BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US: Fort Sill, Oklahoma

 It's hard to have to admit that this is a nonfiction look at a real place, FORT SILL, OKLAHOMA.

Even harder to admit that a country that erred horribly in turning this place into a concentration camp of American Japanese over half a century ago, a country that acknowledged and attempted to make compensatory payments, would now, as you read this, be using the same facility in a similar way. 

Hardest of all is acknowledging that these choices arose out of fear. 

Red Comet Press, 2026

Not the fear by those wrongly contained, but from a population whose fears were enflamed politically and without validity.

BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US is written by Mia Wenjen and illustrated by Violeta Encarnacion. The cover image implies both the similarity and contrast between the original use during WWI and the use now as a detention center for those accused of illegal immigration or violation of immigration laws for simply being "not us".

The remarkable technique uses a pattern similar to a REVERSO POEM. In this case, the book provides haunting and revealing images on each page along with brief text, a line or two that adds to the story of the lives so severely impacted during these fateful times. The first half of the book provides a color-shift at midpoint but continues the story with new characters. Once the pages end, readers are invited to begin again, reading back to front. The language and experiences now become eerily distinct but painfully mirror the original imprisonment experience. 

In both cases the incarcerations involved fear of "OTHERS", using a wartime-threat premise that could never really be justified. Both feature young residents, some suffering separation from trusted adults, and the powerful, painful contrast between hope and reality. 

Backmatter addresses the facts as well as offering a brief note about REVERSO poetry. What is not mentioned, which felt especially painful to me, is that this forward/backward reading cycle is, to a degree, like a mobius strip in which there really is no end. One small twist makes that happen, but once in place it becomes inevitable. Our earlier history was shameful enough, but to see that it is repeating is beyond shameful. The thought that this will continue to occur in the future with new "others" is appalling. And yet, we can no longer doubt  or deny it is happening. 

PLEASE, read this, share it, and then join me in finding ways to end this current chapter of our countries errors and prevent it from happening again. I have no answers as to HOW. A great start is to simply raise awareness of the horror of today's practices. This book is elegantly powerful in doing just that.

OTHERS: A Story for ALL of US

 If ever there were a picture book that models the immeasurable power of dialogue and questioning, this would be it. From the cover we see the premise: two boys are on one side of a tall hedge, offering an awareness that they are on one side and on the opposite side of that divide are OTHERS. In fact, the cover illustration indicates that whatever, WHOEVER, is on the opposite side is unknown. The sense that the unknown should be feared, or at least avoided, is made. Nothing there is threatening. The threat is the fear itself.  From that opening, an exchange of questions and answers ensues. 

Ten Speed Young Readers, 2026

OTHERS: A STORY FOR ALL OF US is written by Kobi Yamada and Illustrated by Charles Santoso. Each expansive double spread features a white background, the only reference for a massive (and firmly rooted) hedge that spans the center gutter, leaving the two boys on the left and something else on the right. Depending on their discussion and questions (and answers), the "other" (on the right) is either amorphous or vaguely familiar or actually not "other" at all. 

The dialogue between the boys is nearly Socratic in terms of questioning not only the specifics of "others" but also the nature of ourselves. The  hoys are not confrontational, but curious, convinced buteventually allowing for patterns that challenge earlier assumptions. When potential similarities are considered, the questions allow for anything being possible, which only calls on common sense to affirm that those others most likely are very much like themselves. 

The ultimate question arises when the questioning boy climbs over and is no longer "there" with his friend but is on the side of the others. Does that make him "other"?  If each feels they are "here" then what does that make the other on either side? And how many other divisive hedges and "others" could there be? And if all have more in common than they are unalike, are we all "here" together? The final page spreads pull back to geographic expanses, ultimately offering a view of our planet from space. This feels perfectly timed to share with discussions and images from the recent Moon orbit flight. Even those travelers, circling the moon, are part of our life HERE. We are each others' "others", and we are more one than we typically choose to see. 

I am as much a fan of philosophy as I am of history, birds, and other topics shared in these posts. When it comes to picture books, though, I tend to favor subtlety over the obvious. Too often I find that direct discussions of broad concepts become a bit didactic or preachy. In this case, though, I found myself fully engaged with the two boys and their verbal journey through the pages. Picture books tend to need changing scenes, a strong plot or challenges, certainly nothing as "static" as this arrangement provides. The shifts come on the right spread, where those "others' reflect the changing considerations about them taking place on the other side of the hedge. The power of thought and discussion feels like the star of this book, the driving dynamic. The impact of resolution is a newfound openness, a willingness to think and reflect. This felt like a potential conversation between friends. Especially young ones. 

