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    • BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US is #1 New Release in Prejudice & Racism Children’s Books
    • BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US Makes Kirkus’ Spring 2026 Preview of Must-Read Children’s Books
    • FORTUNE COOKIES FOR EVERYONE! is a Notable Social Studies Award Winner
    • The Traveling Taco wins California Eureka! Nonfiction Children’s Book Award
    • Fortune Cookies for Everyone! wins California Eureka! Nonfiction Children’s Book Award
    • Postcards from Malcolm X Cover Reveal!
    • Barbed Wire Between Us gets Starred Review from Publishers Weekly!
    • GREEN HOMES HAPPY PLANET Cover Reveal
    • BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US gets Kirkus Starred Review!
    • Barbed Wire Between Us included in Sneak Peek list of Poetry for Young People 2026
    • Activity Guides to My Books
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    • We Sing From the Heart wins Julia Ward Howe prize for children’s literature!
    • WE SING FROM THE HEART is Carter G. Woodson Book Award Honoree!
    • My Book Announcements
    • The Traveling Taco gets a SONG!
    • We Sing From the Heart makes Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year 2025!
    • The Traveling Taco on Reading Rockets’ Summer Reading Guide 2025!
    • Origami French Fries: Activity for THE TRAVELING TACO
    • FOOD FOR THE FUTURE makes Sunshine State Young Readers Award Orange Blossom List for Nonfiction!
    • Book Announcement! Postcards from Malcolm X: How Yuri Kochiyama Became a Civil Rights Activist
    • We Sing From the Heart is a Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner!
    • WE SING FROM THE HEART wins California Eureka! Nonfiction Children’s Book Award
    • WE SING FROM THE HEART is Orbis Pictus Recommended Book
    • WE SING FROM THE HEART is a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection
    • Dorktales Podcast: Simon Tam, Hidden Hero of History
    • Food for the Future Wins Nautilus Silver Book Award
    • Food for the Future makes Mass Book Award Long List!
    • FOOD FOR THE FUTURE Makes Green Earth Book Award Long List!
    • Food for the Future is a finalist for 2023 INDIES Book of the Year!
    • New! Food for the Future Activity and Discussion Guide!
    • FOOD FOR THE FUTURE is a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection!
    • ‘Food for the Future’ selected for Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best books
    • Scholastic Purchased CHANGING THE GAME!
    • Starred Review for FOOD FOR THE FUTURE from School Library Journal!
    • Sumo Joe makes Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year list!
    • How To Coach Girls wins Silver Award!
    • Posts on My Books
  • My Book Events
    • Join Me for a Storytime Walk and Children’s Cooking Class at Powisset Farm
    • Join Kathy Choi and Me for Storytime & Craft at Turtle Books in Brookline MA
    • My Book Events
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Barbed Wire Between Us Book Birthday

Today is BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US book birthday!

Posted on March 31, 2026April 19, 2026 by Pragmatic Mom

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…

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Resources for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Resources for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Posted on May 1, 2024May 1, 2026 by Pragmatic Mom

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…

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We Sing From the Heart picture book cover reveal of The Slants Simon Tam

My Book Announcements

Posted on March 4, 2023April 14, 2026 by Pragmatic Mom

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…

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Barbed Wire Between Us ORIGINAL Song by Daria Music

Barbed Wire Between Us ORIGINAL Song by Daria Music

Posted on May 1, 2026April 17, 2026 by Pragmatic Mom

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…

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I'll be at the 2nd Nikkei Children's Book festival at the Japanese American National Museum (May 9)

I’ll be at the 2nd Nikkei Children’s Book Festival at the Japanese American National Museum (May 9)

Posted on April 29, 2026April 28, 2026 by Pragmatic Mom

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…

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BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US gets Starred Review from School Library Journal!

BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US gets Starred Review from School Library Journal!

