Picture Books for Ages 6+

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

A powerful reverso poem about two girls separated by barbed wire and 80 years of history.

Barbed Wire Between Us tells two deeply resonant stories across time. It begins with a Japanese American girl sent to an internment camp in Oklahoma during World War II. Read in reverse, it reveals the journey of a Latina girl detained in the very same camp decades later, during the U.S. policy of migrant family separation. Harrowing and emotionally charged, this poetic narrative compels us to confront a haunting question: What have we truly learned in the past 80 years about how we treat the most vulnerable among us? With haunting symmetry and striking parallels, Barbed Wire Between Us is a moving meditation on justice, memory, and the echoes of history that still shape our present.

Signed books are available at the link below.

Postcards from Malcolm X:
How Yuri Kochiyama Became a Civil Rights Activist
Written by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Keith Henry Brown

A moving portrait of Yuri Kochiyama―an ordinary woman who became an extraordinary activist―and her bond with Malcolm X

When Japanese American activist Yuri Kochiyama shook Malcolm X’s hand at a courthouse in 1963, it sparked a transformative friendship built on justice, solidarity, and hope. In Postcards from Malcolm X, Mia Wenjen and illustrator Keith Henry Brown trace Kochiyama’s remarkable journey from a small-town girl in California to a fearless advocate for human rights. Her experiences―her father’s death at the hands of the FBI, her family’s internment during World War II, and her work with Japanese American soldiers―shaped a life of activism that connected her to Harlem’s civil rights struggle and, ultimately, to Malcolm X himself. Through accessible, narrative storytelling and evocative art, this book introduces readers to an unsung hero of the civil rights movement and to the extraordinary friendship between two leaders from different communities, bound by a shared vision of equality. Featuring original postcards from Malcolm X, extensive back matter, and a detailed timeline, this is both a powerful history and an inspiring call to action for young readers.

Signed pre-orders will be available soon at the link below.

AWARDS

We Sing From the Heart:
How The Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court.
by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Victor Bizar Gómez 

A compelling account of Simon Tam’s fight for free speech that ended with a landmark Supreme Court decision.

Music is a way to transcend cultures and divides. Simon Tam used his band’s name, The Slants®, to make a powerful statement that racist insults could no longer be hurtful to Asian Americans. But then the U.S. Trade and Patent Office tries to stop him. In his eight-year battle to win trademark protection, Simon would go all the way to the Supreme Court in a landmark case to rout out structural racism in our government systems. Mia Wenjen takes us back to Simon’s early days and the formation of the band, to the long battle to claim the name they chose to use. We learn of his motivations and the years-long struggle that leads ultimately to the Supreme Court of the United States. Told using lyrics from the band’s hit song about their trademark fight, this compelling story will keep readers riveted until the dramatic ending. We Sing from the Heart gives background and context to the significance of Simon’s quest, not just for him and his band, but for free speech rights for us all. Newcomer to children’s books, Victor Bizar Gómez, channels the indie music world with dynamic artwork that compliments the storytelling and is sure to draw in readers with his exciting graphic approach. [picture book, ages 8 and up]

From snowboarder Chloe Kim and hockey player Julie Chu to soccer player Natasha Kai-Marks, these champions inspire us as we learn how they rose to compete at the highest level and how they pave the way for others to follow.

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

Meet 18 Asian Pacific American female athletes from yesterday and today.

They represent a range of sports and ethnicities: Eun Jung “EJ” Lee Ok (Korean American/basketball), Chloe Kim  (Korean American/snowboarding), Miki Gorman (Japanese American/marathon), Victoria Manalo Draves (Filipino & European American/diver), Evelyn Tokue Kawamoto-Konno (Japanese American/swimming), Julie Chu (Chinese & Puerto Rican American/hockey), Natasha “Tasha” Kai (Filipino, Hawaiian, Chinese & European American/soccer), Michelle Wie (Korean American/golf), Kristi Yamaguchi (Japanese American/figure skating), Amy Chow (Chinese American/gymnastics),  Anona Naone Napoleon (Native Hawaiian/surfing), Michelle Waterson (Thai & European American/Mixed Martial Arts), Liane Lissa Sato (Japanese American/volleyball), Catherine Mai-Lan Fox (Vietnamese & European American/swimming), Megan Khang (Hmong American/golf ), Mohini Bhardwaj (Indian & Russian American/gymnastics), and  Naomi Osaka (Japanese & Haitian/tennis).

Asian Pacific American Heroes
by Mia Wenjen

Meet 18 Asian Pacific American leaders from yesterday and today! 

From musician Bruno Mars and Olympian Chloe Kim to chef Niki Nakayama, these real­life heroes inspire us to learn about Asian Pacific American history, language, and culture.  Illustrated with photos. [middle grade picture book, for ages 8 and up] Available at Scholastic bookfairs, flyers, and website.