We Sing From the Heart makes Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year 2025!

I am thrilled to announce that We Sing From the Heart has been selected as Bank Street’s Best Children’s Books of the Year 2025! Congratulations to everyone on the list, and thank you so much to Bank Street College of Education for this honor!

We Sing From the Heart by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Victor Bizar Gomez

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. [picture book biography, ages 8 and up]

2025 Edition

p.s. Related posts:

We Sing From the Heart gets a few stickers!

Thank you for including WE SING FROM THE HEART in this BookList Essentials Article!

WE SING FROM THE HEART is an ALSC Notable Children’s Book!

We Sing From the Heart in Booklist’s Spotlight on History

We Sing From the Heart is a Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner!

WE SING FROM THE HEART in CityBeat

WE SING FROM THE HEART is Orbis Pictus Recommended Book

WE SING FROM THE HEART wins California Eureka! Nonfiction Children’s Book Award

WE SING FROM THE HEART book trailer featured on Shelf Awareness!!

Booklist Reviews WE SING FROM THE HEART

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