binford, foreword by Michael Garcia Bochenek
ISBN: 9781523513482
Nonfiction, 7-12, Immigrant Experience
Homeland
By: Hannah Moushabeck
Illustrated by:
Reem Madooh
Reem Madooh
ISBN: 9781797202051
Fiction, 4-6, Places / Travel
How Did We Get Here?: Exploring the Ancestry of Eastside Residents
By: Anita Storey
Illustrated by:
Nathalie Ortega
Nathalie Ortega
ISBN: 9781631636424
Fiction, 7-12, Immigrant Experience
If You See a Bluebird
By: Bahram Rahman
Illustrated by:
Gabrielle Grimard
Gabrielle Grimard
ISBN: 9781772782844
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Immigrant and Refugee Families
By: Julie Kentner
ISBN: 9781637394588
Nonfiction, 7-12, Immigrant Experience
The Immigrant Experience
By: Spengler, Kremena
ISBN: 9781640269125
Nonfiction, 7-12, Immigrant Experience
In the Spirit of a Dream: 13 Stories of American Immigrants of Color
By: Aida Salazar
Illustrated by:
Alina Chau
Alina Chau
ISBN: 9781338552874
Nonfiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Irving Berlin: The Immigrant Boy Who Made America Sing
By: Nancy Churnin
Illustrated by:
James Rey Sanchez
James Rey Sanchez
ISBN: 9781939547446
Nonfiction, 7-12, Biography / Memoir
Isla to Island
By: Alexis Castellanos
Illustrated by:
Alexis Castellanos
Alexis Castellanos
ISBN: 9781534469242
Fiction, 7-12, Immigrant Experience
It’s Okay, Just Ask
By: Monique Leonardo Carlos
Illustrated by:
Salini Perera
Salini Perera
ISBN: 9781771476140
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Just Another Story: A Graphic Migration Account
By: Ernesto Saade
Illustrated by:
Ernesto Saade
Ernesto Saade
ISBN: 9798765623367
Nonfiction, Teen, Immigrant Experience
Just Say Welcome
By: Emily Raij
Illustrated by:
Nathalia Takeyama
Nathalia Takeyama
ISBN: 9798765619919
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
La Frontera: El viaje con papá / My Journey with Papa
By: Alfredo Alva; Deborah Mills
Illustrated by:
Claudia Navarro
Claudia Navarro
ISBN: 9781782853886
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Light of Home
By: Diana Farid
Illustrated by:
Hoda Hadadi
Hoda Hadadi
ISBN: 9781338890617
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
The Longest Shot: How Larry Kwong Changed the Face of Hockey
By: Chad Soon, George Chiang
Illustrated by:
Amy Qi
Amy Qi
ISBN: 9781459835030
Nonfiction, 7-12, Biography / Memoir
Lost & Found
By: Mei Yu
Illustrated by:
Mei Yu
Mei Yu
ISBN: 9781454945475
Nonfiction, 7-12, Immigrant Experience
Lost Words
By: Leila Boukarim
Illustrated by:
Sona Avedikian
Sona Avedikian
ISBN: 9781797213651
Nonfiction, 4-6, Biography / Memoir
Ly-Lan and the New Class Mix-Up
By: Hà Dinh
Illustrated by:
Tracy Nishimura Bishop
Tracy Nishimura Bishop
ISBN: 9780310174899
Fiction, 7-12, Immigrant Experience
Ly-Lan and the Unfair Book Fair
By: Hà Dinh
Illustrated by:
Tracy Nishimura Bishop
Tracy Nishimura Bishop
ISBN: 9780310174905
Fiction, 7-12, Immigrant Experience
Mai’s Áo Dài
By: Thái Nguyễn and Monique Truong
Illustrated by:
Dung Ho
Dung Ho
ISBN: 9781665917346
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Mango & Peppercorns
By: Tung Nguyen, Katherine Manning, Lyn Nguyen with Elisa Ung
ISBN: 9781797202242
Nonfiction, Teen, Food / Cooking
The Map of Good Memories
By: Fran Nuno; translated by Jon Brokenbow
Illustrated by:
Zuzanna Celej
Zuzanna Celej
ISBN: 9788419464491
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Maria Mariposa
By: Karla Arenas Valenti
Illustrated by:
Ana Ramírez González
Ana Ramírez González
ISBN: 9781797207933
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Mariama: Different but Just the Same
