I’m thrilled to celebrate the book birthday of Barbed Wire Between Us today! It’s the story of my heart. I wanted to tell the story of a Japanese grandmother standing outside the Kids in Cages ever since I saw haunting images in the media during Trump’s first administration. My early attempts were dark and definitely…
Resources for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
I do have quite a few book lists and videos on my blog for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month so I wanted to put it all in one place: 80+ Asian American Children’s Book Lists Korean American Books for Kids Japanese American Books for Kids Chinese American Books for Kids South Asian Books for Kids…
My Book Announcements
My Book News! GREEN HOMES HAPPY PLANET Cover Reveal BARBED WIRED BETWEEN US: Kirkus The Most Anticipated Children’s Books of Spring 2026 We Sing From the Heart Wins Social Justice Literature Award BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US gets Kirkus Starred Review! A Great Review by BookList for FORTUNE COOKIES FOR EVERYONE! We Sing…
Barbed Wire Between Us ORIGINAL Song by Daria Music
This song is based on the powerful book – Barbed Wire Between Us – that follows two little girls held in the same detention camp (Fort Sill, Oklahoma) decades apart. Sadly, their story of family separation and illegal detention echoes recent news about places such as the ICE detention facility at Dilley and others, causing…
I’ll be at the 2nd Nikkei Children’s Book Festival at the Japanese American National Museum (May 9)
I’m thrilled to be a part of the 2nd Nikkei Children’s Book Festival at the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, California! $10 General Admission Free for Youth (under 18) & JANM Members Saturday, May 09, 2026 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM PDT 10:30 am Mia’s reading begins 10:45 am Discussion…
BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US gets Starred Review from School Library Journal!
We are thrilled to announce that Barbed Wire Between Us received its 3rd Starred Review, this time from School Library Journal: Gr 2-5–Set in Fort Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma, Barbed Wire Between Us uses verse poetry to tell the story of how Fort Sill was used as an internment camp for Japanese Americans during World…
Join Kathy Choi and Me for Storytime & Craft at Turtle Books (May 30)
Kathy Choi and I will be doing a Storytime & Craft at Turtle Books in Brookline Village. We hope you can join us! Turtle Books 224 Washington Street Brookline, MA Saturday, May 30 10 am p.s. Related posts:] My Book Events P. Djèlí Clark’s Abeni and the City of Gold Book Event Vicky Fang’s…
THE TRAVELING TACO is a Notable Social Studies Award Winner
Thank you to the National Council for the Social Studies and the Children’s Book Council for selecting The Traveling Taco as a Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People! The Traveling Taco: The Amazing and Surprising Journey of Many of Your Favorite Foods by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Kimberlie Clinthorne-Wong, and published by Red…
5 Reverso Poem Picture Books & 5 Signed BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US giveaway!
Marilyn Singer invented the reverso poetry form with her seminal picture book, Mirror Mirror. In this Read Brightly article, Marilyn Singer describes her new poetry form. Here are some excerpts: A reverso is a poem with two halves. In a reverso, the second half reverses the lines from the first half, with changes only in…
Westchester Book Festival for Young Readers at Camp Mohawk (April 25)
I am thrilled to be part of the Westchester Book Festival for Young Readers at Camp Mohawk on Saturday, April 25. If you are in the area, I hope to see you there! p.s. Related posts: Save the Date for the 3rd Annual Newton Children’s Book Festival 2026! 2nd Annual Newton Children’s Book…










