Best picture books for kids including Caldecott and other award winning books for children.
I had such a wonderful time visiting an Urban Farming Summer Program in Columbus, Ohio! The kids wrote me letters and made beautiful cards. They are all such wonderful artists! Thank you so much for having me! p.s. Related posts: New! Food for the Future Activity and Discussion Guide! Food for the Future:…
We are thrilled that We Sing From the Heart received a Social Justice award from the International Literacy Association! 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 Recommended Reading for the Social Justice Literature Award 2025…
It is not surprising that a picture book launch by Phaea Crede would be a ton of fun! The illustrator of Princess Battle Royale, Jen Hill, joined in with a lively and hilarious reading of the book. Jen also did a drawing session with the crowd, letting them create their own Princess character for the…
Today, I’m thrilled to talk to illustrator and artist Violeta Encarnación. She is the illustrator for Barbed Wire Between Us, which is the story of my heart. Our picture book is scheduled for release on March 24, 2026. Q1: What was your journey to becoming a children’s book illustrator? I’ve always loved drawing, but it…
I was able to see Salmon Run by Annie Chen at ALA in Philadelphia. It was hot off the presses. Not even the author/illustrator, Annie Chen, had seen it. It felt like a full circle moment because Annie Chen is my oldest daughter’s best friend from college. A dual degree RISD/Brown student, Annie took the…
Dorktales Podcast’s Hidden Hero of History series features Makoto Hagiwara from picture book Fortune Cookies for Everyone! A tale of artistry, innovation, and lasting legacy! Makoto Hagiwara, a Japanese American landscape architect, transformed a World’s Fair exhibit into San Francisco’s Japanese Tea Garden. It’s the oldest public Japanese garden in the United States, still cherished…
BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US [STARRED REVIEW!] Author: Mia Wenjen Illustrator: Violeta Encarnación Review Issue Date: November 15, 2025 Online Publish Date: October 10, 2025 Publisher: Red Comet Press Pages: 48 Price (Hardcover): $19.99 Publication Date: March 31, 2026 ISBN (Hardcover): 9781636551920 Section: Children’s Japanese Chinese American author Wenjen and Cuban American artist Encarnación have created a sobering, stupendous reminder of recurring injustice. Wenjen’s reverso…