Barbed Wire Between Us

by Mia Wenjen, Violeta Encarnación (Illustrator)

A powerful reverso poem about two girls separated by barbed wire and 80 years of history

Barbed Wire Between Us is a powerful reverso poem that tells two deeply resonant stories across time. It begins with a Japanese American girl sent to an internment camp in Oklahoma during World War II. Read in reverse, it reveals the journey of a Latina girl detained in the very same camp decades later, during the U.S. policy of migrant family separation. Harrowing and emotionally charged, this poetic narrative compels us to confront a haunting question: What have we truly learned in the past 80 years about how we treat the most vulnerable among us? With haunting symmetry and striking parallels, Barbed Wire Between Us is a moving meditation on justice, memory, and the echoes of history that still shape our present.

Genres: Picture Books, Poetry, Historical Fiction, Immigration, Childrens, Aapi, Historical

48 pages, Hardcover

Published March 31, 2026

Reviews

[Padma Venkatraman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Timely and timeless, this is a moving picture book in which we see the echoes of the past in the present. We are taken into the lives of two incarcerated children : a Japanese-American child and a Latina child. Their stories are years apart in terms of time and yet eerily close in terms of human experience of inhuman cruelty. Mia Wenjen’s genius lies in part in choosing the reverse poem form to show us that history is repeating itself; instead of moving forward as a nation, we are moving backward. Yet the book preserves a sense of hope and the illustrations show us stark despair and also glimpses of light. Two thumbs up; and, hands down, this is Mia Wenjen’s best book!

[Melanie Dulaney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in reverso poetry where the lines are read in reverse order to reveal story in story or serve other purposes, author Mia Wengen uses it to illustrate how history tends to repeat itself, shown clearly in the incarceration of Japanese Americans in a camp in Oklahoma during World War II and then when the lines are reversed, revealing immigrant children imprisoned in the same camp around 2014. The illustrations by Violeta Encarnacion, done with a mixture of digital and traditional media, are beautiful and display the emotions of the featured children in a poignant way sure to be felt by readers clearly. There is deep sadness but there is also kindness and hope mixed into the lives of both the Japanese Americans and the immigrants seeking a better life. Making this book even more powerful is Wenjen’s mother’s personal experience of persecution, discrimination and isolation as a Japanese American during WWII and recorded in her author’s note. Also included in the back matter is a more detailed description of the use of the Oklahoma camp during the war and in more recent history.

This picture book can be used with young children as well as older ones as an example of the reverso poetry form and the powerful use of art to convey mood. Could also be used during history classes across all ages when WWII and immigration issues are the topic of study.

[Peacegal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning, powerful, and thought-provoking, this is the story of two children, in two different eras, who are imprisoned at the same camp. One is a Japanese-American girl who is held in an internment camp in the 1940s. The other is a migrant girl who is detained at the same camp, now repurposed. Same feelings of fear, loss, and confusion. How will the second child's story end?

[Samantha Gehrs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbed Wire Between was a beautifully illustrated and written book written as a reverse poem that acted as a comparison of two stories in American history. It starts by following a young Japanese American girl who is forced into an internment camp during World War II. What is unique about this book is that it is a reverse poem so it changed the structure of the story and acted as a mirror into the experiences of a Latina girl decades later. This time, she was detained in a camp under modern day U.S. migrant family separation policies. This book shows the injustices within institutions as well as the cycle of human rights violations within US history.
The reverse poem craft that Wenjen uses for her structure of the story is extremely unique in that I do not remember reading a story like this before. It tells one narrative and then reads it in reverse to show a different but connected perspective. It does a great job of relaying theme to the readers to see how history has a way of repeating itself across generations. Violeta Encarnacion's illustrations hold a lot of emotional weight with heavy subject matter for a children's book. She utilizes bold color palettes as well as traditional and modern media to help portray the stories of the young girls in the stories.
In terms of diversity and representation, it is told by children of color in two completely different time periods but with a similra story. The book highlights displacement and xenophobia within the US. These perspectives offer readers (in this case of children) the mirror of the girls experiencing separation from their families and imprisonment.
I think this book would be great for upper elementary and middle-school writing as a way to teach poetry within a unique form and how using a reverse poem can open up a whole new way of writing with emotion. It gives students in schools the ability to be critical thinkers and to question power within institutions throughout history.

