Sumo Joe Picture Book #ReadYourWorld
Note: I was gifted Sumo Joe by Mia Wenjen to review for Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2020. All opinions are my own.
Sumo wrestling is a sport originating from Japan that is based on Shinto traditions. In this sport, the wrestler attempts to force his opponent to touch the ground with any body part besides the feet or to step outside of the ring (dohyō). It’s a sport traditionally open to only male competitors. Females are not even allowed to touch the dohyō until it’s been purified with salt.
What happens when sumo wrestling is placed in a picture book? That’s what author Mia Wenjen explores in her debut picture book Sumo Joe [Lee and Low Books], illustrated by Nat Iwata.
Written in rhyme, this fun and sweet story follows Sumo Joe and his buddies as they pretend to be sumo wrestlers. They make sure they practice the rituals of sumo like flinging salt into the dohyō to bless it and practicing teppo, an exercise that helps strengthen wrestler’s arms and shoulders. But then Sumo Joe’s little sister, Aikido Jo, wants to join the boys-only activity.
The bigger, stronger Sumo Joe will win, right? But sumo wrestling uses strategy, agility, and technique to win, and Aikido Jo has some moves. Aikido is a Japanese martial art where the aim is to use the attacker’s energy and momentum against themselves to defeat a physically stronger opponent. Using this skill, Aikido Jo is able to win the competition. Big brother congratulates his little sister.
Colorful and expressive illustrations capture the emotions and energy of the characters. A glossary at end of the book explains traditional Japanese terms in sumo wrestling such as mawashi (belt sumo wrestlers wear), shiko (sumo stomping exercise) and uchimuso (a technique that wrestlers use to win a sumo match).
Sumo Joe is ideal for children ages 4-7 years old. It’s a great gift idea for parents and educators who’d like to diversify their children’s bookshelves and teach them about Japanese culture. Find the book on Amazon and other major book retailers.
Enter the Sumo Joe Giveaway [CLOSED]
One lucky reader will win a hardcover copy of Sumo Joe by Mia Wenjen. Please enter via the entry form below. This giveaway is open to entrants aged 18+ years old with U.S. mailing addresses only. Good luck!
About the Author and Illustrator
MIA WENJEN is a business owner and blogger of Pragmaticmom, a popular online resource for parents and educators. As the co-founder of Multicultural Children’s Book Day, Mia is passionate about representation in children’s picture books. In her spare time, she can be found kickboxing or on hikes with her dog. Wenjen lives in Newtown, Massachusetts with her husband and three children. You can visit her online at pragmaticmom.com and follow her at @pragmaticmom.
NAT IWATA is an artist working in the entertainment industry and the author/illustrator of The Steampunk Alphabet. Like the characters in Sumo Joe, he’s of Japanese descent and has even practiced a little Aikido, although he has yet to try sumo wrestling. Nat lives in the beautiful Dutch city of Haarlem with his wife and three boys, all of whom serve as an endless source of encouragement and inspiration.
Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2020
Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2020 (1/31/20) is in its 7th year! This non-profit children’s literacy initiative was founded by Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen; two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural books and authors on the market while also working to get those book into the hands of young readers and educators.
Seven years in, MCBD’s mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves continues.
