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…
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 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…
My dear friend, Lori Abe, arranged for us to take a private tour of the Hawaii Governor’s Mansion. The mansion is about to close for renovations, so it was the perfect timing. Lori is the Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor Josh Greene. As we walked towards the State House, she called to…
I will be at ALA Chicago signing books: Sat: 10 am-11 am Barbed Wire Between Us, signing at Bound to Stay Bound Sat: 11 am-12 pm Postcard From Malcolm X, signing at Red Comet Press Sat: 3 pm to 4 pm Food for the Future, signing at Barefoot Books Sun: 10 am -11 am Barbed Wire…
The Koko Crater Botanical Garden was near where we were staying in Hawaii Kai. It’s an interesting microclimate that is desert-like, despite being located in Hawaii. The cactus garden is the star of the garden, donated by Charles M. Wills. This is a gentle 2-mile loop, and the hike is pretty flat. It took us…
Thank you to Boston Local Food Program for including Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World in this Eat Local Always FREE ELA library toolkit: Eat Local Always FREE Toolkit from ELA Library I was honored to be part of their program in Boston! p.s. Related posts: ‘Food for the Future’ makes…
When I met with my publisher, Angus Yuen-Killick at Red Comet Press, we kicked around ideas to promote all the Red Comet Press authors in the Boston area, who are also friends of mine. It seemed too ambitious to set up Storytimes or Author Visits. Angus suggested that we contact bookstores in advance to see…
Frank Owen Gehry was a Canadian and American architect and designer known for his postmodern designs and use of unconventional forms and materials. A number of his buildings, including his private residence in Santa Monica, California, have become attractions. My favorite part of the Guggenheim Museum is the architecture. A stunning design by the recently…
To fold an origami crane, you will need a square piece of paper. It does not have to be origami paper. Here are the instructions via a diagram from the U.S. Park Service, though personally, I find the diagrams to be confusing: This is an activity for Barbed Wire Between Us. …