[Robin Newman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Using the structure of a reverso poem, BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US tells the parallel stories of two young girls—one a Japanese American interned during World War II at Fort Sill, Lawton Oklahoma, and the other, an immigrant detained at the same army base some time in 2014 or thereafter. The situations are the same—two immigrant children and their families arriving in the United States filled with hope of settling into their new country only to be treated as criminals—with only the span of time separating them. It is a very powerful story that is both mournful and at times hopeful. BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US would make a terrific classroom read aloud. I highly recommend it.

[Ann Haefele · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book tells the story of 2 families , one from WWII time and one current day. Both stories are of families trying to find a better life in America. One is sent to a Japanese internment camp and one is sent to the same camp as migrants many years later. It’s told in a reverso poem, which is explained at the end.
It’s a dark story of how little our country has learned. It’s more for the middle school student through adult than elementary age child, but would help get a discussion going about this issue.

[Rachel Aranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5-5 stars

This is a book about two girls imprisoned in the same place but in different times. One is a Japanese-American in the 1940s and a migrant girl during the current time. I hadn’t heard of reverso poetry so was super interested in how this book would be. It works wonderfully but made me super sad that history literally repeats itself. The US needs to do better than entrapping people and separating them. I definitely have feelings after reading this book and am glad that it exists.

[Tina Hoggatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based on the author's family history this book tells the story of Japanese incarceration during WWII and, at the same army base in Utah, contemporary incarceration of immigrant children. The form, a reverso poem, tells the first story then, to tell the second, reverses. Terrific illustrations by Violeta Encarnacion.

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was written in circular style. The first part of the text was reversed during the last part of the book. I believe it is a reminder that history repeats itself.

A sad read with a lot of hope mingled in!
There were so many details to observe in the pictures and the text was more minimal than I expected.

[DaNae · Rating 3 out of 5]

A beautifully illustrated book built on no context. I applaud the reverse poetry. However it has an historical setting with no explanation. For a child reader it is a stretch to believe they would be anything but confused, even with the back-matter.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

A moving "circular" story. This terrible tale continues today.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a double story, one told of the internment of the Japanese-Americans during world war two, and the similar internment of them migrants who came to the US for a better life. Same words, similar story.


The author’s mother was almost interred during world war two, but managed to move away from the coast, to Utah. But the conditions there were not much better.


It is a sad state of affairs, with xenophobia making us afraid of other human beings. It is a simple story, with dark pictures, but it is a good starting point to begin a conversation of what has happened in the past, and what is happening now.


Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book is being published on the 31st of March 2026.

[Steff Fox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Barbed Wire Between Us is one of those books that exists as sort of a wakeup call.

History, you see, repeats.

I'd like to think that we, as a people, will always have a future in which progress is measured by the protection of the oppressed. Only when oppression fades will society exist as it should. In the meantime, it's incredibly important that books like this exist to remind us not only of our world's past, but also of the duty we have in ensuring that we fight for a better world today. The fact that Fort Sill, OK is a place that has been used to lock up Native Americans and Japanese immigrants from the past as well as present day immigrants is a dark shadow on the behavior of people we share this world with. And it is a glaring sign of the importance of taking strides toward a world in which such atrocities no longer take place.

Honestly, this is a sad read—but I think its also one that's so important. It's especially powerful in the beautiful artwork and the manner through which the poem brings you through the dual stories. While I will say that the poem, itself, isn't the most musical, it still shines a light on the unfortunate truth of repeating histories. And unless we educate as many as we can about these atrocities and the need to cease their occurrences, we are doomed to repeat it.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Stephanie Bange · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many thanks to Red Comet Press and Publisher Spotlight for the preview copy.

This amazing book compares the "incarceration experience" of two young girls, one in the 1940's and the other in the 2010's

Told through the eyes of two young girls, the girl in the 1940's tells her story of being ripped from her home and taken with few belongings to a concentration camp in Oklahoma. The first girl, a Japanese American, describes what life is like, all the uncertainty and separation, kindness of strangers, and how they learned to 'make do' until the war was over and they were released and reunited with family. A 2-page spread serves to segue to the second girl's story. The second girl and her family are crossing the barbed wire to go from a life in a dangerous place to another. They are captured, ostensibly by border patrol and taken to a detention camp. There, they were met with kindness from doctors, the difficult life in a harsh climate, family separations, and disappointment that this new country would not fulfill its promise. Backmatter includes a few paragraphs about Ft. Sill's use as a Japanese internment camp and as an immigrant detention center, a note about the poem, and an author's note about her mother's experience during WWII.

