I was thrilled to do a Skype author visit with 120 kindergartners! They were well prepared having read the story ahead of time. They also came up with questions that the Media Specialist had collected ahead of time. For such a young group, the teachers asked for a 20-minute visit. The kids were great and…
Category: #OwnVoices
Sumo Joe’s 6 Month Anniversary and How I Celebrated
I’m grateful that my mother was able to read my debut picture book. My mother was always supportive of everything we did and when my sister and I started writing and publishing books, she would make a point of purchasing five copies. At the time, she was living in an Independent Living facility so she…
Speaking at Asian American Studies at UMass Boston
It was such a pleasure to speak at UMass Boston Asian American Studies class recently, taught by Dr. MinJin Kim. My thanks to Priya Sonal who found me on social media. She wrote to me: Hello Ms Mia, I saw your recent post on Instagram, My heart felt sorry for you and your family’s…
6 Chinese American Picture Books To Fill Your Heart and Belly
Please welcome Katrina Moore as my guest author today! We are both in the New in 19 debut picture book group. One Hug is her debut picture book, and she also has Grandpa Grumps coming out in April of 2020! We are giving away a signed and inscribed copy of One Hug! To enter, please…
Meet & Greet for YA/Children’s Writers and Illustrators of Color
Meet & Greet for YA/Children’s Writers and Illustrators of Color in the Boston Area! Thursday, December 5, 2019 7 PM – 9 PM Trident Booksellers & Cafe 338 Newbury St, Boston, Massachusetts 02115 This is a casual meetup for YA and children’s writers and/or illustrators who identify as Indigenous, Black, and/or People of Color (IBPOC)….
Jason Reynolds Author Visit
I had the pleasure of meeting Jason Reynolds in person when he was a writer in residence at Lesley University. He was working on his latest book, Look Both Ways, at the time and he shared two short stories that were a Master Class in “show don’t tell.” At that time, he had titled this…
SUMO JOE reviewed in BookList & Other Updates
I’m excited that Sumo Joe has been reviewed by BookList as well as Publisher’s Weekly and Kirkus Reviews! Booklist Online Exclusive: May 24, 2019 Sumo Joe. By Mia Wenjen. Illus. by Nat Iwata 2019. 40p. Lee & Low, $18.95 (9781620148020). Gr. 1–3 Looking suitably round and solid in Iwata’s simply drawn domestic scenes, gentle Joe…