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    • We Sing From the Heart gets a few stickers!
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    • FOOD FOR THE FUTURE is a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection!
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    • Scholastic Purchased CHANGING THE GAME!
    • Starred Review for FOOD FOR THE FUTURE from School Library Journal!
    • Sumo Joe makes Bank Street Best Children’s Books of the Year list!
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Category: Diverse Books for Kids

Diversity books for kids including authors and characters of color and diversity themes.

APALA Awards and Aloha Everything!

APALA Awards and Aloha Everything!

Posted on November 12, 2025September 9, 2025 by Pragmatic Mom

Congratulations to author Kaylin Melia George and illustrator Mae Waite of Aloha Everything for winning APALA’s Best Picture Book of 2025!   Leanna interviewed Kaylin during their Kickstarter for Aloha Everything:   The Ig Live is part of Read Your World’s weekly interview series by Leanna to showcase diverse children and YA book creators. I always…

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

Today is My Book Birthday for FORTUNE COOKIES FOR EVERYONE! + 5 Signed Book GIVEAWAY!

Posted on October 21, 2025October 8, 2025 by Pragmatic Mom

Today is my book birthday! To celebrate, I’m giving away 5 signed/inscribed copies! To enter, please leave a comment below! Fortune Cookies for Everyone! (Smithsonian): The Surprising Story of the Tasty Treat We Love to Eat by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Colleen Kong-Savage, published by Red Comet Press Junior Library Guild Gold Selection An investigative…

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We Sing From the Heart by Mia Wenjen book awards

We Sing From the Heart’s FIRST Birthday & 10 Signed Book GIVEAWAY!

Posted on October 15, 2025August 20, 2025 by Pragmatic Mom

I am humbled and thrilled for the recognition that We Sing From the Heart has received.   We Sing from the Heart: How the Slants®  Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court ALSC Notable Children’s Book 2025 Carter G. Woodson Book Award Middle Level Honoree Orbis Pictus Recommended Book for Outstanding Nonfiction…

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Such a great write up by BookList on FORTUNE COOKIES FOR EVERYONE!

A Great Review by BookList for FORTUNE COOKIES FOR EVERYONE!

Posted on October 10, 2025October 10, 2025 by Pragmatic Mom

Thank you to BookList for such a nice write-up on FORTUNE COOKIES FOR EVERYONE! p.s. Related posts: FORTUNE COOKIES FOR EVERYONE is a Junior Library Guild Gold Selection! FORTUNE COOKIES FOR EVERYONE Unboxing! Cover Reveal of my latest picture book … FORTUNE COOKIES FOR EVERYONE! Picture Book Announcement: Fortune Cookies for Everyone! To examine any…

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Julia Ward Howe Award Presentation for We Sing From the Heart

Julia Ward Howe Award Presentation for We Sing From the Heart

Posted on September 29, 2025September 28, 2025 by Pragmatic Mom

Lisa Rogers gave the nicest introduction to the Julia Ward Howe Award for We Sing From the Heart. My award acceptance speech is also here:    p.s. Related posts: We Sing From the Heart wins Julia Ward Howe prize for children’s literature! WE SING FROM THE HEART is Carter G. Woodson Book Award Honoree!…

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Read Your World's Fight Back Fundraiser: Supporting Banned Books Week

Read Your World’s Fight Back Fundraiser: Supporting Banned Books Week

Posted on September 24, 2025September 12, 2025 by Pragmatic Mom

Read Your World’s Fight Back Fundraiser: Supporting Banned Books Week We’re joining forces to spread the word on Banned Books Week (October 5-11, 2025) and fighting back! With as little as $4 (the cost of a donut) or $25 (the cost of a takeout dinner), you can help us!  Every dollar you donate goes directly…

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

FORTUNE COOKIES FOR EVERYONE Picture Book Trailer

Posted on September 22, 2025September 12, 2025 by Pragmatic Mom

I have made picture book trailers myself in the past, but this is the first time that I have done a voice-over. Usually, I just use the illustrations to create the video, but I realized that the story is too complicated to understand with just a few of the illustrations. I decided to write a…

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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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Monthly Newsletter with Subscriber Only Giveaways in your Inbox

My Shop for My Signed Books + Art

Mia Wenjen watercolor figure painting

Activity Guides for My Books

Activity Guides to Mia Wenjen's Books

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Find Children's Books

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

Archives

Categories

The Elusive Full Ride Scholarship (click to purchase)

The Elusive Full Ride Scholarship: An Insider’s Guide

How to Get Kids Reading

  • Multicultural Books for Children: 60+ Book Lists
  • Getting Kids to Love Reading
  • Summer Reading Lists for Kids By Grade
  • Summer Reading Lists for Middle School Kids

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

  • My NCSS Schedule in DC December 3, 2025
  • Read Your World Giving Tuesday Fundraiser is LIVE today! December 1, 2025
  • Boston Marathon 2025 in Newton MA November 26, 2025
  • I’ll be at NCTE Denver! November 20, 2025
  • My FOOD FOR THE FUTURE author visit in Columbus OH November 19, 2025
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