If only more adults could be as open to thinking and considering their assumptions and fears as these boys are. I'm hoping perhaps some adults might learn from them. 

If you missed a prior post about the ultimate results of OTHERING people as described in  UNBREAKABLE, I hope you'll take a moment to read it now, HERE. 

UNBREAKABLE: A Loaded and Heartbreaking Account of Japanese Internment

ABRAMS BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS, 2026

 I have a strong interest in and curiosity about history, in large part because of the STORY in hiSTORY. This picture book relates one such compelling and important story, co-authored by a member of the actual family portrayed and told with only slight variation from the way the experience actually unfolded.

 UNBREAKABLE: A JAPANESE AMERICAN FAMILY IN AN AMERICAN INCARCERATION CAMP is co-authored by Minoru (Min) Tonai and Jolene Gutiérrez, with illustrations by Chris Sasaki. 

It's my sincere hope that the facts surrounding one of this country's most shameful policies and practices is not unknown to any adult readers, and that most young people will have learned about it by the time they reach elementary school. Whether that's the case or not, this makes a significant contribution to the topic and could be a powerful introduction to the history and important discussions.

I've shared a few other picture book accounts of that history HERE, HERE, and HERE. Others, like ALLEN SAY, have devoted their lives to sharing aspects of this history (personal and national) throughout his long and lauded career. As with Holocaust stories, or any survival stories, each account reveals specifics unique to that individual and family, but also contributes to understanding the patterns of their combined experiences, elements that tell an even bigger story. And TRUTHS.  Each story matters, and, combined, they matter even more.

In the case of this story, the co-author MIN was a child when his father was visited at their home in California, accusing him of being a spy. Min and his siblings were born in the United States, but that offered no protection after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Neither did it matter that their neighbors and friends offered testament to the family's loyalty to their adopted country. Min's father is taken for investigation and kept from them for years, while Min and his family were forced from their home with limited belongings, no answers, and nothing but hope that they would one day see their father again. 

The literary device used in telling this account was that Min's father gave him a small rock before he was taken, a symbol and reminder to stay strong. This narrative choice emerged from Min's early fascination with rocks and his  eventual use of rocks throughout the long internment: to beautify the grounds, to establish order in their surroundings. Eventually the war wound down, the closure of the camps began, and the return of Min and his family (including his father) to their homes was as unceremonious as was their removal. 

Back matter describes more details, clarifies the facts, and provides a timeline.The lifelong mission of Min to speak in schools and groups about this part of history is well-documented. Although he died (age 94) before the book's release in 2026, his adult children continue his outreach mission . The US government acknowledged the illegality and damage of this policy and practice many decades later, and young readers today are digital witnesses to patterns that mirror this discriminatory and illegal practice with other populations, using many of the same arguments that failed to justify the actions against immigrants and native born citizens. 

Sasaki is an award-winning animator (Pixar) and picture book illustrator whose command of color, light, shadow, and contrast are powerful and well-suited to this stark story. The figures themselves are tenderly sympathetic but firmly linear and compelling. Lines throughout felt suggestive of bars and fencing, whether vertical or horizontal. Even the blinds in the windows with their filtered light foreshadow the horizontal barbed wire wrapping the camp. There is rich fodder for discussions of injustice, xenophobia, fear, and abuse of power, but the quiet strength and dignity of the family (and many others) invites empathy and support. The span of time during which people were incarcerated allowed Min to grow from a preteen to a young man, while his parents aged beyond the calendar years. 

Whether this historic era and heartbreaking incarceration is new or a sadly familiar tale, this book deserves a place on your shelves and in your hearts. I hope you'll read it. Reflect, please, how painfully harmful FEAR is, especially when it is the driver of policy. Notice that those who were implementing the investigations and incarcerations are not shown clearly, reminding me of the masked ICE agents in today's assualts on individual rights. Those who have nothing  to be ashamed of in their choices and actions are not afraid to stand and be seen. 

To Be or Not to Be- a Picture Book?

UNION SQUARE KIDS, 2025

THE SHINDIG IS COMING, written and illustrated by Charise Mericle Harper presents a bit of a dilemma. I enjoyed it so much and was sure to share that delight in some way. But did it fit here, as a post on a blog about picture books? Although not numbered, I'd estimate the page count at about 64, double the typical picture book. The word count also far exceeds the  typical recommendation for picture books of about 500 words. Some pages are only, or nearly only, text. There's no reason I would "object" to it being an early reader or easy chapter book. Early chapter books are delightful and essential in young reading lives. Still...

