Tag Archives: immigrants

Ellis Island Day and Celebrating Immigrants to America

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On January 1, 1892, a historic event took place: the opening of Ellis Island. Ellis Island was an immigrant processing station located in the New York Harbor, and in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, 12 million immigrants passed through the station before entering the United States. Today, Ellis Island Day is celebrated each January 1st, and Americans are invited to remember how immigration has played an important role in making the country strong. To help mark this holiday, this month’s S-Collection blog features books that celebrate immigrants to America. The selected picture books tell fictional stories of young immigrants from Mexico, China, and the Philippines, perfect for young readers who are just learning about what it means to be an immigrant to America. The juvenile fiction selection features graphic novels and chapter books that go into more depth about the immigrant experience for older readers. Finally, the nonfiction selection will teach readers about some of the many influential immigrants who have changed America for the better. The S-Collection has what you need to celebrate immigrants to America on this Ellis Island Day!

Picture Books

Águila, Maria Dolores
Illustrated by: Magdalena Mora
Barrio Rising. 2024. Picture Book.
This picture book by Chicana poet Maria Delores Águila is a fictionalized account of real protests that occurred in 1970s San Diego. It is told through the eyes of young Elena, a Mexican-American girl who lives in Barrio Logan with many other Mexican immigrants to the United States. One day, Elena and her mother notice new construction in their neighborhood, which they initially assume to be the start of a park. Elena and other residents are devastated when they learn the city actually intends to build a jail in that location. The barrio bands together to prevent the construction by peacefully occupying the area for nearly 2 weeks. Their hard work and perseverance ultimately results in the creation of Chicano Park, which remains a cultural hub in the community to this day. The spirit and activism of Mexican Americans is uplifted and celebrated in this story of protest and progress.
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Chen, Eva
Illustrated by: Sophia Diao
I Am Golden. 2022. Picture Book.
Chinese-American author Eva Chen celebrates Asian American immigrants in this beautifully illustrated picture book about a young girl named Mei. The book is written as though Mei’s parents are writing it for her, and they address both their gratitude and love towards their daughter and the potential othering she may feel as a newcomer to America. Chen draws attention to notable Chinese Americans to solidify the message about how immigrants have and continue to play an important role in American culture.
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Lee, Sophia N.
Illustrated by: Christine Almeda
Lolo’s Sari-Sari Store. 2023. Picture Book.
The young unnamed narrator of this touching picture book is a recent immigrant to the United States from the Philippines. Back in the Philippines, she used to spend every summer working with her lolo (grandfather) at his sari-sari store. To the narrator, this was more than a store – it was a beacon of community, togetherness, and home. There is no such sari-sari store in America, and the narrator misses it deeply. However, an encounter with a kind stranger at the grocery store reminds her that those who believe in the power of community can find home wherever they go.
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Middle Grade

Arnold, Marie
The Year I Flew Away. 2021. Middle Grade.
Gabrielle Marie Jean is excited to immigrate from Haiti to America – that is, until issues with her parents’ travel documents dictate that Gabrielle will have to travel alone. She soon finds herself living with relatives she has never met in a city that is not entirely welcoming. Gabrielle begins to wonder if the issue lies within her: Perhaps if she could just assimilate, everything would be fine. For better or for worse, she encounters the mysterious Lady Lydia, a witch who promises she can grant Gabriella what she asks for. This fantastical tale draws on Caribbean mythology to tell a story about the importance of immigrant lives, identities, and experiences.
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Dobbs, Alda P.
Barefoot Dreams of Petra Luna. 2021. Middle Grade.
The year is 1913, and young Petra Luna suddenly finds herself in charge of her tight-knit family unit against the backdrop of the Mexican Revolution. When Petra’s village is burned and her father is conscripted into the army, it is up to Petra to lead her two young siblings and elderly grandmother to safety in the United States. During the perilous journey through the desert, Petra tests her strength, resolve, and will to carry on. The story resonates deeply due to the author’s own connection to the experience of being a Mexican immigrant in the United States.
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Tang, Betty C.
Parachute Kids. 2023. Middle Grade.
Feng-Li and her siblings initially think that their family’s trip to America is nothing more than a vacation. While in Los Angeles, however, the trio learns that their parent’s visas have expired and they must return to Taiwan. Feng-Li and her siblings, now “parachute kids,” move in with family friends and begin attending a new school, learning English, and navigating the complexities of American culture. Set in the 1980s, this graphic novel is based on the author’s own experiences and tells an emotional story of perseverance and maintaining hope when your world turns upside-down.
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Juvenile Nonfiction

Abidi, Maliha
Journey to America: Celebrating Inspiring Immigrants Who Became Brilliant Scientists, Game-Changing Activists and Amazing Entertainers. 2022. Juvenile Nonfiction.
This illustrated book will introduce young readers to a variety of first- and second-generation immigrants who changed America for the better. Its range of subjects is vast and includes politicians such as Ilhan Omar, pioneers in the tech world such as Sergey Brin, and sports stars such as Dikembe Mutombo. Cumulatively, this thoughtful book provides context into the lives of 20 influential individuals and their accomplishments.
Available online

