Resources

Cultural Orientation

Key information about the cultural background of Syrian refugees: Cultural Orientation Resource Centre – Syrian Refugees

Recommended books

A selection for children that include stories about asylum seekers and refugees from around the world

Picture books (not necessarily aimed at young children)

  • Azzi in Between by Sarah Garland
  • Blue Penguin by Petr Horacek
  • Dreams of Freedom in association with Amnesty International
  • For Every Child in association with Unicef
  • Kasia’s Surpise by Stella Gurney
  • Refuge by Anne Booth & Samuel Usher
  • The Arrival by Shaun Tan
  • The Colour of Home by Mary Hoffman
  • The Island by Armin Greder
  • The Silence Seeker by Ben Morley
  • We are all born free in association with Amnesty International

Suitable for Key stages One and Two readers (and above)

  • My Name is Parvana (2)by Deborah Ellis
  • Parvana’s Journey (1) by Deborah Ellis
  • Night Flight by Michaela Morgan
  • Mud City (3) by Deborah Ellis
  • Paddington Here and Now by Michael Bond
  • Shadow by Michael Morpurgo
  • The Unforgotten Coat by Frank Cottrell Boyce
  • Under the skin by Catherine McPhail

Older/ more able readers

  • A Hare in the Elephant’s Trunk by Jan Coates
  • A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park
  • After Tomorrow by Gillian Cross
  • A Strange Land by Alan Gibbons
  • Asylum by Rachel Anderson
  • Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins
  • Boy Overboard (1) by Morris Gleitzman
  • Close to the Wind by Jon Walter
  • Girl in Red by Gaye Hicyilmaz
  • Girl Underground (2) by Morris Gleitzman
  • Girl with a White Dog by Anne Booth
  • Hidden by Miriam Halahmy
  • Home is a Place Called Nowhere by Leon Rosselson
  • I am David by Anne Holm
  • Kiss the Dust by Elizabeth Laird
  • Little Soldier by Bernard Ashley
  • Looking at the Stars by Jo Cotterill
  • Mahtab’s Story by Libby Gleeson
  • Now Is The Time For Running by Michael Williams
  • Once by Morris Gleitzman
  • Oranges in No Man’s Land by Elizabeth Laird
  • Out of Nowhere by Maria Padian
  • Refugee Boy by Benjamin Zephaniah
  • Ruby Tanya by Robert Swindells
  • Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
  • The Dark Beneath by Alan Gibbons
  • The Milk of Birds by Sylvia Whitman
  • The Other Side of Truth (1) by Beverley Naidoo
  • Web of Lies (2) by Beverley Naidoo
  • When Hitler stole Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr
  • Where I Belong by Gillian Cross

For further titles on this subject and reviews

www.letterboxlibrary.com/

www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2014/oct/13/black-history-month-best-books-immigration-refugees

www.booktrust.org.uk/search/

booksforkeeps.co.uk/search/node/asylum%20seekers

www.letterpressproject.co.uk/inspiring-young-readers

Other local refugee groups

Cheltenham Welcomes Refugees won the King’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2024!

https://www.cheltenhamwelcomesrefugees.org.uk/news

Bromsgrove and Redditch Welcomes Refugees are active and thriving.

https://brwr.uk/

Evesham Vale Welcomes Refugees supports refugees in the Evesham area.

https://evwr.wordpress.com/

National support

There are many national charities and organisations who offer support, see below for websites and contact details: