Kids Book Index
Viet Thanh Nguyen
As California wildfires burn, Simone and her Vietnamese immigrant family head to a high school gym for shelter. On the way, they pass firefighters from a prison unit working against the fire. At the gym, Simone’s family joins other evacuees and finds community while they wait out the emergency. The story places family displacement and mutual support against the immediate danger of the wildfires.
This book appears on 2 reading lists across 1 edition from 2 organizations.
Finding Home: Words From Kids Seeking SanctuaryGwen Agna, Shelley Rotner, photographed by Shelley RotnerThis photographic picture book records what displaced children say about themselves, their origins, and why they left their countries. It includes children and families seeking asylum, including one child whose parents said their departure was needed for safety. Their voices are presented through photographs and transcription. Additional resources appear in the back matter.Five to NineOn the same reading list for the same age or grade groupView book details
A Voice of Hope: The Myrlie Evers-Williams StoryNadia SalomonThis illustrated biography traces Myrlie Evers-Williams’s path from a shy Black girl with musical gifts in the segregated South to a figure in the civil rights struggle. After her husband, Medgar Evers, was assassinated, she continued this work, confronting hatred while sustaining a voice described as gentle and powerful.Five to NineOn the same reading list for the same age or grade groupView book details
Sister FriendJamilah Thompkins-BigelowAt her new school, Ameena feels as though her classmates do not notice her. Then another student arrives who does not look like the other children. Their meeting begins a friendship rooted in what they share, helping Ameena move from feeling unseen to finding connection. The story follows a child’s experience of starting at a new school and recognizing common ground with another girl.Five to NineOn the same reading list for the same age or grade groupView book details