By: Jeronimo Cornelles; translated by Jon Brokenbow
Illustrated by:
Nivola Uya
Nivola Uya
ISBN: 9788416147601
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Me + Tree
By: Alexandria Giardino
Illustrated by:
Alexandria Giardino
Alexandria Giardino
ISBN: 9781568463469
Fiction, 7-12, Friendships
Mei Ling in China City
By: Icy Smith
Illustrated by:
Gayle Garner Roski
Gayle Garner Roski
ISBN: 9780997394757
Fiction, 7-12, BIPOC Characters and Creators
Mei Ling in China City (English & Japanese)
By: Icy Smith
Illustrated by:
Gayle Garner Roski
Gayle Garner Roski
ISBN: 9780979933967
Fiction, 7-12, BIPOC Characters and Creators
Mei Ling in China City (English & Spanish)
By: Icy Smith
Illustrated by:
Gayle Garner Roski
Gayle Garner Roski
ISBN: 9780997394764
Fiction, 7-12, BIPOC Characters and Creators
Mei Ling in China City (English & Traditional Chinese)
By: Icy Smith
Illustrated by:
Gayle Garner Roski
Gayle Garner Roski
ISBN: 9780997394788
Fiction, 7-12, BIPOC Characters and Creators
Migrants
By: Issa Watanabe
Illustrated by:
Issa Watanabe
Issa Watanabe
ISBN: 9781776573134
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Milko
By: Samuel Narh, Freda Narh
Illustrated by:
Alisa Knatko
Alisa Knatko
ISBN: 9781734789720
Fiction, 4-6, Social Emotional Learning
Mina Belongs Here
By: Sandra Niebuhr-Siebert
Illustrated by:
Lars Baus
Lars Baus
ISBN: 9781782508113
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Muzoon: From Refugee to Leader
By: Muzoon Almellehan
Illustrated by:
Asma Enayeh
Asma Enayeh
ISBN: 9781984852038
Nonfiction, 7-12, Biography / Memoir
My Favorite Memories
By: Sepideh Sarihi; translated by Elisabeth Lauffer
Illustrated by:
Julie Völk
Julie Völk
ISBN: 9781733121248
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
My Home is in My Backpack
By: Eugenia Perella
Illustrated by:
Angela Salerno
Angela Salerno
ISBN: 9781782509257,
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
My Life as an Immigrant
By: Lewis, Leigh
Illustrated by:
Larsson, Alice
Larsson, Alice
ISBN: 9798892008853
Nonfiction, 7-12, Immigrant Experience
My Mother, the Mermaid Chaser
By: Jamie Jo Hoang
ISBN: 9780593643006
Fiction, Teen, Immigrant Experience
My Name is Sangoel
By: Karen Williams, Khadra Mohammed
Illustrated by:
Catherine Stock
Catherine Stock
ISBN: 9780802853073
Fiction, 7-12, Immigrant Experience
My Sister the Apple Tree: A Refugee Story of Hope and Resilience
By: Jordan Scott and Jamal Saeed
Illustrated by:
Zahra Marwan
Zahra Marwan
ISBN: 9780593808412
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
No Steps Behind: Beate Sirota Gordon’s Battle for Women’s Rights in Japan
By: Jeff Gottesfeld
Illustrated by:
Shiella Witanto
Shiella Witanto
ISBN: 9781939547552
Nonfiction, 7-12, Biography / Memoir
Out of the Dragon’s Mouth
By: Joyce Burns Zeiss
ISBN: 9780738741963
Fiction, Teen, Historical Fiction
Papa’s Butter Chicken
By: Monica Saigal
Illustrated by:
Abeeha Tariq
Abeeha Tariq
ISBN: 9781664300446
Fiction, 4-6, Food / Cooking
The Paper Boat: A Refugee Story
By: Thao Lam
Illustrated by:
Thao Lam
Thao Lam
ISBN: 9781771473637
Fiction, 7-12, Immigrant Experience
Patty Dreams
By: Nadia L. Hohn
Illustrated by:
Sahle Robinson
Sahle Robinson
ISBN: 9781771476027
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Pearl
By: Sherri L. Smith
Illustrated by:
Christine Norrie
Christine Norrie
ISBN: 9781338029420
Fiction, 7-12, Historical Fiction
A Place in the World
By: Singh, Rina
Illustrated by:
Pouler, Christopher
Pouler, Christopher
ISBN: 9781568463964
Nonfiction, 7-12, Immigrant Experience
The Refugee Crisis
By: Goodman, Michael E.