The humor and storytelling in this new book is unsurprisingly superb, well-paced, and rich with nuance and humor. Despite its physical appearance of an early chapter book, I'm convinced that this certainly qualifies as a picture book. That's based on the essential role of the mostly-silhouette illustrations to achieve full meaning and much the humor. The images and text invite rereading as picture books do, and more so than an early reader or chapter book does. The ample white space on each page, the text size and line spacing, too, make this easy on the eyes and satisfying to the heart. Mostly, though, as a text-only book I would not be singing its praises in this way nor have fully grasped the tension, humor, or the depth of the characters.

This clever little tale is a sort of Chicken Little account. But in this case the coming disaster is a SHINDIG! The various animals each provide  character insights, making the story into an ensemble cast rather than focusing on a single protagonist. I strongly recommend this for use with young audiences to explore ways in which book formats should be chosen to best suit their purpose.

I doubt that using a basic/traditional picture book format, even in the hands of a skilled writer like Harper, could do justice to the complexity and pacing of this evening woodland gathering. I particularly appreciated the many subtleties of nature that are blended into an otherwise  anthropomorphized situation. Animals that naturally prey upon and avoid each other are shown to come together for their common good. Their animal natures are respected (as in a grumbly, hungry bear, or that lovable opossum whose instinctive survival mechanism of fainting/playing dead makes him the most vulnerable of all). The charm of their shared concerns, competitive natures, individual differences, and that ominous SHINGDIG  (fear of the unknown) make for a modern day classic with strong potential for frequent re-readings and discussions. 

And I intend to recommend it often. When I do, I have no qualms about calling it a picture book. It is both whimsical and profound, a good reason for celebrating with a shindig!

OUR LAKE: Tender in Text and Illustration

   

KOKILA PRESS, 2025

 OUR LAKE, written and illustrated by Angie Kang, is an invitation to witness a very special, transformational moment. A relationship and slice of time that transcends the event. Don't miss this seemingly simple experience. Reading the book, diving into its luminous illustrations and subtle text felt personal to me. 

The cover image reveals two boys, lit by a glorious sun and standing at the edge of something high, overlooking a shimmering lake. My anticipatory thought was that this might mirror JABARI JUMPS, the first of several JABARI titles, and my favorite among them. (I reviewed it HERE, and it's a terrific summer title to share with early stage swimmers!) I am among many who, though we love the water, are not exactly confident about diving in from high places. In Jabari's case, his father offers the confidence to launch, and I imagined that might be the case with this seemingly older brother. I was drawn to that relationship, one in which an older sibling is protective and encouraging. I was also drawn to the art, which called to mind another water/confidence picture book, I TALK LIKE A RIVER, reviewed HERE. 

The voice and art of this recent release echoed some favorite qualities from that earlier title. Narrative is direct, personal, minimal, but revealing. Deep emotion is suggested, but only in a gentle and approachable way. The illustrations are soft-edged and glowing, impressionistic and subdued in detail but rich in realism and connection to readers' own experiences. The use of color and light to convey the healing warmth of the sun and the soothing effects of water are nearly magical.

Obviously, all that appealed to me before I even opened the book.

Then I read the story and was convinced that I was reading a future-award-winning treasure. 

On the title page we see the older boy tying the shoes of the younger one. The first spread introduces the heart of this story: 

"Today Brother is taking me up to the lake to swim like Father used to."

The first several spreads swell the pages with mixed emotions of color: Skies and upper backgrounds radiate colorful joy and brilliance, while the foreground and base of the pages absorb that brightness into somber blues and shadows. Multiple spreads throughout the central pages reveal preparing for the lake adventure with rituals of stretching, toeing the edge of the height, and the older boy's plunge into refreshing wasters. The next spreads are similarly simple but heartfelt as the younger boy hesitates, recalls his absent father, makes his decision, and resolves in the sweetest way you can imagine. Actually, it might surprise you, but it will more than satisfy.

Like Jabari Jumps, this is a Father/Son/Confidence story. Like I TALK LIKE A RIVER, this is a story in which the father is not present and yet his presence in the mind and heart of his boy speaks clearly. Beyond these two comparisons, this is a story of loss and resolving loss through the power of shared memories, traditions, and support. In a recent post I reviewed NIGHT WALK, which echoed an experience of finding comfort in loss by sharing memories with others who also loved them. It, too, like these others, relied on direct and subtle text with illustrations that evoke real experiences with a slightly dreamy quality. 