Wenjen's spare poem/text is powerful enough to elicit tears from this reader when first reading it. This is the kind of book to use when discussing a unit on empathy. These two innocent young girls were treated horribly because they were "others". Told in a form called "reverso", the same set of words used in the first half are shared in reverse order for the second. Very powerful how the meaning changes...

Illustrations by Violeta Encarnación are, quite simply, stunning. Rendered digitally, the emotions felt by these people who are being victimized by the government are front and center. The agony when the Japanese American girl and her father are being physically separated is so strong. Not a single stroke of her brush is out of place. She uses a palette of brown, black, gold, and green aid in creating the oppressive mood of this place.

Include in units on social justice, human rights, immigration, WWII/Japanese internment, and creating empathy for others. This would be a wonderful exemplar to use for writing poetry and developing comparison and contrast skills.

Highly Recommended for K-5.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Using the form of an illustrated reverso poem, Wenjen and Encarnacion demonstrate parallels between Japanese American citizens who were imprisoned 80 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. (So, did the author miss the point, or do I misunderstand what the point of reversing the text is?)

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, many of the illustrations have a distracting awkwardness, with odd body positions or facial expressions that contradict what the text and context imply. Also, the characters' skin color is inconsistent, obscuring the fact that all the incarcerated people at Fort Sill during WW2 were Japanese American citizens, while none of the modern-day immigrants detained there are. This should be significant, and the note in the back-matter should do a lot more explaining, in my opinion. Instead, this is a poem to tug at the heartstrings and inspire further learning.

I personally cringed at some of the illustrations, like when a character's face looked squished and distorted, or their body seemed crumpled...while other illustrations seemed graceful and poignant.

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.

[Stephanie Tournas · Rating 4 out of 5]

With its striking cover showing two children back to back behind silvery embossed barbed wire, this book packs an emotional punch. Boston-area writer Wenjen employs a reverso poem to illustrate history repeating itself in its treatment of ‘others’. The first half of the book tells the story of the internment of Japanese Americans through the eyes of a child during World War II. Lines of lyrical text relate the child’s memory of suffering, but also of “the kindness of strangers.” The gorgeous artwork, which appears to be a combination of traditional and digital tools, keeps the child front and center, focusing her face and hands. As she leaves the camp, the text reads “it was over,” “from barbed wire, new life will begin.” Then, after a wordless spread showing two views of barbed wire in the sun, the poem begins again, starting with the last lines of the poem that appeared during the first half. Illustrations show migrants travelling alongside barbed wire. And the drama begins again in the present day. It ends with the words, “In this land of promise, we hoped to find a place to belong.” The same internment camp is present in both halves of the book.

Notes at the end identify the camp as Fort Sill in Oklahoma. There’s also a bit about reverso poems and about the author’s inspiration coming from her mother’s experience during World War II. Although both halves of the book end on a positive note, the tone is still somber and emotional. The front and back of the book’s case have the images of folded paper cranes, which are also present in the two children’s stories. This picture book will resonate with elementary school children who are studying war or bias.

Although I appreciated the information on Japanese American internments, I felt that including a bit about who is being interned now (and where) would have balanced out the back matter.

[Mizzy Mint · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book, whish is cataloged as fiction in the juvenile picture books, illustrates the how Fort Sill (located north of Lawton and approximately 85 miles southwest of Oklahoma City) is an army base that served as an internment camp for Japanese Americans in WWII. This same base starting being used as a immigrant detention center again in 2014. While this book is listed as fiction, due to it not telling the story of a specific individual, it illustrates a very real reality for many immigrants.
This book uses a reverso poem inspired storytelling technique, where it uses the same lines in reverse to tell different stories with the accompanying pictures. I really like this method to show the circular nature of history repeating it's self, always victimizing those who come seeking a better life than the one they had in their home countries.
I also want to mention the author's note about her family who emigrated from Japan during WWII from Hiroshima. They had family in a remote part of Utah and so they were spared living in the camps, but as they were working as farm laborers and living in tents, they often joked that they might have been better off in the concentration camps.
I hope more people will read this book and become aware to the injustice happening right in front of our eyes. So many people can try and justify in the times what is right and what is wrong, but just as the FBI proved the Japanese Americans were not a security threat and did nothing to remedy the situation with any expediency, the detained immigrants are still unjustly locked up though they offer no threat to daily life. I just hope by being mixed into the regular picture books means it is more widely available and gets more eyes on it than it might have being a nonfiction book.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

