Thank you to Erin Akamine for featuring me on Discover Nikkei: Mia Wenjen is an accomplished children’s book author, a mother of three, an avid blogger known as Pragmatic Mom, and co-creator of Read Your World, a nonprofit dedicated to celebrating diversity in books. Yet perhaps her most successful and ongoing achievement is feeding her voracious appetite…
This was such a lovely picture book storytime to honor mothers and mental health! Lisa Varchol Perron read from her newest picture book, Kite Day: The Ups and Downs of Mental Health, and Monica Acker read her picture book, Brave Like Mom. Both books honor a mother’s love through difficult times. Lisa is a psychotherapist…
“I read all of your wonderful cards and letters and I think you are the most beautiful family in Harlem.” – Malcolm X to Yuri Kochiyama in one of the 11 postcards he sent her Postcards from Malcolm X picture book trailer! Postcards from Malcolm X: How Yuri Kochiyama Became a Human Rights Activist…
I only had 35 minutes to run through this museum, but it was worth cramming it in. I only wish that I had more time to spend there. I will definitely be coming back the next time that I am on Oahu! p.s. Related posts: Maui: Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum Visting the…
It was a dream come true to participate in the 2026 Nikkei Book Festival in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. It was my mother’s favorite museum, and I think she is smiling down on me. I joined Stan and Julie Sakai (Chibi Usagi), Maggie Tokuda-Hall and Yas Imamura (Love in…
Here is a free and downloadable Teacher’s Guide for Sumo Joe. Sumo Joe Teacher’s Guide Sumo Joe by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Nat Iwata p.s. Related posts: Sumo Joe on The Children’s Book Podcast with Matthew Winner Fold an Easy Origami Sumo and the Tokyo Olympics Sumo Craft Round Up Celebrate the Tokyo…
I am trying not to be a watercolor paint hoarder but I couldn’t help but dream up a tiny plein air set when I got a free small tin of mints from a booth at ALA. I am using mostly Windsor and Newton Professional Artists watercolor paints, but I am now also experimenting with Daniel…