Children & Young Adult Books

NEA Honors Mia Wenjen’s "Barbed Wire Between Us" in Read Across America Campaign for April 2027

by Lina Irawan

Executive Overview

In a significant national recognition of literature that addresses complex historical themes and modern social realities, the National Education Association (NEA) has officially selected Mia Wenjen’s acclaimed picture book, Barbed Wire Between Us, for inclusion in its prestigious Read Across America calendar. Featured as the Elementary Book of the Month for April 2027, the title anchors the campaign’s overarching theme: "Build Belonging."

BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US in Read Across America calendar

Published by Red Comet Press and brought to vivid artistic life by illustrator Violeta Encarnación, Barbed Wire Between Us utilizes an innovative reverso poetry structure. The book weaves together two parallel, emotionally resonant narratives of incarceration and family separation set decades apart at the notorious Fort Sill, Oklahoma site: a Japanese American girl detained during World War II, and a contemporary Latina child separated from her migrant family.

BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US in Read Across America calendar

Alongside Wenjen’s work, the NEA’s April 2027 curated reading list highlights vital youth literature addressing identity, peer pressure, and displacement, featuring Chanel Miller’s middle-grade novel The Moon Without Stars (Philomel Books) and René Peña-Govea’s young adult novel Estela, Undrowning (Quill Tree Books). This comprehensive feature explores the significance of the NEA selection, breaks down the structural mechanics of Wenjen’s celebrated book, and reviews a broader portfolio of educational resources, teacher guides, and multicultural titles designed to foster empathy in classrooms nationwide.

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BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US in Read Across America calendar

Detailed Chronology: From Concept to National Recognition

The journey of Barbed Wire Between Us from a powerful manuscript to a cornerstone of national educational curriculum highlights the growing appetite for literature that bridges historical consciousness with contemporary social discourse.

BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US in Read Across America calendar
  • The Creative Genesis: Written by Mia Wenjen and illustrated by Violeta Encarnación, the project aimed to dismantle historical amnesia surrounding American detention sites. By selecting Fort Sill, Oklahoma—a location that served as both a Department of Justice internment camp for Japanese Americans during World War II and, decades later, a temporary influx facility for migrant children—the creators established a chilling historical continuum of state-sanctioned detention and family separation.
  • Publication and Critical Reception: Released to critical acclaim by Red Comet Press, the book quickly garnered attention from educators, literary critics, and trade publications. Its unique poetic form—where a poem read top-to-bottom tells one story, and read bottom-to-top reverses the narrative perspective—became an immediate point of study in creative writing and historical pedagogy.
  • Media and Industry Spotlights: Throughout 2025 and 2026, the book’s themes were amplified through concurrent literary milestones. Notably, Wenjen discussed Barbed Wire Between Us alongside her companion civil rights works in profiles and interviews featured in Publishers Weekly. Concurrently, educational support networks mobilized, rolling out specialized teaching guides, origami crane folding workshops inspired by the text, and geography-based curricula connecting students directly to WWII internment geography.
  • The NEA Selection (April 2027): The culmination of this advocacy arrived with the NEA Read Across America announcement. Designated as the premier elementary text for April 2027 under the "Build Belonging" theme, the book is slated to reach hundreds of thousands of educators, librarians, and students across the United States, cementing its status as an essential teaching tool for empathy and civic awareness.

Supporting Context & Metrics: The Power of Representation in Classrooms

The inclusion of Barbed Wire Between Us in the Read Across America initiative arrives at a critical juncture for American education. Literacy experts and educational researchers have long emphasized the dual necessity of "windows and mirrors" in children’s literature—books that serve as mirrors reflecting students’ own lived experiences, and windows offering views into the realities of others.

BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US in Read Across America calendar

The "Build Belonging" Curricular Framework

The NEA’s "Build Belonging" theme focuses on creating inclusive, welcoming school environments where every student feels seen, valued, and safe. Books like Wenjen’s serve as catalysts for difficult but necessary classroom conversations. By examining the parallels between historical Japanese American incarceration and contemporary immigration crises, students are encouraged to ask critical questions about civil rights, government policy, and human empathy.

BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US in Read Across America calendar

Core Selections on the April 2027 Slate

The NEA’s curated selections for April 2027 span three distinct developmental brackets, ensuring a continuous narrative of identity and resilience across grade levels:

BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US in Read Across America calendar
  1. Elementary Level: Barbed Wire Between Us by Mia Wenjen, illustrated by Violeta Encarnación (Red Comet Press).
    • Synopsis: A poignant reverso poem exploring incarceration and family separation at Fort Sill across generations.
  2. Middle School Level: The Moon Without Stars by Chanel Miller (Philomel Books).
    • Synopsis: Seventh-grader Luna, navigating her White and Chinese American identity, finds her life upended when a collaborative zine project with her best friend Scott gains viral attention, pulling her into the turbulent orbit of the school’s popular crowd.
  3. Young Adult Level: Estela, Undrowning by René Peña-Govea (Quill Tree Books).
    • Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Chicana protagonist Estela battles severe anxiety and panic attacks amid a looming family eviction, all while navigating intense racial dynamics at an elite high school following a poetry contest placement.

Official Statements and Educational Resources

The educational community has responded enthusiastically to the NEA’s announcement, providing a wealth of supplemental resources designed to maximize the classroom impact of Barbed Wire Between Us.

BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US in Read Across America calendar

Teacher Guides and Interactive Activities

To assist educators in translating the book’s heavy thematic elements into age-appropriate lessons, the author and publishing partners have released comprehensive, downloadable instructional materials:

BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US in Read Across America calendar
  • The Barbed Wire Between Us Teacher’s Guide: A free, accessible curriculum guide offering discussion prompts, historical background on Fort Sill, and cross-curricular writing exercises.
  • The Origami Crane Project: Drawing on rich traditions of resilience in detention camps, companion classroom activities—such as learning how to fold origami cranes—connect literacy with tactile art therapy. These initiatives are supported by curated reading lists featuring 11 distinct children’s books centered around the symbolism of origami cranes.
  • Multimedia Integration: Classrooms have access to official book trailers, musical adaptations, and author interviews that provide multi-sensory entry points for diverse learners.

Future Outlook: Mia Wenjen’s Expanding Literary Landscape

Mia Wenjen’s recognition by the NEA underscores her broader, prolific contribution to multicultural children’s literature and non-fiction. Beyond Barbed Wire Between Us, Wenjen’s bibliography serves as an expansive archive of diverse histories, civil rights struggles, and cultural explorations:

BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US in Read Across America calendar
  • Postcards from Malcolm X: How Yuri Kochiyama Became a Civil Rights Activist (illustrated by Keith Henry Brown): Chronicles the extraordinary life of Japanese American activist Yuri Kochiyama and her profound intersection with the Civil Rights Movement.
  • Fortune Cookies for Everyone! (Smithsonian): The Surprising Story of the Tasty Treat We Love to Eat (illustrated by Colleen Kong-Savage): Explores the rich, often misunderstood culinary history of an iconic American snack through a Smithsonian-backed lens.
  • The Traveling Taco: The Amazing and Surprising Journey of Many of Your Favorite Foods: Delves into the multicultural roots and migratory histories behind everyday favorite dishes.
  • We Sing from the Heart: How the Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court: Details the landmark legal battle for free expression waged by the Asian American dance-rock band.
  • Food for the Future: Sustainable Farms Around the World (illustrated by Robert Sae-Heng): Highlighted by Bank Street College as one of the Best Children’s Books of the Year, this text tours global agricultural innovations.

Conclusion

As schools across the nation prepare for the April 2027 Read Across America initiatives, the selection of Barbed Wire Between Us marks a watershed moment for educational equity and historical literacy. By encouraging young readers to reflect on justice, systemic challenges, and the fundamental human need for belonging, Mia Wenjen’s work—backed by the NEA’s national platform—ensures that the classrooms of tomorrow will be equipped with the empathy, knowledge, and critical thinking skills necessary to build a more inclusive society.

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