My Books – Mia Wenjen

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 Gomez

ALSC Notable Children’s Book
Orbis Pictus Recommended Book for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
California Eureka Non-Fiction Award Honor Book
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
Junior Library Guild Gold Selection

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]

We Sing From the Heart by Mia Wenjen about Simon Tam book awards

Boxer Baby Battle Bedtime by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Kai Giezen

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. [picture book, for ages 3 and up]

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

⭐ 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

This is a rhyming picture book featuring twelve unusual farms around the world. From vertical gardens in Singapore to ancient terrace farms in Chile, humans have innovated with sustainable farms throughout history. How do we feed our planet? Here are 12 ways we can grow food while caring for our planet! [picture book, ages 3 and up]

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

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).

Scholastic Purchased my Kickstarter book, CHANGING THE GAME: ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN FEMALE ATHLETES!

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]

The Elusive Full Ride Scholarship by Alison Foley and Mia Wenjen

For those looking to go to college on a sports scholarship, the recruiting process can be both daunting and overwhelming. The Elusive Full Ride Scholarship: An Insider’s Guide breaks down the process step-by-step to help parents and athletes navigate the system and find the right college fit.

Sumo Joe by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Nat Iwata

Sumo Joe is a Bank Street College’s Best Children’s Book of the Year selection.

In this sweet and funny story, Sumo Joe and his friends enjoy pretending to be sumo wrestlers. But when his little sister wants to join their boy-only game, what should Sumo Joe do? [picture book, for ages 4 and up]

How to Coach Girls by Mia Wenjen and Alison Foley

How To Coach Girls won a Silver Award in the 31st Annual IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards™ .

How to Coach Girls provides the most comprehensive guide available to the many issues associated with coaching girls teams across the spectrum of sports, from soccer to lacrosse, field hockey to softball. Volunteer parents and experienced coaches alike will find invaluable advice on the process of making a successful team, encouraging girls to stay in sports beyond the middle school years.

BEST #OWNVOICES CHILDREN’S BOOKS: My Favorite Diversity Books for Kids Ages 1-12 by Mia Wenjen

With a determination to change the world, one book at a time, Wenjen created BEST #OWNVOICES CHILDREN’S BOOKS: My Favorite Diversity Books for Kids Ages 1-12 as a way to highlight books written by authors who share the same marginalized identity as the characters in their books. Inside the pages, readers, parents, caregivers, educators, and librarians will find extensive book recommendations for Native American Heritage Month #OwnVoices, Muslim #OwnVoices, Holocaust #OwnVoices, African American #OwnVoices, Asian American #OwnVoices, Latinx #OwnVoices, LGBTQ #OwnVoices, Sensory Issues #OwnVoices and much more. While change is a long time coming, it starts with a single book.

Read Your World: A Guide to Multicultural Children’s Books for Parents and Educators edited by Mia Wenjen

Read Your World: A Guide to Multicultural Children’s Books for Parents and Educators brings together booklists from blogging and author-contributors who have participated in Multicultural Children’s Book Day. Each list is created around a topic or theme. Themes include Diversity as Every Day, Africa, Antarctica, Australia, Asia, Middle East, South America, World Religion, LGBT, Special Needs, Latin America, Asian American, African American, and much more.

My books:

Amazon / Signed or Inscribed by Me

We Sing from the Heart: How the Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court

ALSC Notable Children’s Book
Orbis Pictus Recommended Book for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children
California Eureka Non-Fiction Award Honor Book
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner (from National Council for the Social Studies and Children’s Book Council)
Junior Library Guild Gold Selection