Using Children’s Books to Start a Conversation about Immigration

Sometimes the most important things to talk about are also the hardest things to talk about. Immigration is one of those things, and if the person you’re having the discussion with is also a child, things can get even trickier. Here is where picture books come in, and they are useful for different reasons for different groups of people. For those children directly affected, they can help them process their emotions and let them know they are not alone. For those not directly affected, they raise awareness and instill empathy for people who are often dehumanized. This New York Times article discusses 4 children’s books about immigration: ‘Mama’s Nightingale,’ by Edwidge Danticat, and More. Have you read any of them? What others should we be reading?