Author: Mia Wenjen

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The Traveling Taco COVER REVEAL!

The Traveling Taco: The Amazing and Surprising Journey of Your Favorite Foods by Mia Wenjen

It comes out May 6, 2025, through Red Comet Press!

The Traveling Taco: The Amazing and Surprising Journey of Your Favorite Foods by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Kimberlie Clinthorne-Wong

An exploration of the history of kids’ favorite foods from around the world

From pizza to pasta and ice cream to French fries, some of our favorite foods have a surprising history, and many of them have traveled far from where they originated! Did you know many well-known dishes are food immigrants? The Al Pastor Taco traveled from Lebanon to Puebla, Mexico! French fries originated in Belgium! And pasta arrived in Italy long before Marco Polo visited China. This fascinating nonfiction book featuring rhyming text takes the reader on travels around the world to celebrate foods, their history, and surprising origins. Join Mia Wenjen for a fact-packed journey of discovery that will make your mouth water as you travel the unexpected road of some of our favorite foods. [picture book, ages 5 and up]

The Traveling Taco: The Amazing and Surprising Journey of Your Favorite Foods by Mia Wenjen

 

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Some Book News!

WE SING FROM THE HEART is a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection

Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime! Just Released!

Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime! by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Kai Gietzen

Mom is counting on Dad to get Boxer Baby down for her nap, but Boxer Baby is the G.O.A.T. of sleep avoidance. This hilarious face-off mimics a three-round boxing match, as Boxer Baby is no lightweight when it comes to staying awake.

Dad has a few tricks up his sleeve, but will it be enough in this epic battle against nap time?
Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime! uses figurative language to show how many common idioms have boxing origins.

Cover Reveal: Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime!

 

Food for the Future Wins Nautilus Silver Book Award!

 

Food for the Future Wins Nautilus Silver Book Award

Food for the Future 1st Birthday and NEW music video!

 

 

I have 3 Haiku Poems in a new poetry anthology!

Gnomes and Ungnomes by The Writers’ Loft Book Launch

Here, we read our poems at the book launch!

 

Food for the Future makes Mass Book Award Long List!

Food for the Future makes Mass Book Award Long List!

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WE SING FROM THE HEART is a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection

WE SING FROM THE HEART is a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection

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WE SING FROM THE HEART in Publisher’s Weekly

RED COMET PRESS

Red Comet wraps up fall with a bow with The Gift by Oleksandr Shatokhin, which finds Rabbit wondering what could be in the package that lands on top of their burrow; 18 Flowers for Grandma: A Gift of Chai by Alison Goldberg, illus. by Jesse White, the story of how Sadie’s grandmother passes on her love for art and Jewish traditions; and We Sing from the Heart by Mia Wenjen, illus. by Victor Bizar Gomez, profiling Simon Tam who took his fight to trademark the name of his band, The Slants, all the way to the Supreme Court.


We Sing from the Heart: How the Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court releases Oct. 15, 2024!

We Sing from the Heart: How the Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court releases Oct. 15, 2024!

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My books:

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

 Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

Cover Reveal: Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime!Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

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

Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World

  • ⭐ Starred review from School Library Journal!
  • Junior Library Guild Gold selection
  • Massachusetts Book Award Long List
  • dPICTUS 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023
  • Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
  • 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
  • Green Earth Book Award Long List
  • Nautilus Silver Winner, Nonfiction Children’s Picture Book
  • Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids

 Amazon / Barefoot Books / Signed or Inscribed by Me

cover for Sumo JoeChanging the Game: Asian Pacific American Female Athletes by Mia WenjenAmazon / Scholastic / Signed or Inscribed by Me

The Elusive Full Ride Scholarship: An Insider’s Guide

How To Coach Girls by Mia Wenjen and Alison FoleyAsian Pacific American Heroes

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A few exciting picture book updates!

Fortune Cookies for Everyone picture book announcement Mia Wenjen

I’m very excited to announce a new picture book Fortune Cookies for Everyone, illustrated by Colleen Kong-Savage. This is my second picture book published by Red Comet Press. Fortune Cookies for Everyone comes out in the Fall of 2025.

Food for the Future is a finalist for the 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards!

Food for the Future is a finalist for the 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards!

 

Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World has made the Green Earth Book Award long list.

Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World has made the Green Earth Book Award long list.

