Andrea Davis Pinkney understands how to communicate with kids. It’s evident in her bold body of work, which often spotlights pivotal figures or moments in history; despite the scope of these subjects, she capably finds the story that will draw kids into her world.

That’s true for her latest, And She Was Loved: Toni Morrison’s Life in Stories (Little, Brown; Jan. 7), a picture book, with illustrations by Daniel Minter, about the Nobel Prize–winning author: someone who’s likely more familiar to parents than to younger kids. But this warm, triumphant narrative, relayed as an energetic poem that feels meant to be read aloud, is a doorway for readers. Pinkney embodies the book’s subject to deliver not a lesson but a message—one saturated with hope.

Pinkney spoke with us via Zoom from her home in New York; this conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

Do you consider this a picture-book biography?

And She Was Loved is a praise poem, a love letter, and a thank-you. It’s also an invitation to readers. In this case, using the term picture-book biography is like stuffing a bird in a box. Most books invite you to read a story; And She Was Loved invites a child to be the story. It’s a call-and-response exchange between Toni Morrison and the kid.

Morrison welcomes us into an experience, giving kids permission to dream. She says, “Now, child, invite your imagination! / Dear one, dream with wide-open eyes/ …Make your mark. / Stitch your story.” At the same time, in the refrain, we are speaking to her, expressing our joy and gratitude: "Oh, Toni Morrison. Do you feel it? You help us soar…up…up…up.”

Morrison is a pretty mythical figure. How did you unearth the person she was before she became a legend?

Toni Morrison is a towering giant. When she was a little girl, she had a vivid imagination that was sparked by her surroundings. As a child, she found power in words and creative expression. Her childhood, where the early seeds of storytelling were planted, is at the roots of this book’s narrative.

She was the only Black girl in her first grade classroom. This was also my experience. In crafting the poem for And She Was Loved, I drew on the feelings of being the one and only child in a setting where you’re unseen but, at the same time, where you’re taking in everything. One of the first places where we gain empowerment as young people is through the words we hear spoken, and the words we use to express ourselves. For Morrison, words became her friends, they invited her to their party, they embraced her. That was true of me, too. I felt so very alone, but books reached out and said, Come along. It’s warm here. We can be in this together. That made all the difference for Morrison, and for me.

What’s your process for engaging kids in the story of a person they likely won’t encounter until later in life?

The narrative is written in the oral tradition, which is at the core of the storytelling I heard growing up. The stories of my childhood were boisterous, celebratory, harmonic. This is how I’ve chosen to share Morrison’s life with young readers—through syncopation, jubilation, glory shouts, rhapsodies. The refrains bring kids into the storytelling, encouraging them to pick up the rhythms and run with them: "Oh, Toni Morrison, you liberate all of us. Oh, Toni Morrison, you give us freedom’s flight. Oh, Toni Morrison, you are loved!”

Tell me about the research for the book. Did you come across any surprises?

I, of course, knew that Morrison had written the groundbreaking novel The Bluest Eye. Through research, I learned she crafted much of that novel in secret. At the time, she was a single mother raising two sons. She woke up at the crack of dawn, and, as recounted in And She Was Loved, she wrote “before the dew even knew what to do.” But she didn’t tell anybody she was doing it. She kept Mama Muse close and quiet, while holding down a high-profile job in a publishing house. This speaks to the importance of cultivating solitude and connection with a power greater than oneself. That’s especially important as a writer and is true for kids as well. Young people find creative expression in moments of quiet.

A lot of children’s books celebrate the struggle in someone’s life. And you don’t diminish any of the challenges that she faced, but ultimately the tone of this book is triumphant: It emphasizes the necessity of love in creation.

When I was growing up, my parents read Morrison and the works of many Black authors. That had a big impact on me. Mom and Dad talked a lot about uplift, possibility, and Black empowerment. When we sat down at the dinner table, we shared stories—and you better come prepared with a tale that focused on positivity, even in the darkest times. The most nourishing ingredients at our table were stories of overcoming, moving through, rising above, reaching past, and celebrating what it means to come together when hard times show up. These values have always informed my writing and the storytelling choices I make.

I want to talk about the illustrations, which are very evocative. I’m curious about how much you and Daniel Minter were able to collaborate, and how you felt when you first saw them.

Daniel and I have never met in person, only briefly on Zoom to say hello, very early on when the book’s manuscript was still rough. I was then happy to let Daniel do Daniel. And he sure did do that! Daniel’s paintings are a bold testament to Toni Morrison’s beautiful and prolific legacy. Each painting speaks directly to the human spirit. Daniel has created a kaleidoscope of color, texture, and shape—a prism that calls us to look, and to look again. Like Morrison’s writing, Daniel’s paintings are metaphorical, spiritual, emotionally resonant. Every time I pore over them, I see something different, something very moving.

That endpaper spread was the first thing I noticed, and I found it really arresting. Especially the way it mirrors the cover image, where she’s really young.

Those endpapers! They are masterpieces before we even get to the story. Toni Morrison gazing at us, as if she’s saying: Follow me. Our journey is just beginning. As the book progresses, we become so completely enraptured by the art. Daniel’s mastery allows us to transcend this world. To rise above. To take flight. To become exuberant, fanciful, real. And there’s an unexpected gift that I didn’t notice when I received my first bound copy. Hint: Peel back the book’s jacket and prepare for a breathtaking surprise.

What’s up next for you?

The And She Was Loved audiobook will be available on Jan. 7, the same day as the book itself. I was honored and very pleased to be invited to record the audiobook with Hachette Audio. What a tremendous experience! The directorial team did a brilliant job coaching me on musicality, cadence, flow. For all those kids who experience stories by listening, this one’s for you.

Maggie Reagan is a program manager for the American Library Association and lives in Chicago.