This paper describes a teaching approach that combines picturebooks with (high-immersion) virtual reality (VR) in English lessons in the context of global citizenship education (GCE). Referred to as the VR-Storyworld Approach, it is based on the deep reading framework and the storytelling circle. It consists of four phases, (1) pre-task, (2) while-exploring, (3) while-reading, and (4) post-task, and aims to increase learners’ engagement with texts by immersing them in 360-degree environments based on selected picturebooks addressing global issues. The focus is on encouraging learners to actively engage with the stories and critically reflect on the content. Whereas learners receive an opportunity to explore the setting of picturebooks in VR in the while-exploring phase, the post-task phase invites them to create their own VR environment using an authoring tool (AR2VR) based on the texts they read. The VR-Storyworld Approach aims to promote the knowledge, skills, and values necessary for global citizenship and to encourage learners to promote social justice and sustainability. This paper conceptualizes the VR-Storyworld Approach, provides examples of picturebooks, and describes a lesson sequence, offering insights into the immersive VR learning environment based on the picturebook If Sharks Disappeared by Lily Williams. A discussion of pedagogical implications and the potential of the approach for promoting literary and digital literacy rounds up the paper.