I urge you to read and appreciate this book. It should be one to keep in mind for sharing with anyone (of any age) who loses a parent or parent-figure. Finding strength in relationships that remain will never erase or take the place of the lost loved one. A story like this can offer hope and reassurance that we are not alone, that hope and support are at hand. 

KOKILA PRESS, 2025, OUR LAKE, Interior

It Happened in Salem: a Picture Book Packed with Power

 The term "witch hunt"  has been used a great deal throughout the centuries, and particularly so in the past decade. Kids growing up in modern times tend to associate "witch" with Halloween or The Wizard of Oz. If asked to draw a witch, most would lean toward black clothing, a pointed hat (and likely a pointed nose on a sneering face), perhaps adding a broom for flying and a big cauldron containing spell-casting ingredients. 

Few would draw a picture of their neighbor, teacher, or relative in contemporary clothing.

In the earliest years of colonization of North America, Europe had both history  and culture that established witches as residing among them in the realm of everyday life, especially handy when that accusation could provide a scapegoat for anything from the plague to crop failure. Finger-pointing (as seen on the cover and used throughout this picture book as both literal and metaphorical cause for the Salem witch trials and murders) was common for centuries. Those who traveled to make new homes on this continent brought their beliefs and cultures with them. 

There were countless struggles and disasters within the lives of colonizers here, spanning many decades. No doubt an occasional rumor or bit of public distress led to such finger pointing among locals in a village or town. The few years surrounding the  Salem witch uproar (in Massachusetts, in 1692) were a kind of societal infection sparked by accusations and leading to trials. The resulting murders by the hanging, of nineteen local women, came from finger pointing, much of which was instigated by attention-seeking, possibly fearful young girls. To learn more about the actual historical facts of who was involved, how the events accelerated and cascaded, I suggest reading Kate Messner's  HISTORY SMASHERS: The Salem Witch Trials, an upper elementary nonfiction offering from 2024. 

CREATIVE EDITIONS, 2024

IT HAPPENED IN SALEM is also for older readers, in large part because both the images and text suit that age range and also because the theme and historic background relate directly to those preteen years in several ways. Written by award-winning nonfiction author Jonah Winter with art by Illustration Hall of Fame member Brad Holland, this account of the period of the trials focuses very directly on a young person's impulse to start rumors and make accusations. 

To what end? 

The text makes it clear it might be someone mean-spirited, but could also be someone seeking attention, bearing a grudge, or, as time passed, shifting accusations toward themselves onto others. A sort of group hysteria among young people occurs even in our times, and may have also contributed to the sustained belief among the  "adults in charge" that their only choice was to identify and destroy the "witches" of their community. It was not until very recently that the current residents of this historic/notorious community publicly acknowledged the wrongs done by creating named memorials to the nineteen women who were unjustly hung as a result of these impulses and pranks.

As you can see from the cover art, the residents at the time appear even to the modern eye to be familiar, they could be us. The first line of text opens before the title page, with two heads leaning in, whispering, and the lines:

"It could happen anywhere, any time."

From that opening, the author speaks directly to young readers, reminding them that intention does not excuse result. This does not take on a finger-pointing or accusatory voice toward the  audiences, but does invite reflection about their own lives. Adults reading this will feel the same challenge, to flashback to days of youth (or more recent) in which which rumors began or were shared, in which moral wrong was carried out with our silence making it possible. The text is brief but compelling, the events are described clearly and explicitly, but not gruesomely (although murder is always gruesome.)

The art/illustrations anchor the story in a distant past, and yet the settings and expressions and interactions feel both authentic and immediate. Women are pictured hanging from trees, at a distance, and the clothing of the time hides their faces. This is a serious subject and it is treated seriously. Even so, it is handled in a way that invites discussion and connection to modern day patterns in daily life, or in the news. 

It's hard to image any better picture book offering (including the author note in back matter) to introduce a troubling period  in our national story and the troubling nature of social dynamics that are with us still. It is well-researched and incorporates verifiable facts (ones that have been known for centuries) with relevance to life as we know it today. I hope you'll give this one a careful read and share it well. 

The Wild Wombat: Playing on Rumor and Fear

There is much to like about this picture book, even before interacting with the story:  expansive double-page horizontal spreads with full-bleed saturated color, shifting perspectives and scales, mildly comical/caricatured animals with expressive features, and suddenly-appearing monstrous figures popping from behind and between clever gatefold pages. What's not to like?

