Recommended Learning Resources
Books
The Whatcom County Library System has put together this same resource list all in one easy to locate place. We would recommend getting these books from your local library or buying local when possible. Use this link to check out titles from a local library: Whatcom Refugee Project Recommended Resources | Whatcom County Library System | BiblioCommons
Everyone Who Is Gone Is Here: The United States, Central America, and the Making of a Crisis by Jonathan Blitzer
Solito by Javier Zamora
The God Who Sees by Karen Gonzalez
Seeking Refuge by Stephan Bauman, Matthew Soerens, Dr. Issam Smeria
Beyond the Sand and Sea by Ty McCormick
Welcoming the Stranger by Matthew Soerens & Jenny Yang
No longer Strangers by Eugene Cho & Samira Iadi Page
After the Last Border by Jessica Goudeau
The Story of My Life: An Afghan Girl on the Other Side of the Sky by Farah Ahmedi
Refugee by Alan Gratz
The Unwanted: Stories of the Syrian Refugees by Don Brown
Beneath the Tamarind Tree by Isha Sesay
The Boat People by Sharon Bala
Together Tea and The Stationary Shop by Marjan Kamali
Chasing Chaos by Jessica Alexander
City of Thorns by Ben Rawlence
Call Me American by Abdi Nor Iftin
The Ungrateful Refugee by Dina Nayeri
We Crossed a Bridge and it Trembled by Wendy Pearlman
When You Can't Go Home: Portraits of Refugees in the Pacific Northwest by Karisa Keasey
The Middle of Everywhere by Mary Pipher
Kids Books
Picture Books for All Ages
I’m New Here by Anne Sibley O’Brien
When This World Was New by Danilo Figueredo
My Two Blankets by Irena Kobald and Freya Blackwood by Irena Kobald and Freya Blackwood
Teacup by Rebecca Young and Matt Ottley
The Journey by Francesca Sanna
Dreamers by Yuyi Morales
The Sandwich Swap by Queen Rania of Jordan Al Abdullah
Brothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan by Mary Williams
Four Feet Two Sandals by Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed
The Paper Boat by A Refugee Story by Thao Lam
My Beautiful Birds by Suzanne Del Rizzo
The Most Beautiful Thing by Kao Kalia Yang
Grade Level 1-4
A Different Pond by Boa Phi
Sea Prayer by Khaled Hosseini
Azzi in Between by Sarah Garland
The Journey by Francesca Sanna
Where Will I Live? by Rosemary McCarney
Grade Level 4 & up
When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson & Omar Mohamed
One Good Thing About America by Ruth Freeman
A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park
Podcasts
Documentaries
Other important resources
Dr. Becca Johnson’s TedX talk: “Becoming Trauma Sensitive through the Trauma Dance”
Activities Book: TRACTs: Trauma Recovery Activities Over 130 Activities, Ideas and Forms to encourage Healing after Trauma by Becca Johnson, PhD, 2020
Resource pages to learn about refugees, trauma, and trauma-informed care for various service providers and organizations, from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network
The Switchboard webinar: Who Are the Afghan Newcomers? Understanding the Background and Sociocultural Strengths and Needs of Afghan Evacuees to the United States
Film: A Place to Breathe from the Trauma Research Foundation film festival
PDF: How Whiteness, the Savior Complex, and Power Dynamics Affect the Sponsorship Experience
Created by: Ireri Bravo, Allison Beaufort, and Laura Coleman