History has a habit of repeating itself, often echoing its darkest moments across the expanses of time and space. Fort Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma has been the site of several internments spanning more than a century and several generations of people. From Native people in the 1800s to Japanese Americans during World War II to global immigrants in contemporary times, the ripple effects of these injustices spread far and wide. And as time passes, these shared moments of turmoil unite people in solidarity for the challenges they have faced both apart and together. This resonant picture book utilizes a reverso poem to explore the parallel experiences faced by two youth separated by time. Very few words are used inside the narrative as a whole, but each one is specifically chosen to be poignant and impactful for the reader. Most of the story is recounted within the illustrations, where powerful moments of loss and struggle are depicted in heart wrenching clarity. The expressions on faces, the movement of the individuals, and the dire surroundings in their midst transport readers to times and places that dehumanized all present there. Though written as a picture book, this story is important for readers of all ages, offering opportunities for reflection and consideration with each turn of the page. Back matter provides additional context for caregivers to better understand the design of this book and the lasting impact Fort Sill has had on generations of people. Powerful and important, this picture book is elegantly designed to capture the intensity and magnitude of historical moments and will resonate with readers of all ages.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

First sentence: IN this land of promise,
we hoped to find a place to belong.
To our surprise, we were unjustly imprisoned.
We came with only what we could carry.
Our family was separated.

Premise/plot: Barbed Wire Between Us uses the poetic format of a reverso poem. It is a picture book for older readers. It tells two stories--same words, different order. One story is set in the 1940s in Japanese internment camps. The other story is set in contemporary times--give or take a couple of years.

My thoughts: This is a picture book that some adults will absolutely love, love, love. Will children be drawn into this story? Perhaps. But I have a hard time imagining it without a lot of pushing from adults (teachers, librarians, etc.).

Is it political? As much as I want to say it is not...it decidedly is. Two different timelines. The Japanese internment was taking Japanese-American families that were living in America--some for multiple generations--and putting them behind barbed wire because they feared they were still loyal to a country that the United States was at war with. There was no proof, no reason beyond fear for this action. The contemporary story is of a family newly entering the United States--illegally--and being put in a immigrant detention center. I will say that the book simplifies or oversimplifies the modern day situation.

I have read fiction and nonfiction for all ages about the Japanese internment. Including a fabulous book about a librarian who sent books to children in these camps.

I like the idea of a reverso poem, but, the modern story just doesn't give enough details to ground it, in my opinion. There are more questions than answers.

[Phobean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spare, honest, and beautiful, Barbed Wire Between Us uses a unique format --a reverso poem-- to support young readers to understand a cyclical experience of many immigrants to the United States during difficult times. I found the vivid illustrations gorgeous and moving; they used bright yellow and turquoise as beacons, despite the otherwise dismal environment that engulfs each unnamed immigrant girl. A minimal critique is that I thought the poem worked less-well with some of the illustrations featuring the Latina girl's experience crossing the border.

Two daughters of immigrants, author and illustrator, have stewarded a thoughtful addition to the rare, important canon of published works that teach young people that what's hard and seemingly hopeless can be overcome, again and again. The paper crane, symbol of peace from Japan, is a lovely touch to this somber story.

Among other reviews, I was curious (but not surprised) to read occasional discomfort with the political circumstances of the book, but more I wanted to voice my opinion about what young children can and cannot process when learning about difficult circumstances.

To this, I'd like to point to a few of what I consider to be this book's comp titles: They Call Me Teach: Lessons in Freedom by Lesa Cline-Ransome, about learning to read during US slavery; This Is Not My Home by Vivienne Chang, about resisting relocation to a parent's mother-country; and Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford. ALL of these books deal with hard aspects of history or modern life, and they're all developmentally appropriate, similar to Barbed Wire Between Us.

[Christie Kaaland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps the most important picture book of the upcoming year as we, as a nation, struggle with our government's cruel and murderous actions of capturing and caging our most vulnerable populations. These two girls' stories, 80 years apart, show that we have not become any more a civilized nation, than in past similar historic episodes.

