Books help start a conversation on World Refugee Day

Refugee Week puts the spotlight on people who have fled their homes and built a new life in Australia.

Many children who hear about refugees and immigrants can struggle to comprehend what it means to be a refugee. Sometimes it can be hard for parents to find the words to explain what it means to be a refugee to very young children. Sharing picture books on the topic can help introduce big topics for little people and build empathy and understanding of the hardships people go through when they move to a new country.

Books on refugee experiences such as My Name is Not Refugee by Kate Milner  and The Journey by Francesca Sanna can help start a conversation about refugees or help answer questions children may have.

Sharing a picture book with your children provides a secure environment to talk about serious and confusing issues. For example you can share the beautiful award winning Australian picture book "My Two Blankets" by Irena Kobald by using your library's subscription to Story Box Library. This book explores immigration, friendship and belonging and is available in English and three additional languages so that it can be shared more widely, and provides an opportunity for children to experience hearing a story shared in a language that is not their own. 

A range of age appropriate titles on asylum seekers and refugees is available at your local public library. There are some links to lists of suitable titles on the topic at the end of this blog to get you started. 

World Refugee Day sends a positive message

World Refugee Day on June 20 is an opportunity to raise awareness of refugees and acknowledge the positive contributions they make to Australian society. Refugee Week aims to create better understanding between different communities and encourages successful integration enabling refugees to live in safety and to continue making a valuable contribution to Australia.

Resources

These resources from The Refugee Council of Australia can help you organise an event of your own or learn more about the refugee experience.

More books to explore

Your local library may have these titles, or other titles you can use to share the refugee experience with your family

• Reading.com – Children’s books about refugees and asylum seekers
• Love Reading 4 Kids –Refugees books to raise awareness
• 16 books about refugees

For assistance with finding books on your topic please contact your local library.