Books written by me, Mia Wenjen.
Barbed Wire Between Us makes Kirkus’ Spring 2026 Preview: Must-Read Children’s Books Mia Wenjen’s picture book Barbed Wire Between Us (Red Comet Press, March 31), illustrated by Violeta Encarnación, intertwines the stories of Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II and of young Latine immigrants imprisoned after attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border in recent…
I’m excited to announce the release of my newest picture book, scheduled for October 13, 2026. I struggled for a long time to write a picture book biography about Yuri Kochiyama. Most people haven’t heard of her. She preferred to help in the background and not be front and center. Most people have heard of…
We are thrilled to get a starred review for Barbed Wire Between Us from Publishers Weekly! “Via a reverso structure and layered images, Wenjen and Encarnación trace the stories of two children, seemingly generations apart, in a haunting dual narrative of imprisonment and family separation. Spare reportorial lines and visual context clues appear first…
Let’s fold origami fortune cookies as an activity for my picture book, Fortune Cookies for Everyone! (Smithsonian): The Surprising Story of the Tasty Treat We Love to Eat, illustrated by Colleen Kong-Savage. This is the true story of who invented the fortune cookie. Spoiler alert: it’s a mystery, and the reader gets to decide! [nonfiction…
My author copies just arrived! I can’t wait to show you! Barbed Wire Between Us by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Violeta Encarnación, and published by Red Comet Press This is the story of my heart. The manuscript that I struggled with for years, which was, at first, much too dark to be a children’s…
My picture book, Green Homes, Happy Planet, has had quite a journey. It started out with the title A Place to Call Home. I failed to check for other books by this same name when I titled it. My editor, agent, and I brainstormed alternative titles. I even used ChatGPT for ideas, but it didn’t…
I am excited to announce that Barbed Wire Between Us made Kirkus’ list of The Most Anticipated Children’s Books of Spring 2026! BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US by Mia Wenjen ; illustrated by Violeta Encarnación ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 31, 2026 A significant portrayal of ongoing U.S. civil rights violations, exposed through the experiences of young children. Japanese Chinese American…