If there is one quality kids need these days, it’s resilience.
Between last year’s school shutdowns, an entire year of heavy news, and now beginning the process of going back into school and normal life again, resilience is something kids are figuring out (whether they like it or not). One of the best ways we can help them is by sharing stories about other kids who have gone through a hard time, and came out even better on the other side.
For a list of my favorite books recommendations, keep on reading!
Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk
This book is described as, “a celebration of finding your own path and becoming your truest self.” It follows the story of a girl named Ellie, whose family is struggling enormously during the Great Depression. This is the perfect book for a child who has lost a loved one, or who is struggling with grief for any reason after 2020.
Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisneros
This story is about a young man named Efren, who is left to take care of his siblings one day when he finds out his mother has been deported. It follows the family’s story of survival, as well as their determination to bring their mother back home.
Front Desk by Kelly Yang
I absolutely adore this children’s series! It follows the story of Mia Tang, and the many secrets she has. Between living and working in a motel with her parents, to hiding immigrants from the hotel’s owner, to following her own dream of becoming a writer, Mia has a lot going on. She is the perfect example of a resilient protagonist, and one your kids will adore.
Other Words For Home by Jasmine Warga
This beautifully-written book follows the journey of Jude, a young girl who is sent away from her home in Syria to live in America. Even though she has to leave her father, brother, and best friends behind, she learns to make a new life for herself in a place she is unfamiliar with, until home becomes somewhere in between old and new.