Posted on April 27, 2026April 25, 2026 by Pragmatic Mom

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…

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Turtle Books storytime with Mia Wenjen and Kathy Choi

Join Kathy Choi and Me for Storytime & Craft at Turtle Books (May 30)

Posted on April 24, 2026April 24, 2026 by Pragmatic Mom

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…

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THE TRAVELING TACO is a Notable Social Studies Award Winner

THE TRAVELING TACO is a Notable Social Studies Award Winner

Posted on April 22, 2026April 18, 2026 by Pragmatic Mom

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…

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5 Reverso Poem Picture Books

5 Reverso Poem Picture Books & 5 Signed BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US giveaway!

Posted on April 20, 2026April 21, 2026 by Pragmatic Mom

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…

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The Westchester Children’s Book Festival for Young Readers

Westchester Book Festival for Young Readers at Camp Mohawk (April 25)

Posted on April 17, 2026April 24, 2026 by Pragmatic Mom

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…

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I’m Mia Wenjen!

Mia Wenjen High Res Headshot Jerry Russo

Hi, I’m Mia Wenjen. Nice to meet you!

I blog about diverse children’s books, co-founded Read Your World on Jan 29, 2026, and write children’s books.

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Activity Guides for My Books

Activity Guides to Mia Wenjen's Books

Barbed Wire Between Us (click to purchase)

Barbed Wire Between Us by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Violeta Encarnación

Barbed Wire Between Us original song by Daria Music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wZieLAYEXA

Pre-Order Postcards From Malcolm X

Postcards from Malcolm X by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Keith Henry Brown

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Fortune Cookies for Everyone (click to purchase)

FORTUNE COOKIES FOR EVERYONE! by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Colleen Kong-Savage, Published by Red Comet Press

Makoto Hagiwara| Inventor of Fortune Cookie | Dorktales Storytime Stories for Kids

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1TaM7HjuzY

Fortune Cookies for Everyone book trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9k6aOlMgCc

The Traveling Taco (click to purchase)

Cover Reveal for THE TRAVELING TACO by Mia Wenjen

The Traveling Taco Song created by Daria – World Music for Children

https://youtu.be/KWTuCwbWLXs

We Sing From the Heart (click to purchase)

We Sing From the Heart picture book cover reveal of The Slants Simon Tam

Dorktales Storytime Podcast: Simon Tam featured in We Sing From the Heart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlDdwUZpcNI

FOOD FOR THE FUTURE (click to purchase)

Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Robert Sae-Heng

Food for the Future Song created by Daria – World Music for Children

https://youtu.be/uTw6y3EjeOA

SUMO JOE (click to purchase)

Sumo Joe cover reveal

CHANGING THE GAME (click to purchase)

Changing the Game: Asian Pacific American Female Athletes by Mia Wenjen

Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime! (click to purchase)

Cover Reveal: Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime!

3rd Newton Children’s Book Festival 2026//NEW Venue!!

Save the Date for the 3rd Annual Newton Children's Book Festival 2026!

Heim Nest Kid Mattress Exclusive Deal

Heim Nest Kid Mattress
educational toys
educational toys from dhgate stores

Online GED test at Excel

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Categories

The Elusive Full Ride Scholarship (click to purchase)

The Elusive Full Ride Scholarship: An Insider’s Guide

How to Get Kids Reading

  • Multicultural Books for Children: 60+ Book Lists
  • Getting Kids to Love Reading
  • Summer Reading Lists for Kids By Grade
  • Summer Reading Lists for Middle School Kids

Purchase Read Your World Merch

LGBTQIA+ Books Save Lives Merch.

Buy it here!

HOW TO COACH GIRLS book trailer by Mia Wenjen & Alison Foley

https://youtu.be/j74M0bBxrGg

HOW TO COACH GIRLS (click to purchase)

How To Coach Girls by Mia Wenjen and Alison Foley

ebook Version has 3 bonus chapters (click to purchase)

How To Coach Girls ebook

My Websites

  • How To Coach Girls
  • I Love Newton
  • Mia Wenjen (My New Author Website)

The Traveling Taco Book Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zf4tp9lffG0

We Sing From the Heart book trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJNcJd8dEPU

Recent Posts

  • Barbed Wire Between Us ORIGINAL Song by Daria Music May 1, 2026
  • I’ll be at the 2nd Nikkei Children’s Book Festival at the Japanese American National Museum (May 9) April 29, 2026
  • BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US gets Starred Review from School Library Journal! April 27, 2026
  • Join Kathy Choi and Me for Storytime & Craft at Turtle Books (May 30) April 24, 2026
  • THE TRAVELING TACO is a Notable Social Studies Award Winner April 22, 2026
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