MCBD 2020 is honored to have the following Medallion Sponsors on board
Super Platinum
Make A Way Media/ Deirdre “DeeDee” Cummings,
Platinum
Language Lizard, Pack-N-Go Girls,
Gold
Audrey Press, Lerner Publishing Group, KidLit TV, ABDO BOOKS: A Family of Educational Publishers, PragmaticMom & Sumo Joe, Candlewick Press,
Silver
Author Charlotte Riggle, Capstone Publishing, Guba Publishing, Melissa Munro Boyd & B is for Breathe,
Bronze
Author Carole P. Roman, Snowflake Stories/Jill Barletti, Vivian Kirkfield & Making Their Voices Heard. Barnes Brothers Books, TimTimTom, Wisdom Tales Press, Lee & Low Books, Charlesbridge Publishing, Barefoot Books Talegari Tales
Author Sponsor Link Cloud
Jerry Craft, A.R. Bey and Adventures in Boogieland, Eugina Chu & Brandon goes to Beijing, Kenneth Braswell & Fathers Incorporated, Maritza M. Mejia & Luz del mes_Mejia, Kathleen Burkinshaw & The Last Cherry Blossom, SISSY GOES TINY by Rebecca Flansburg and B.A. Norrgard, Josh Funk and HOW TO CODE A ROLLERCOASTER, Maya/Neel Adventures with Culture Groove, Lauren Ranalli, The Little Green Monster: Cancer Magic! By Dr. Sharon Chappell, Phe Lang and Me On The Page, Afsaneh Moradian and Jamie is Jamie, Valerie Williams-Sanchez and Valorena Publishing, TUMBLE CREEK PRESS, Nancy Tupper Ling, Author Gwen Jackson, Angeliki Pedersen & The Secrets Hidden Beneath the Palm Tree, Author Kimberly Gordon Biddle, BEST #OWNVOICES CHILDREN’S BOOKS: My Favorite Diversity Books for Kids Ages 1-12 by Mia Wenjen, Susan Schaefer Bernardo & Illustrator Courtenay Fletcher (Founders of Inner Flower Child Books), Ann Morris & Do It Again!/¡Otra Vez!, Janet Balletta and Mermaids on a Mission to Save the Ocean, Evelyn Sanchez-Toledo & Bruna Bailando por el Mundo\ Dancing Around the World, Shoumi Sen & From The Toddler Diaries, Sarah Jamila Stevenson, Tonya Duncan and the Sophie Washington Book Series, Teresa Robeson & The Queen of Physics, Nadishka Aloysius and Roo The Little Red TukTuk, Girlfriends Book Club Baltimore & Stories by the Girlfriends Book Club, Finding My Way Books, Diana Huang & Intrepids, Five Enchanted Mermaids, Elizabeth Godley and Ribbon’s Traveling Castle, Anna Olswanger and Greenhorn, Danielle Wallace & My Big Brother Troy, Jocelyn Francisco and Little Yellow Jeepney, Mariana Llanos & Kutu, the Tiny Inca Princess/La Ñusta Diminuta, Sara Arnold & The Big Buna Bash, Roddie Simmons & Race 2 Rio, DuEwa Frazier & Alice’s Musical Debut, Veronica Appleton & the Journey to Appleville book series Green Kids Club, Inc.
We’d like to also give a shout-out to MCBD’s impressive CoHost Team who not only hosts the book review link-up on celebration day, but who also works tirelessly to spread the word of this event. View our CoHosts HERE.
Co-Hosts and Global Co-Hosts
A Crafty Arab, Afsaneh Moradian, Agatha Rodi Books, All Done Monkey, Barefoot Mommy, Bethany Edward & Biracial Bookworms, Michelle Goetzl & Books My Kids Read, Crafty Moms Share, Colours of Us, Discovering the World Through My Son’s Eyes, Educators Spin on it, Shauna Hibbitts-creator of eNannylink, Growing Book by Book, Here Wee Read, Joel Leonidas & Descendant of Poseidon Reads {Philippines}, Imagination Soup, Kid World Citizen, Kristi’s Book Nook, The Logonauts, Mama Smiles, Miss Panda Chinese, Multicultural Kid Blogs, Serge Smagarinsky {Australia}, Shoumi Sen, Jennifer Brunk & Spanish Playground, Katie Meadows and Youth Lit Reviews
FREE RESOURCES from Multicultural Children’s Book Day
- Free Multicultural Books for Teachers
- Our New FREE Teacher Classroom Physical and Developmental Challenges Kit http://ow.ly/kcbZ30p3QWz
- Free Empathy Classroom Kit for Homeschoolers, Organizations, Librarians, and Educators
- Free Understanding Developmental & Physical Challenges Classroom Kit
TWITTER PARTY! Register here!
Hashtag: Don’t forget to connect with us on social media and be sure and look for/use our official hashtag #ReadYourWorld.
