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    • Cover Reveal of my latest picture book … FORTUNE COOKIES FOR EVERYONE!
    • Picture Book Announcement! BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US, illustrated by Violeta Encarnación
    • We Sing From the Heart gets a few stickers!
    • Book Announcement! Postcards from Malcolm X: How Yuri Kochiyama Became a Civil Rights Activist
    • Kirkus Reviews My Newest Picture Book: THE TRAVELING TACO
    • We Sing From the Heart is a Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People Winner!
    • We Sing From the Heart gets a few stickers!
    • WE SING FROM THE HEART wins California Eureka! Nonfiction Children’s Book Award
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    • Dorktales Podcast: Simon Tam, Hidden Hero of History
    • Food for the Future Wins Nautilus Silver Book Award
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    • FOOD FOR THE FUTURE Makes Green Earth Book Award Long List!
    • Food for the Future is a finalist for 2023 INDIES Book of the Year!
    • New! Food for the Future Activity and Discussion Guide!
    • FOOD FOR THE FUTURE is a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection!
    • ‘Food for the Future’ selected for Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best books
    • Scholastic Purchased CHANGING THE GAME!
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Author: Pragmatic Mom

I am a mom with three kids and a husband living in Newton, MA. I graduated from Harvard University with a degree in HIstory and Science. I went to The Anderson School of Management at UCLA for my M.B.A.My background is entrepreneurial. I started several companies and currently serve on three boards including for my elementary school and preschool. I was a SAHM for nearly 8 years, and went back to work part-time just recently. Now I work almost full time as a WAHM for a consumer electronics start-up in Boston.My blog is my outlet to read children's literature which is my great secret pleasure, and to document any interesting and/or useful information that I acquire as I parent. My kids are quite active and pursue many interests collectively including soccer, gymnastics, rhythm gymnastics, karate (Chung Kook Doh), ice skating, Chinese, Spanish, flute, piano, T-ball, book clubs, and art. In my free time, I have been doing kickboxing, vinyasa yoga, zoomba, and I am trying to learn Spanish as well.Learning about SEO and how to blog has been a really fun enterprise albeit very time consuming. I started a bloggers group that meets weekly called www.coffeeshopbloggers.com. The S.O.S. on SEO. We share our collective frustrations and knowledge from blogging.Now you understand the Type A parent I am...hence the tagline my blogger friends came up for me for my blog:Type A Parenting for the Modern World
Top 10: Starting School Books

24 Starting School Picture Books

Posted on May 11, 2011August 8, 2025 by Pragmatic Mom

A transition to a new grade or school, not matter how small, is difficult for children. It’s helpful to visit the new school as often as possible. Play with kids that will be at the same school if you can. And read, read, read to your child books about starting school. The familiarity of routines and activities of the new school will take a lot of the anxiety away. So, while my youngest has been visiting his elementary school for 5 years so far, we’ll take it one step at a time and read these books over and over to ensure a smooth landing in September. And a few playdates with new friends is also on the books!

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Best New Baby Picture Books for Siblings

20 Picture Books about New Baby Joining the Family

Posted on May 11, 2011December 29, 2025 by Pragmatic Mom

Now I have to give a disclaimer: I clearly have not gotten this right because my middle daughter still asks why we thought having a third child was a good idea. She thinks that we should have stopped while we were ahead. I did read a lot of books and seek a lot of advice on how to get my older child (and then children) excited about the new baby. Here’s the list of advice from many, many moms I solicited.

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Best Phonics Workbooks and Reading Strategies

Best Phonics Workbooks and Reading Strategies

Posted on May 9, 2011June 9, 2024 by Pragmatic Mom

Best Phonics Workbooks: Explode the Code (at Amazon.com)
Best Phonics for reluctant read aloud readers: progressive phonics (www.progressivephonics.com)
Fun book series for reluctant read aloud readers: You Read to Me and I’ll Read to You

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How To: Pronounce Mandarin Chinese Pinyin (cheat sheet)

Posted on May 8, 2011June 9, 2024 by Pragmatic Mom

Cheat sheet to learn how to pronounce Mandarin Chinese pinyin.

