Wenjen, Mia. Barbed Wire Between Us. Violeta Encarnación, Illus. Red Comet, 03/2026. [48]pp. Picture Book. Trade $19.99. 978-1-6365-5192-0. GRADES 1–4. ADDITIONAL.
Using the form of an illustrated reverso poem, Wenjen and Encarnación demonstrate parallels between Japanese American citizens who were imprisoned eighty years ago during World War Two, and new immigrants who have been detained in the same US facilities over the past decade. With Fort Sill, Oklahoma as the backdrop, the illustrator’s focus on a young girl in both settings allows readers to empathize with the jarring juxtaposition of violent separation and mutual daily caretaking. While most reverso poems tell cleverly opposite stories, this tells two versions of the same story, only different in the time periods and citizenship status of the characters. Digital-and-mixed-media illustrations resembling screen prints seem to be drawn from specific events, such as the origami cranes made by formerly-detained Japanese Americans, presented in solidarity with immigrants detained today. However, some of the illustrations have a distracting awkwardness, with odd body positions or facial expressions that contradict what the text and context imply. An author’s note at the end describes Wenjen’s family’s connection to Japanese internment. This emotionally-focused picture book for elementary students will serve as a supplement to more detailed, factual presentations documenting the racially biased incarceration of immigrants in the United States. Review based on an e-book through HooplaDigital.
Erica Siskind—Oakland Public Library