With minimal carefully chosen narration in the form of a reverso poem, the incarceration center for children at the army base in Fort Sill, Lawton, Oklahoma, is the setting for this narrative of a young Japanese American girl sent to exile in WWII and, in reverse, the experiences of a Latinx girl's similar story today. Guilty only of being a person of color, they are incarcerated, endure freezing nights and hot sun-drenched days and other cruelties, both girls find ways to "create beauty with what [they] had", including the ironic and poignant symbol of hope: a paper crane.

Beautiful color-drenched graphic illustrations in appropriately black, grey, brown and light maize, by Cuban-American artist Violeta Encarnación portray poignant scenes within the walls and behind the barbed wire of the incarceration center. While stark statement, "Our family was separated" is more deeply felt through powerful illustrations, as a child held by one prison guard reaches out toward her father, held by another guard. The book ends where it began, “From behind barbed wire, new life will begin.” leaving readers with some sense of hope, even if today's headlines do not.

Author's notes reveal more details.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

For many, the comparisons between the Japanese internment camps during WWII and the migrant detention centers of today are obvious. This visually striking and textually intense reverso poem ponders the journeys of two different girls--one Japanese American and one Latina American. The scenes of violence, separation, hope, and small acts of kindness surely represent many of the experiences of individuals both then and now, and the faces of the two girls seem to peer into readers' souls even while lines such as "Where darkness is, light will shine again. From behind barbed wire, new life will begin" (unpaged). Details such as a father being rousted so violently that his glasses slip from his nose, the blue-chipped fingernails of the Latina girl, the barbed wire in different places, a small paper crane fashioned by a girl seeking to brighten up her bleak surroundings, and origami cranes festooned across a fence, all of these attest to the similarity of history as events from the past seem to echo in today's events. It seems impossible to read this picture book and not shake one's head at our nation's inability to learn from past mistakes. The back matter of these two powerful stories reveals the setting as Fort Sill in Oklahoma. Readers will also want to pay attention to the difference in the endpapers as well as the difference between the book jacket and book cover. No story could be more timely or more meaningful. Add this to a collection about immigration.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The reverso poem at the heart of Barbed Wire Between us provides a heart-wrenching look at the mistreatment that immigrants have experienced in the United States. The first half of the book looks at a Japanese American girl's experience in the internment camps during World War II. The poem is then reversed and read with the lines in reverse order. The second half of the book looks at the experience of a girl coming in through the U.S. southern border in recent times. It's a bit shocking to realize the parallels between the two girls' experiences. The poem reads beautifully in both directions. The illustrations are gorgeous and powerful in their depictions of both girls and the situations they find themselves enduring. The double page spread in the middle, dividing the two parts of the book shows only barbed wire, making a powerful statement in and of itself. Despite the difficult circumstances both girls face, the book still holds on to hope that life will be better when freedom comes. The back matter includes an author's note about what inspired the book and her own family's experiences with immigrant detention. Additional back matter includes a description of the real life setting for the book (Fort Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma) and a description of the type of poem used in the book. While written for children, the book has much to offer in terms of discussion for any age: child, teen, or adult. Highly recommended.

[DALYN MILLER · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barbed Wire Between Us is a profoundly moving and structurally innovative picture book that uses the reverso poetry form to explore two interconnected stories separated by time but united by history. Mia Wenjen crafts a narrative that is both poetic and powerful, inviting readers to reflect on cycles of injustice and the enduring impact of historical decisions.

One of the most striking aspects of the book is its dual perspective. By telling the story of a Japanese American girl during World War II alongside that of a Latina girl affected by later immigration policies, the reverso structure creates a mirror-like effect that deepens the emotional resonance of both narratives. This formal choice enhances the book’s central message about repetition and unresolved history.

The illustrations by Violeta Encarnación further intensify the emotional weight of the story. The visual language complements the poetry with clarity and sensitivity, helping to convey the gravity of the subject matter in a way that is accessible to younger readers while still impactful for adults.

Overall, Barbed Wire Between Us is a powerful and necessary work that blends poetry, history, and visual storytelling. It is a poignant reminder of the human consequences of policy and prejudice, and a compelling invitation to reflect on how the past continues to echo into the present.