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Tips to Get Kids to Do Chores

10 Tips to Get Kids to Do Chores

Posted on May 6, 2011June 9, 2024 by Pragmatic Mom

Getting your kids organized is one of the greatest challenges for most families. However, teaching them early on how to get and stay organized builds the foundation and skills they will need to be successful in life. The more responsibility they take on themselves, the easier your life will be as a parent.

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Best Math Workbooks for Home or Summer Supplementation

Best Math Workbooks for Home or Summer Supplementation

Posted on May 5, 2011June 9, 2024 by Pragmatic Mom

I find that The Univ. of Chicago’s Everyday Math needs home supplementation, especially in math facts. I recommend Daily Word Problems and Singapore Math. We use these for summer math.

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DIY Math Games Invented by Kids (2nd-5th grade)

Posted on May 5, 2011June 9, 2024 by Pragmatic Mom

2 fun and easy math games invented by 8-year-old kids for adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing and exponents.

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I’m Mia Wenjen!

Mia Wenjen by Jerry Russo
Mia Wenjen
(photo by Jerry Russo)

Hi, I’m Mia Wenjen. Nice to meet you!

I blog about diverse children’s books, co-founded Read Your World on Jan 29, 2026, and write children’s books.

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Mia Wenjen watercolor figure painting

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Activity Guides to Mia Wenjen's Books

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Shop Read Your World: Discounted Book Bundles and Toys

Fortune Cookies for Everyone (click to purchase)

FORTUNE COOKIES FOR EVERYONE! by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Colleen Kong-Savage, Published by Red Comet Press

Fortune Cookies for Everyone book trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9k6aOlMgCc

The Traveling Taco (click to purchase)

Cover Reveal for THE TRAVELING TACO by Mia Wenjen

The Traveling Taco Song created by Daria – World Music for Children

https://youtu.be/KWTuCwbWLXs

Pre-Order Barbed Wire Between Us

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

We Sing From the Heart (click to purchase)

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

Dorktales Storytime Podcast: Simon Tam featured in We Sing From the Heart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlDdwUZpcNI

FOOD FOR THE FUTURE (click to purchase)

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

Food for the Future Song created by Daria – World Music for Children

https://youtu.be/uTw6y3EjeOA

SUMO JOE (click to purchase)

Sumo Joe cover reveal

CHANGING THE GAME (click to purchase)

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

Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime! (click to purchase)

Cover Reveal: Boxer Baby Battles Bedtime!

I’ll Be at the Newton Children’s Book Festival 2025

Newton Children's Book Festival 2025

I’ll be at hosting a Roundtable at NCTE 2025 Denver

NCTE 2025 Denver Mia Wenjen hosting Roundtable

I’ll be at NCSS DC 2025

NCSS 2025 Denver Mia Wenjen attending

Heim Nest Kid Mattress Exclusive Deal

Heim Nest Kid Mattress
educational toys
educational toys from dhgate stores

Online GED test at Excel

Archives

Categories

The Elusive Full Ride Scholarship (click to purchase)

The Elusive Full Ride Scholarship: An Insider’s Guide

How to Get Kids Reading

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Purchase Read Your World Merch

LGBTQIA+ Books Save Lives Merch.

Buy it here!

HOW TO COACH GIRLS book trailer by Mia Wenjen & Alison Foley

https://youtu.be/j74M0bBxrGg

HOW TO COACH GIRLS (click to purchase)

How To Coach Girls by Mia Wenjen and Alison Foley

ebook Version has 3 bonus chapters (click to purchase)

How To Coach Girls ebook

My Websites

  • How To Coach Girls
  • I Love Newton
  • Mia Wenjen (My New Author Website)

The Traveling Taco Book Trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zf4tp9lffG0

We Sing From the Heart book trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJNcJd8dEPU

Recent Posts

  • History of Auburndale in Newton MA by Newton Historical Society January 19, 2026
  • WE SING FROM THE HEART at the 2025 NCTE Book Awards Luncheon January 12, 2026
  • 2026 Read Your World Virtual Party! January 9, 2026
  • Tracy Slater’s Together in Manzanar Book Launch January 7, 2026
  • BARBED WIRED BETWEEN US: Kirkus The Most Anticipated Children’s Books of Spring 2026 January 5, 2026
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