Herzog, Brad
W is for Welcome. 2018. Juvenile Nonfiction.
This book is a part of the popular Sleeping Bear Alphabet series and provides an overview of the history of immigration in America and how it has long contributed to a vibrant American culture. Author Brad Herzog goes through the alphabet and assigns each letter a word related to immigration; additionally, many pages highlight an American immigrant who made a positive impact on the world around them. The poetry and paintings throughout help solidify this story that celebrates diversity and togetherness.
Available online

Wallace, Sandra Neil, and others
Illustrated by: Agata Nowicka
First Generation: 36 Trailblazing Immigrants and Refugees Who Make America Great. 2018. Juvenile Nonfiction.
If you like Chobani yogurt, the National Parks Program, or even the Google search engine, then you have American immigrants to thank! These accomplishments and more are detailed in this guide to some of the most influential American trailblazers that were born in countries around the world. Short yet comprehensive 1-page essays are accompanied by colorful illustrations that make this book perfect for young readers eager to learn about how immigration has made the United States – and the world – a stronger and better place.
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From Here to There: Stories of Immigration and Emigration

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To immigrate is to enter a foreign country to live there. To emigrate is to leave a country to live in another. Think of it this way: immigrating is to coming as emigrating is to going.

Uprooting one’s life and moving to a foreign land is rarely an easy process. Sometimes people move by choice, while other times they leave for their own safety. Once arrived, learning how to live in a new culture can be almost as difficult. Below are several stories of people who immigrated all over the world.

If you’re interested in finding more books about immigration and emigration, search the catalog using keywords such as “juvenile fiction” for fiction books, “juvenile literature” for nonfiction books, and an additional term such as “immigration,” “emigration,” or “refugees.”

Ewald, Wendy
America Border Culture Dreamer. 2018 (Nonfiction).
Eighteen immigrant teenagers define their experiences using the alphabet. In this unique approach to exploring immigration, each story is accompanied by an impactful photograph.
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Fox, Mem
I’m an Immigrant Too! 2018 (Picture Book).
Set in Australia, this colorful book celebrates the diversity that immigrants bring to a new place and how they make communities wonderful. This joyful story is a fresh look at immigration from a non-American perspective.
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Gratz, Alan
Refugee. 2017 (Middle Grade Novel).
Intense and action-packed, this book is really three stories in one. Josef, a Jewish boy in 1930’s Nazi Germany, Isabel, a young girl living in Cuba in 1994 during great political unrest, and Mahmoud, a boy living in Syria in 2015 where the death count increases daily, all must flee their home countries for the safety of their families. While each story is different, every character experiences the same fear and uncertainty, making this a narrative that transcends decades.
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Lorenzi, Natalie Dias
A Long Pitch Home. 2016 (Middle Grade Novel).
When Bilal leaves Pakistan to come to America, he finds it difficult to adjust. Speaking English is exhausting, cricket is definitely not the same as baseball, and he wishes more than anything that his father could move to America too. In this endearing tale, Bilal must learn to find his courage.
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Newman, Lesléa
Gittel’s Journey: An Ellis Island Story. 2019 (Picture Book).
Based on a real immigrant’s experiences at Ellis Island, this story follows a young girl and her mother as they make their way to America. When her mother does not pass the health inspection, Gittel is forced to enter the country on her own, which becomes an even more frightening prospect when she realizes that she does not have the address of the cousin with whom she is supposed to stay!
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Raúf, Onjali Q.
The Boy at the Back of the Class. 2019 (Middle Grade Novel).
Set in England, this book follows the story of new kid Ahmet, a nine-year-old refugee from Syria. Highlighting the power of an ally, Ahmet’s classmates work together to come up with a plan to help reunite him with his family.
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Rim, Sujean
Chee-Kee: A Panda in Bearland. 2017 (Picture book).
When Chee-kee moves to Bearland, he is worried that he will never fit in. He doesn’t know how to use a fork, or how to skateboard, and he prefers wearing hats to sunglasses. Soon, however, Chee-Kee finds that he might have more to offer than he realized.
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Tan, Shaun
The Arrival. 2007 (Graphic Novel).
This stunning and totally wordless graphic novel tells the story of a man who leaves his home to build a better future for his family. No specific countries are named, and the foreign is presented as totally foreign to both the man and the reader. This story captures the emotional highs and lows of an immigrant’s journey.
[Q. S.741.595 T153a]

Van, Muon
The Little Tree. 2015 (Picture Book).
When a little tree realizes that her forest is becoming smaller and smaller, she sends her seed off with a bird friend in hopes that it may find a new forest and one day grow big and strong. Based on the author’s own mother, this heartwarming tale is both colorful and sweet.
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Wallace, Sandra Neil and Wallace, Rich
First Generation: 36 Trailblazing Immigrants and Refugees Who Make America Great. 2018 (Nonfiction).
Giving brief biographies of immigrants and refugees from all over the world, this book explores the lives of many people who have helped shape their respective fields, as well as the United States in general. Included are famous figures such as Albert Einstein, as well as change-makers you may not have heard of before.
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Weston, Robert Paul
Sakura’s Cherry Blossoms. 2018 (Picture Book).
Sakura loves spending springtime sitting underneath a tall cherry tree with Obaachan. When Sakura’s family moves from Japan to America, she worries she will never feel at home again. A beautiful tale of love and loss, this story is told entirely in Tanka, a style of poetry similar to haiku.
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