Words of Welcome: Stories of sanctuary & community for young people

June brings two significant opportunities to celebrate the contributions and resilience of those seeking sanctuary: A Day of Welcome (13 June) and Refugee Week (16–22 June). These events provide an ideal moment to spotlight the stories of refugees and asylum seekers for young people, while fostering a spirit of welcome within our communities.

To support this important awareness, we teamed up with the Schools of Sanctuary team, who organise the A Day of Welcome event, to create a list of recommended books for both young people and adults. These powerful reads explore the experiences of individuals fleeing violence and persecution and consider this year’s Refugee Week theme: ‘Community as a Superpower’.

Image © A Day of Welcome

Below is a selection of the fantastic books we have included in our book list. They are broken down into age groups: Primary (ages 5–7 & 7–11) and Secondary (aged 11–14 & 14–16), plus a handful of recommendations for adults and some podcast picks!

You can download the full book list by clicking the button below.

Download the full Welcoming Words resource pack

Primary (ages 5–7)

The Moomins and The Great Flood by Tove Jansson (Sort of Books)

Celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, this story speaks to our troubled times and the experiences of displacement faced by thousands of families every year.

Bobble by Helen May, illustrated by Hannah Broadway (Asylum Speakers)

This beautifully illustrated fable gently opens up big conversations about migration, helping readers understand the experiences and needs of those facing displacement.

Recommended by the Day of Welcome team

A is for Activist by Innosanto Nagara (Seven Stories Press)

An indispensable guide for anyone wanting to teach their children social responsibility and good citizenship. It shows the value of taking a stand around environmental justice, civil rights, social issues and poverty.

Primary (ages 7–11)

The Power of Welcome by Ramzee, Marie Bamyani, Ada Jusic, Nadine Kaadan & Sonya Zhurnko (Scholastic)

This graphic novel features true stories of displacement from people across the world, including Ukraine, Syria and Afghanistan. The accessible format offers a wide-ranging perspective on a truly global phenomenon.

The Waiting Place by Innosanto Nagara (Candlewick Press)

Through photographs and reflections, Dina Nayeri tells the stories of ten young refugees in Greece’s Katsikas camp, capturing their resilience and their dreams while urging a shift in how we understand community, home and safety.

Recommended by the Day of Welcome team

Front Desk Series by Kelly Yang (Scholastic)

Brilliant—and crucially, entertaining—stories that help children understand the unique challenges of being an immigrant, while fostering empathy for those who have moved and must build a new life in a foreign country.

Secondary (ages 11–14)

Wild East by Ashley Hickson-Lovence (Penguin)

A lyrical journey of self-discovery and resilience, this debut YA novel confronts the experience of being black in a predominantly white city whilst exploring social issues around class, race and deprivation.

You Don’t Know What War Is by Yeva Skalietska (Bloomsbury)

The gripping and poignant diary of young Ukrainian refugee Yeva Skalietska, as she shares her personal experiences of conflict during the war in Ukraine.

Everyday Action Everyday Change by Natalie & Naomi Evans (Wren & Rook)

From racism and sexism to homophobia and ableism, this handbook provides young people with the information they need to understand and navigate the issues they encounter every day.

Secondary (ages 14–16)

My Beautiful Sisters by Khalida Popal (John Murray Press)

A gripping memoir about courage, the power of teamwork against all odds, and the existence of hope in dark times in the age of the Taliban.

You Think you Know Me by Ayaan Mohamud (Usborne)

A stunning debut about finding the strength to speak up against hate and fear. It’s time for Hanan to stop being the quiet, good girl. It’s time for her to stand up and shout.

Recommended by the Day of Welcome team

The Crossing by Manjeet Mann (Penguin)

Told in verse form, this harrowing book intertwines the lives of two teenagers from opposite worlds. Told through beautiful and powerful language, it explores the reality of forced migration.

Adults

The Girl who Smiled Beads by Clemantine Wamariya & Elizabeth Weil (Crown)

This compelling memoir tells the story of Clementine and Claire, and their mixed experiences of kindness and sisterhood as they are forced to flee their home during the Rwandan Civil War.

Who Gets Believed? by Dina Nayeri (Penguin)

Dina Nayeri explores why asylum seekers can be dismissed as liars, using examples drawn from real life and her own experiences to examine our perceptions of truth and believability.

Recommended by the Day of Welcome team

Reading for Action by Ashley S. Boyd & Janine J. Darragh (Rowman & Littlefield)

This book is designed for teachers and serves as a practical guide to help young people engage with themes of social justice, including the impacts of key issues such as climate change and climate action.

A Day of Welcome (13 June 2025)

A Day of Welcome is an annual day of solidarity and learning in schools that aims to build a culture of welcome and understanding for people seeking sanctuary. Celebrated by more than 550 schools in 2024, it supports teachers to kickstart Refugee Week by providing free live events, resources and activities for pupils of all ages.

Register here

Refugee Week (16–22 June 2025)

Refugee Week is the world’s largest arts and culture festival, celebrating the contributions, creativity, and resilience of refugees and people seeking sanctuary. This year’s theme, ‘Community as a Superpower’, invites us to build connections, and celebrate belonging. Communities can bring people together. Bridging divides and offering support. Spaces of resilience and places for healing.

Find out more

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