How Yuri Kochiyama Became a Human Rights Activist
A TRUE TALE WITH
A CHERRY ON TOP
Red Comet Press
(pub. 10.13.2026)
42 pages
Ages 8 - 12
Author: Mia Wenjen
Illustrator: Keith Henry Brown
Character: Yuri Kochiyama
Overview:
"When Japanese American activist Yuri Kochiyama shook Malcolm X’s hand at a courthouse in 1963, it sparked a transformative friendship built on justice, solidarity, and hope.
Postcards from Malcolm X traces Kochiyama’s remarkable journey from a small-town girl in California to a fearless advocate for human rights. Her experiences―her father’s death at the hands of the FBI, her family’s internment during World War II, and her work with Japanese American soldiers―shaped a life of activism that connected her to Harlem’s civil rights struggle and, ultimately, to Malcolm X himself."
Tantalizing taste:
" Never one to seek the spotlight, Yuri drew people in with her warmth, becoming the glue for movements and organizations that fought for justice and equality ... Working tirelessly behind the scenes, she quietly helped organize people into powerful coalitions. But it was her avid letter-writing that charted the course of Yuri's life. From Nisei soldiers to Malcolm X to political prisoners - Yuri had an amazing capacity to offer support and use the power of the pen to fight for equality for everyone."
And something more: Author Mia Wenjen explains in the Author's Note: "I grew up in a mostly white town located fifteen miles from San Pedro, California, whre Yuri was raised. My mother, close in age to Yuri, was also forced from her home during World War II...
There is a Japanese saying that the nail that sticks out gets pounded down. Culturally, Japanese Americans are not raised to rock the boat. In Yuri's time, it was really unusual for a Japanese American to be an activist, particuarly for causes that did not directly affect them. This is perhaps why most people don't know about Yuri Kochiyama. .. Yet she was a powerful force for social justice. Quietly and behind the scenes, she fought for those who faced injustice..."
The Power of Wifredo Lam's Art
A TRUE TALE WITH
A CHERRY ON TOP
Abrams Books for Young Readers
(pub. 8.25.2026)
40 pages
Ages 6 - 8
Author: Margarita Engle
Illustrator: Jacqueline Alcántara
Character: Wifredo Lam
Overview:
"In a village on the tropical island of Cuba, a boy named Wifredo Lam loved to draw his surroundings―hot blue air, cool green leaves, and brilliant flowers.
As he grew older, Lam paid tribute to his Cuban, West African, and Chinese heritage through his art, which brought dignity and respect to Cuba’s rich mix of cultures.
Inspired by and in contact with some of the most renowned artists of the early 20th century, such as Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, and André Breton, Lam blended European cubism and surrealism with multicultural influences to create his own unique style, culminating in the creation of his masterpiece La Jungla (The Jungle)."
Tantalizing taste:
" He began painting a jungle
where wild plants and sugarcane grew
entwined, animals and people
were tangled together,
roots became feet, shoulders
sprouted leaves, and rounded shapes
could either be viewed as ripe fruits
or instruments in the hands of musicians."
And something more: In the More About Wifredo Lam section: "Wifredo is now widely regarded as the most important of all Cuban painters, and La Jungla is accepted as his masterpiece. His success paved the way for other modern artists of Latin American, African, Asian, and Indigenous ancestry... After he received the Guggenheim International Award in 1964, retrospectives of his work were exhibited in museums throughout Europe."
A TRUE TALE WITH
A CHERRY ON TOP
Levine Querido
(pub. 4.7.2026)
48 pages
Ages 4 - 8
Author: Jenn Bailey & Sherry Bushue
Illustrator: Pamela Zagarenski
Character: Marcel Marceau
Overview:
"Marcel was born in 1923 in the French city of Strasbourg. He was drawn to the flickering images of Charlie Chaplin in the movies, and he had a gift for imitating the birds around him, the people, and even the wind!
But his safe, creative childhood was shattered by the advent of World War II and the anti-Jewish laws that demonized his Jewish family. Before long, his family was forced to flee in the wake of the advancing German army. His artistic talents were applied to forging papers and passports for those trying to escape. He disguised himself as a Scout leader in order to lead younger children over the border to safety, keeping them calm with dancing, singing, and stories told in mime. Even border guards were swayed and distracted by his entertaining antics.
Surviving the war, this talented young boy became renowned around the world as Marcel Marceau, the most famous mime of the twentieth century. "
Tantalizing taste:
" And so Marcel reaches back to childhood games of pretend, now deadly serious - to charm the soldiers, to please the guards, to pass the checkpoints.
Dressed as a Boy Scout leader, Marcel keeps a group of the children entertained with songs, riddles, and stories told in mime.
He makes the perilous journey again and again until ALL THE ORPHANS ARE FREE."
And something more: The MORE ABOUT MARCEL MARCEAU section explains: "Even as the war and his Resistance work continued, Marcel began to study drama ... His teachers called Marcel 'a natural mime,' and he embraced this silent and artistically graceful form of acting. He practiced in front of the children at the orphanage, providing welcome entertainment. These children were his first audience and throughout his life Marcel felt children understood his art better than anyone."