Minedition, May 2019

THE WILD WOMBAT, written by Udo Weigelt and illustrated by Melanie Freund, offers a rambunctious twist on the well-known "telephone game" premise played out among zoo animals. If you know in advance what a wombat looks like, you can pick up on the humor of this premise from the cover-- or not. Did you miss those menacing eyes peering from inside the crate?
As a former parrot owner I can attest that it's true to the nature of these birds that parrots jabber and repeat what they've heard (mindlessly?) delivered with the know-it-all vibe of this parrot with wings-on-hips.
From initially overhearing the zookeepers report: "...the wild wombat is coming. ... We must be very careful with him," parrot launches a chain of misconstrued messages and mis-drawn conclusions. Each critter escalates the mistaken assumptions to another level of contrived details and resulting fear. Once Wombat arrives the real worry is that no one from the zoo is willing to meet him, let alone befriend him. They are all hiding in fear!
Parrot, oblivious to the impact of his role in fanning the flames of fear, puzzles over why no one has arrived. He muses, "I know I mentioned that you were coming..."

There is a single concluding page providing actual facts about wombats, after which readers will want to return to the start and stay alert for additional mistakes and asides. Kids will also love the half-page reveals on the monsters that often result when imaginations run wild. There's plenty of color and characters and confusion to win over audiences, but I hope the book will also lead to some discussions about the potential harm done by jumping to conclusions, judging others, and isolating ourselves in silos of anxiety rather than sharing concerns and problems-solving together. 

This was originally published in Europe, where fears and false assumptions currently percolate through society. I hope that there, and now here in the states, in English, this entertaining and engaging book might trigger some mindful conversations about exploring and defusing confusions and anxiety, and giving every newcomer a chance.

Facing Our Fears- With Help

If snow and sub-zero temperatures have you feeling worried, check out my previous post to enjoy a kinder, gentler, more hopeful version of WINTER. 

OR,
you could escape to indoor activities. I was in awe of my parents for many reasons. Among them, I was especially impressed when they continued their weekly indoor swim sessions throughout the long cold months of midwest winters. They enjoyed joining their friends in the water exercise group, and the activity helped them feel better physically. At least Mom did. She loved the water, but Dad existed in a borderline state of hating/fearing water activities. He went with her, joined in with her, because he was always one to face his fears. 

To overcome this somewhat threatening wintery spell, let's shift gears and read about swimming, of all things. Then let's also reflect on facing fears.

SATURDAY IS SWIMMING DAY is written and illustrated by Hyewon Yum. Here's the gist:
When little Mary wakes one Saturday morning feeling ill, there's no malingering involved.(That's Mary on the cover.)  She feels AWFUL! Those Saturdays circled on her wall calendar were not marked in happy anticipation. They indicate the mornings she will be going to swimming lessons. Her misery is deeply felt. She is worried about this process, fearful of that pool. 

On the surface (my pun on that threatening water surface is intentional), this is clearly a story for little kiddos who are afraid of the pool, or some other mundane childhood experience. Her fear is there, her resistance is there, and Yum's illustrations, pacing, and spare text capture it all well.
But I'll argue with anyone who says it is ONLY that. 
Just as readily as Mary's classmates plunged right into that pool, we can dive deeper and see that this is a universal human story. Granted, there are many kids (and older folks) who embrace adventures, challenges, any kind of change with a full-throated 

I believe, though, that even those brave souls have occasionally encountered something that caused a twinge in their guts, put a wobble in their chins. It would be a something that they recognize as scary for them, even if embraced eagerly by peers. A something that doesn't appear to have the least bit of scary attached. 

And yet... that gut feeling screams danger!

May each of us find someone willing and able to coax us through those times. Someone like Mary's swim teacher. Someone who knows when to stay within reach and when to step away.
Someone whose wise guidance allows us to own our success and face the next challenge confidently.

SATURDAY IS SWIMMING DAY is an outstanding example of the truth that picture books are not only for the young. It could be the right book for you (adults). If there's something lurking in your life that gives you that gut-punch feeling, lift your head just a little higher. Stick your neck out, look around for your own "swim teacher". Somewhere there's someone who will help you find your own strength, your willingness to face your fears, even if it takes some handholding along the way. Each out and take that hand, accept that help.

Another outstanding picture book about facing fears with steadfast help standing nearby is JABARI JUMPS, which I shared in a past post, here.

If these kids can face their fears, you can, too. 
I know it.
Feel free to share experiences in comments.

Your success stories could be the helping hand to someone else.