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

This books is written as a reverso poem. The author used the reverso style to represent that fact that history has definite repetitive patterns. The poem focuses on the lives of two young girls. The first part of the poem is about a young Japanese-American girl who is sent to a Japanese internment camp at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma during WW2. Fort Sill was run in strict military fashion. The guard towers were equipped with 30-caliber machine guns, shotguns, and searchlights. The 700 detainees slept in tents.

The second part of the poem shifts to the present where a young migrant girl is being held in the same internement camp, experiencing the same things the young Japanese girl experienced. Starting in 2014, Sill has been used as an immigration detention center for young children.

Origami cranes are presented as a symbol of unity and resistance throughout the book. If you look under the dust jacket the cover of the book is adorned with them.

The author also mentions that Ft. Sill was also used as a detention center for Native Americans.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't enjoy this book as a book for children. Picture books are for some of the youngest readers who do not have the context or life experience to be able to conceptualize what is happening in this book. This book is targeted at 7-11-year-old readers, but those are not the ones typically looking to read picture books, and there is not usually a way to differentiate picture books for younger vs. older readers where picture books are available. The content here would have been better served in a graphic novel format to reach the readership who could truly understand and learn from the messages presented here. The images in this book are not for the youngest readers who will only be frightened by them and not understand what they mean, nor should they. Yes, some young children are experiencing these things now, but children who are not experiencing these horrors should not have these facts forced upon them until they are developmentally ready to understand, and those who are experiencing them do not need the horrors of the images within to create more trauma.

[Little Batties · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mia Wenjen's children's poem is a thought-provoking slap to the face to show readers how history repeats itself. We have two moments in history, decades apart, that has children and families being separated from each other. All they have is the hope of one day having it better, if they can just make it through their detainment. It is heartbreaking to read and watch this story unfold, but I am glad the author is telling this story.

The fact that this is being told through the eyes of children makes this all the more powerful. It requires a moment of pause, of reflection, and time to let this information truly set in. These parallels are horrifying, and it makes it all the more important that it's being told. It will ease young readers into this part of U.S. history and allow for an honest conversation that might otherwise be hard to start.

Thank You NetGalley and Publisher Spotlight for giving me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The more things change, the more they stay the same--that seems to be one message of Barbed Wire Between Us. And that message is grim and dark. How then is this a hopeful story? I think it's because the first part of the story ended with greater hope, greater freedom, and better things, with a hope that this country could move beyond racism and fear. And even though the second part of the story returns to more discrimination and fear, the parallel structure leads me to hope. Just like there was an end to the American prison camps of Japanese immigrants, I hope for an end to the current harsh treatment of immigrants. I hope because there's kindness.

What a gorgeous book. The illustrations are beautiful in their bleakness.

I admit to worrying that it won't sell, and that library copies won't circulate well. This is a serious book, and that sometimes doesn't lead to wide appeal. I still think it's a worthwhile book, carefully crafted and valuable for the insight it contains.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mia Wenjen relates a poignant story of two young girls telling “their” story of incarceration in Oklahoma at Fort Sill, one, a Japanese-American, when eighty years ago, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Japanese in America were sent to internment camps. The other shows in recent times, when Latina Americans have also been detained “behind barbed wire”. Mia deftly uses a reverso poem as the girls tell the same story, and it reads forward with one, then using the same words, backward with the other. In muted tones, Violeta Encarnación’s illlustrations bring Mia’s story to us in somber tones, showing details like the barbed wire and ever-present dust that cannot be escaped. Mia’s choice of this reverso cements the idea of history repeating itself, a sadness not to be forgotten.
The book’s background, about this poetic form, plus an author’s note is found at the back.

Thanks to the author for my copy!

[Deke Moulton]

Not sure what to think about this one. The message is really important, but it was frustrating that I understood the story better by reading the back matter. I almost feel as though the reverse poem adversely affected some of the story telling. Like even with the art, I had no idea that this was supposed to be two stories, both taking place at Fort Sill— that the whole reason the book was written, was because Fort Sill holds. A terrible distinction is being both the place of Japanese internment during World War II, as well as a detention center for immigrant children today. If I would only read the book, I would not have picked up those starting parallels, and I feel like something as lost in the conversation of injustice for the lack of clarity.

Not putting down a rating because it really is an important conversation to be had and I really don’t wanna add firstly affect the ratings of the book.