With peak moving season stretching from May through September, many parents, relatives, and teachers are seeking stories that can help with life transitions for kids. Meant for kids from ages 3 through 8, these quality picture books depict a range of topics around moving. From kids books about moving to a new house, to friends moving away, to children's books about moving to a new country, all of these stories acknowledge hard feelings around relocation while encouraging readers to be curious and find the fun in their new experiences.
For a spunky girl and her cat Suki, 4B is the perfect home. It's full of quirks, keeps all her secrets, and has the best neighbors. But her family is growing, and they are moving from an apartment to a house.
Through its kid-centered lens, Leaving 4B tackles an evergreen topic by exploring the intricate ways a place feels like home: a fresh coat of paint, a new hidey-hole, and—above all—welcoming in old (and new) friends.
Hand this sweet friendship story to any child who has a friend moving away. When Vera's best friend moves to the other side of the world, she feels adrift. She asks her special wishing star to bring her friend back, but then her star disappears too! Vera's journey through loneliness leads to surprising discoveries about new friends and the special way she is still connected to her best friend. Back matter supports children and parents when a friend moves away, while also exploring STEM connections through the making of a star map.
Priya used to love being with family and friends to watch fireworks and celebrate Diwali. But this year Priya and her parents are living in the United States, and no one seems to know about the holiday. Priya misses the traditions in India. But as she strings lights outside and creates rangoli art, Priya introduces the festival of lights to her neighbors. And even though the celebration is different this year, it's still Diwali. A heartwarming story of learning to share your traditions and celebrate in a new place.
Children who move to a new country are often coping with culture shock in addition to missing their former home. My America Blooms is a story that shows the immigrant experience through the eyes of a child. When a young girl and her family are forced to flee Iran, she brings a pocket of golnar petals from her beloved garden. In America, she begins to tend a new garden as she creates a new life as an immigrant. America brings friendships, community experiences, and stability, planting the seeds of hope. But every garden has its thorns—the girl must dig deep within herself to cultivate the promises of her new home.
When Things Are Hard, Remember
This story about hard times shows illustrations of a child moving to a new home. With gentle storytelling and poetic language, Joanna Rowland explores what it means to have hope—hope that things will get better, hope that you are cared for even when things are hard, and hope that new growth is waiting to burst forth, just around the corner.
This story about navigating language barriers stars Yuna, who has just moved to the United States doesn't speak English yet. At first, her attempts to catch the attention of the neighborhood kids get lost in translation, but when she shows that she can do something very special with paper, a whole new world unfolds. Marie Tang and Jieting Chen have brought Yuna's origami creations to life in this whimsical, magical picture book, where the language of play can bridge the language barrier and build new friendships. Bonus information is included in the back of the book about the origin of origami and instructions for kids to fold their own paper boat.
Looking for more books to help kids through hard times? Check out 10 Comforting Books That Support Children’s Mental Health, or visit our Grief and Loss Collection.
Here's a list of both parenting and children's books that can help you raise resilient kids this school year.
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