BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US written by Mia Wenjen and illustrated by Violeta Encarnacion

Mia Wenjen’s reverso poem, BARBED WIRE BETWEEN US tells two stories each beginning with the powerful line, “In this land of promise, /we hoped to find a place to belong” and ends similarly strongly with “Where darkness is, light will shine again./From behind barbed wire, new life will begin.” Why? This poignant picture book is a reverso poem (a literary form that presents one message, story, or viewpoint when read from top to bottom, but reveals a completely different or opposite meaning when read from bottom to top) and what a perfect way to express the horror of a reoccurring situation…first the Japanese American internment and today’s migrant families. The book succeeds in part because of the poignant illustrations by Violeta Encarnacion which shows parallels, contrasts and clearly defines the end of one story and the beginning of the next.You can find a link to this book and audio in the purchase button below.