Boy reading a book

The right to read

Books Away From Home provides refugee children with books in their native language, to help ease their transition to an unfamiliar place.

Toddler reading a children's book
Two children reading a book together
Boy reading book
Child reading a book
Two children in a tent reading a book
Child in bed reading a book
Child reading a book
Child picking a book from a bookshelf
Child reading a book outside
Child reading a book
Toddler reading a book

It's simple.

Children deserve books from home, even if they are far from home.

Our mission

News

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  • Kahan and his 5 Sunbird books

    Persian-language Children’s Books for Refugee Children

    The first 5 books from the Sunbird collection have arrived!

    Read more ▶︎
  • Opening Kinderboekenweek

    'Bij mij thuis'

    Alles over de Kinderboekenweek, 4-11 oktober 2023

    Read more ▶︎
  • Classroom with children and world map

    "Heb je zelf ooit een oorlog meegemaakt?"

    In gesprek met Martine Letterie (in Dutch)

    Read more ▶︎
  • My Life Journey Book

    My Life Journey Book

    'My Life Journey Book' is a free activity book for children from Ukraine.

    Read more ▶︎
  • Two sunbirds and a flower

    Sunbird: our newest book project

    Coming to BAFH: Children's books in Persian/Dari

    Read more ▶︎
  • flower garden Ukraine school

    Flowers4School: for the schoolchildren of Ukraine

    In bleak times, the joy of flowers.

    Read more ▶︎
  • Misjka omslag

    Misjka

    Boekentip: Misjka, van Edward van de Vendel, Anoush Elman en Annet Schaap

    Read more ▶︎
  • Omslag Kinderen van ver

    Boekentip: Kinderen van ver

    Boekentip: Kinderen van ver, van Martine Letterie

    Read more ▶︎
  • My Name is Not Refugee

    "What is a refugee?"

    Books for young readers about refugees and asylum seekers

    Read more ▶︎
  • World Children's Day

    20 November is World Children’s Day

    World Children’s Day, 20 November, is UNICEF’s annual day of action: for children, by children.

    Read more ▶︎
  • Paul van Vliet in Sri Lanka, with child

    "Een boek voor een vluchteling," met Paul van Vliet, Sabri Ali Ahmed en Stacey Knecht

    "A book for a refugee," Saturday 12 Nov, at Antiquariaat Colette & Co (in Dutch)

    Read more ▶︎
  • Books Away From Home logo

    Welcome

    Books Away From Home is here at last!

    Read more ▶︎
  • The first 5 Ukrainian children's books

    First print run Ukrainian children's books

    The first 10,000 Ukrainian children's books have reached their destination.

    Read more ▶︎
Father reading to child

Reading matters

Reading and language are important for every child’s educational, emotional and social development. They are also important cornerstones for cultural preservation and community.

Learn more
Woman reading a book to group of refugee children

Making an impact together

We work with refugee shelters, schools, libraries, publishers, printing houses and a group of dedicated volunteers, and facilitate the book delivery process from start to finish.

Learn more

Our projects

  • Ukrainian kids in Dutch orphanage reading our books

    Books for the Youngest Ukrainian Refugees

    Help us provide free, Ukrainian-language children's books to Ukrainian children forced to flee the war in their homeland.

    Learn more ▶︎
  • Two sunbirds and a flower

    Sunbird: for young refugees from Iran and Afghanistan

    Books for refugee children from Iran and Afghanistan

    Learn more ▶︎
  • I tried to read my kids online books, but it's not the same as if they can hold them in their hands, turn the pages and see the pictures.
    — Anna (refugee from Ukraine)
  • It is wonderful to have at least a little piece of our homeland, through these Ukrainian books.
    — Liliya (refugee from Ukraine)
  • Thank you for the opportunity to read books in our native Ukrainian language. When we first saw them, tears came to our eyes.
    — Oksana (refugee from Ukraine)
  • When you are running for your life, you don’t think about books at all. But time passes and your baby asks you to read a bedtime story… and lo and behold, 5 little books appear in their native Ukrainian language.
    — Nina (refugee from Ukraine, mother of 1)
  • We ordered a set of books for the little Ukrainian boy in our third grade class. He loves them, and has even read one aloud to his classmates!
    — Sietske (Elementary school teacher, the Netherlands)
  • Thank you so much for the joy of books. My daughters were so happy to see folk tales they knew from home.
    — Elena (refugee from Ukraine, mother of 3)
  • Good day! I received the books! What happiness! I'll sit down and read to the children! Thank you very much for such a wonderful job! It's like a balm on a wound!
    — Kseniya (refugee from Ukraine, mother of 2)
  • I am sincerely grateful to my Dutch friends for their help and care. Wonderful books, wonderful Ukrainian language.💗
    — Sofia (refugee from Ukraine, mother of 2)
  • I have a 7-year-old Ukrainian girl in my class who arrived last October. She is struggling to settle in and often appears understandably distant. I am fascinated by your project and would love to purchase from my own personal money 4 sets of your books for the school as there are a number of classes with Ukrainian children and it would surely help them adjust to their new surroundings in what must be a desperately difficult and confusing time in their lives.
    — David (first grade teacher, Ireland)
  • Wishing you a merry Christmas and I hope that your project grows and continues this valuable service to displaced children!
    — Charlene (host family mom, Australia)
  • Good morning from Lesbos! 🇬🇷🌞🫶🏼 We just received the books -- they are priceless.
    — Yannis (Refugee worker)
  • I would like to read with my children, to not forget our native language.
    — Ghulam
  • The children feel so good when they recognize their own language.
    — Griet (teacher, Belgium)
  • We've got a lot of refugee children and children who speak another language at home. We are starting a project to get parents more involved with the school. We're planning to invite the parents to read books in their own language to groups of children at our school.
    — Bettina (teacher, the Netherlands)
  • I have 2 refugee kids in my classroom who speak Persian. Of course, they learn to speak, write and read in German but I think it is important that they also read in their mother tongue.
    — Matheo (teacher, Germany)
  • A fantastic addition to our multicultural school library!
    — Vicky (teacher, Great Britain)
  • Because of the lack of Persian books in the Netherlands, I am so happy to find you all. My pupils (4-6 yrs) and their parents will be so thrilled.
    — Zala (teacher, the Netherlands)
  • I want my nieces and nephews to experience Farsi tales, something I didn’t get the chance for.
    — Toba

With your support, we can provide books to the children who need them most.

€ 1 = 1
*

For every euro you donate, we can provide one book to a refugee child.