The United States is home to many people who left the country they were born in to live in America. These people immigrated to the United States for a variety of reasons including to seek new lives and opportunities and to escape poverty, war, violence, or natural disasters. The story of immigration and immigrants is also the story of our country’s growth. You’ll find resources and books below that explore immigration in the U.S. Learn about immigrants’ experiences and contributions that contributed to our shared American identity.

Online Resources

Immigration: Stories of Yesterday and Today - Scholastic

Learn the many reasons people come to America and how they’ve helped create our rich and diverse country. Includes oral histories of recent and historic immigrants, an Ellis Island history lesson, data analysis, research skills, and several graphing activities, for a comprehensive look at immigration.

Immigration and Relocation in U.S. History – Library of Congress

The history of the United States has been shaped by peoples and communities who came to its shores or moved within its borders. This presentation uses Library of Congress primary sources to explore moments and experiences from several of these communities.

Civics and Citizenship Toolkit: A Collection of Educational Resources for Immigrants - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

Orange Public Library offers Citizenship Kits that contain step-by-step instructions on the U.S. Naturalization process. Please visit the Citizenship Kits webpage for more information.

Helpful Books 

Read about the history of immigration in the United States as well as the diverse immigrant experiences of children from other countries. For a more complete list, please click on the printable or online lists. 

Ellis Island by Elizabeth Carney

Explores the history of Ellis Island and identifies its early roles as a Mohegan island, fisherman rest spot, famous immigration station, and today's museum.

Danbi Leads the School Parade by Anna Kim

Danbi starts a new school in America. See how she navigates her two cultures and realizes that when you open your world to others, their world opens to you.

Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri

A sprawling, evocative, and groundbreaking autobiographical novel told in the unforgettable and hilarious voice of a young Iranian refugee. A powerfully layered novel that poses the questions: Who owns the truth? Who speaks it? Who believes it?

American as Paneer Pie by Supriya Kelkar

An Indian American girl navigates prejudice in her small town and learns the power of her own voice in this middle grade novel full of humor and heart.

The Year I Flew Away by Marie Arnold

In this magical middle-grade novel, ten-year-old Gabrielle finds out that America isn't the perfect place she imagined when she moves from Haiti to Brooklyn. With the help of a clever witch, Gabrielle becomes the perfect American -- but will she lose herself in the process?

America, Border, Culture, Dreamer: The Young Immigrant Experience from A to Z by Wendy Ewald, editor

First- and second-generation teenaged immigrants to the U.S. from all around the world collaborate with renowned photographer Wendy Ewald to create an alphabet defining their experiences in pictures and words.

Finding Home: The Journey of Immigrants and Refugees by Jen Sookfong Lee

Discover how human migration has shaped our world, explore its origins and the current issues facing immigrants and refugees today, and hear the first-hand stories of people who have moved across the globe looking for safety, security and happiness.

Their Great Gift: Courage, Sacrifice, and Hope in a New Land by John Coy

Explores the experiences of immigrants in the twenty-first century, focusing on the lives of children. Images of families who came to the United States from many different parts of the world celebrate the diversity of our country and contain a vision of hope for the future.

Soñadores by Yuyi Morales

The Spanish edition of Morales’ Dreamers is the author’s own immigration story in a picture book tribute to the transformative power of hope.