ISBN: 9781640267138
Nonfiction, Teen, Immigrant Experience
Rights for Migrants and Refugees
By: Anderson, Robert
ISBN: 9781781219485
Nonfiction, 7-12, Immigrant Experience
The Rock in My Throat
By: Kao Kalia Yang
Illustrated by:
Jiemei Lin
Jiemei Lin
ISBN: 9781728445687
Nonfiction, 7-12, Immigrant Experience
Rostam’s Picture-Day Pusteen
By: Ryan Bani Tahmaseb
Illustrated by:
Fateme Mokhles
Fateme Mokhles
ISBN: 9781623543815
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Salma Makes a Home
By: Danny Ramadan
Illustrated by:
Anna Bron
Anna Bron
ISBN: 9781773217611
Fiction, 7-12, Immigrant Experience
Salma the Syrian Chef
By: Danny Ramadan
Illustrated by:
Anna Bron
Anna Bron
ISBN: 9781773213743
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
A Star Shines Through
By: Anna Desnitskaya
Illustrated by:
Anna Desnitskaya
Anna Desnitskaya
ISBN: 9780802856319
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Stormy Seas: Stories of Young Boat Refugees
By: Mary Beth Leatherdale
Illustrated by:
Eleanor Shakespeare
Eleanor Shakespeare
ISBN: 9781554518951
Nonfiction, Teen, Immigrant Experience
Stranger on the Home Front: A Story of Indian Immigrants and World War I
By: Maya Chhabra
ISBN: 9781631634864
Fiction, 7-12, Historical Fiction
Swimming Toward a Dream: Yusra Mardini’s Incredible Journey from Refugee to Olympic Swimmer
By: Reem Faruqi
Illustrated by:
Asma Enayeh
Asma Enayeh
ISBN: 9781645679837
Nonfiction, 4-6, Biography / Memoir
THAO: A PIcture Book
By: Thao Lam
Illustrated by:
Thao Lam
Thao Lam
ISBN: 9781771474320
Nonfiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
A Thousand White Butterflies
By: Jessica Betancourt-Perez and Karen Lynn Williams
Illustrated by:
Gina Maldonado
Gina Maldonado
ISBN: 9781580895774
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Thread by Thread
By: Alice Brière-Haquet; translated by Sarah Ardizzone
Illustrated by:
Michela Eccli
Michela Eccli
ISBN: 9780802856395
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Two Worlds (Dos Mundos)
By: Edel Rodriguez
ISBN: 9781419764950
Nonfiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
Understanding the Path to Citizenship
By: Kremena Spengler
ISBN: 9781681516707
Nonfiction, 7-12, Immigrant Experience
The Writing Room
By: Marcia Argueta Mickelson
ISBN: 9798765627716
Fiction, Teen, Immigrant Experience
Xenia Navarro and the Magic Ants
By: Milagros Darling and Lois Wickstrom
ISBN: 9781954519855
Fiction, 7-12, Cultural Diversity
Yossel’s Journey
By: Kathryn Lasky
Illustrated by:
Johnson Yazzie
Johnson Yazzie
ISBN: 9781623541767
Fiction, 4-6, Immigrant Experience
You’re Out of Luck, Alina Butt
By: Ambreen Butt-Hussain
ISBN: 9781459841628
Fiction, 7-12, Coming of Age
Yusra Swims
By: Julie Abery
Illustrated by:
Sally Deng
Sally Deng
ISBN: 9781568463292
Nonfiction, 7-12, Immigrant Experience
