Books for Children that Center Homelessness Part 1

In light of the current US administration's recent actions targeting unhoused people, the next resource series focuses on books that center homelessness, hunger, and poverty as a way to humanize a demographic of people who are often vilified and dehumanized. We're starting off with children's books! Check out a few US-based and international organizations that provide support for unhoused children, families, and individuals in the list directly below and scroll down to check out a few books you might like to read as a family.

A Few Supports Available for Unhouse Families and Children

• Horizons For Homeless Children | Volunteer Opportunities Boston
• Stand Together | A Philanthropic Community
• Opal's Heart
• Understanding Section 8 Housing - Government Assistance Online
• Homelessness Resources and Programs | HHS.gov
• Find Immediate Assistance: Homelessness, Domestic Violence, Mental Health | SAMHSA
• findhelp.org by findhelp - Search and Connect to Social Care
• Shelter Listings, Homeless Shelters, Halfway Houses, Housing For Low Income
• Institute of Global Homelessness Home - Institute of Global Homelessness
• Street Child Home
• Who we are - Consortium for Street Children
• I Care – Giving Children a Future

Image Description: A child is visible from the chest down. They are wearing a striped black and white shirt and are reading a picture book. The book is open to a page with colorful animals including a brown bear, a red bird, a green frog, a goldfish, a black sheep, a purple cat, and others.

Credit: Marta Wave / Pexels

11 Books for Children that Center Homelessness

• Uncle Willie and the Soup Kitchen by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan
• Old Blue Is My Home written and illustrated by Lita Judge
• The Fair Housing Five and the Haunted House by the staff of the Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center
• The Old Man by Sarah V. and Claude K. Dubois
• I Know How to Draw an Owl written by Hilary Horder Hippely, illustrated by Matt James
• Finding Home by Esteli Meza
• Sanctuary: Kip Tiernan and Rosie’s Place, the Nation’s First Shelter for Women by Christine McDonnell, illustrated by Victoria Tentler-Krylov
• The Can Man by Laura E. Williams, illustrated by Craig Orback
• The Lady in the Box by Ann McGovern, illustrated by Marni Backer
• Rich by Nikki Grimes and R. Gregory Christie
• Shoebox Sam by Mary Brigid Barrett, illustrated by Frank Morrison

Sources

• 31 Children's Books about Homelessness (Pragmatic Mom): 31 Children's Books about Homelessness - Pragmatic Mom
• 30 Emotional Children's Books About Poverty & Homelessness (Imagination Soup): 30 Emotional Children's Books About Poverty & Homelessness - Imagination Soup
• 10 Children's Books About Homelessness and Housing (Rebekah Gienapp): 10 Children's Books about Homelessness and Housing