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Activity Guides for My Picture Books

Here are all the activity guides for my books:

  • We Sing From the Heart: How The Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court
  • Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World
  • Sumo Joe
  • Changing the Game: Asian Pacific American Female Athletes

 

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

  • Junior Library Guild Gold selection
  • California Eureka! Nonfiction Children’s Book Award
  • Orbis Pictus Award® for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children

Here is the music video of The Slant’s song, From the Heart. They wrote this song about their battle to trademark their band’s name. Why not start a book presentation off with this short video?

 

We created a podcast with Dorktales Storytime about Simon Tam.

Rock Band to the Supreme Court! Simon Tam, Hidden Hero of History | Dorktales Storytime Podcast EP99

A video version is here:

 

Simon Tam has many excellent TedTalks:

 

From ReasonTV: An Asian-American band takes the fight over its name all the way to the Supreme Court:

 

 

 

Food for the Future by Mia Wenjen and Robert Sae-Heng cover reveal

  • ⭐ Starred review from School Library Journal!
  • Junior Library Guild Gold selection
  • Massachusetts Book Award Long List
  • dPICTUS 100 Outstanding Picture Books of 2023
  • Chicago Library’s Best of the Best
  • 2023 INDIES Book of the Year Awards Finalist
  • Green Earth Book Award Long List
  • Nautilus Silver Winner, Nonfiction Children’s Picture Book
  • Imagination Soup’s 35 Best Nonfiction Books of 2023 for Kids

Food for the Future Teacher’s Activity Guide.

Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World Music Video

 

 

 

Sumo Joe

Bank Street College’s The Best Children’s Books of the Year

 

Sumo Joe Teacher’s Guide is on the Lee and Low website.

Sumo Joe craft round-up on PragmaticMom.com.

Sumo Joe easy sumo origami on PragmaticMom.com.

Sumo Joe Virtual or In-Person Class Visits.

Sumo Picture Books on PragmaticMom.com.

 

 

 

Changing the Game: Asian Pacific American Female Athletes Resource Page

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‘Food for the Future’ made Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best

'Food for the Future' selected for Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best

Food for the Future is included in Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best lists!

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

Food for the Future is on their Best Informational Books for Younger Readers of 2023 list for kids in kindergarten through 3rd grade.

The Best of the Best lists represent the Chicago Public Library’s choices for the year’s most outstanding titles. Thank you so much to the staff at the Chicago Public Libraries for including Food for the Future!

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Another Children’s Book Printer in China: WinChoi Printing

WinChoi Printing for children's pop up books
This is Bling from WinChoi Printing and we have specialized in children’s books for over 17 years.
– All raw materials comply with ASTM, EN71, CHCC, and RoHS safety testing;
– Workshop passed the audit of Sedex, FSC, Costco, and Disney:
Another Children's Book Printer in China: WinChoi Printing
WinChoi Printing for children's pop up books
WinChoi Printing for board books
WinChoi Printing for dye cut children's books
Our web link for reference: www.yimipaper.com
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My New Kickstarter Campaign for picture book BOXER BABY BATTLES BEDTIME!

My New Kickstarter Campaign for picture book BOXER BABY BATTLES BEDTIME!

I’m pre-selling hardcover copies of my newest picture book,  Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime! through a Kickstarter campaign that launched today!

Please go here to help bring picture book

Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime! to life …

Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Kai Gietzen

Dad needs to get Boxer Baby down for her nap but she is not going down without a fight! This funny picture book told in three rounds includes boxing idioms. This picture book also celebrates the unsung heroes — dads who stay home to care for their children. [picture book, ages 3 and up]

 

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Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime Cover Reveal!

Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime Cover Reveal!

I’m thrilled to reveal the cover for my newest picture book,  Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime!

Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Kai Gietzen

Dad needs to get Boxer Baby down for her nap but she is not going down without a fight! This funny picture book told in three rounds includes boxing idioms. This picture book also celebrates the unsung heroes — dads who stay home to care for their children. [picture book, ages 3 and up]

 

And introducing illustrator Kai Gietzen! He is a recent graduate from Rhode Island School of Design. This is his picture book debut. To learn more,  please check out his website and Instagram.

 

And now…

 

ta da…

Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime Cover Reveal!

 

Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime Kickstarter

I will be launching a Kickstarter project to bring Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime to life in mid-September with early-release hardcover books. They will be delivered in December. Stay tuned!