Picture book biographies introduce children to Toni Morrison and Ruby Bridges

Summary

NPR's Book of the Day: Introducing Toni Morrison and Ruby Bridges Through Picture Book Biographies

NPR's Book of the Day, hosted by Andrew Limbong, offers listeners a curated selection of today's most compelling books in a concise, accessible format. Released on March 7, 2025, the episode titled "Picture Book Biographies Introduce Children to Toni Morrison and Ruby Bridges" delves into two significant children's picture books that celebrate influential African American figures. This summary encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and narratives presented in the episode, providing a comprehensive overview for those who haven't tuned in.

1. Celebrating Toni Morrison: "She Was Loved" by Andrea Davis Pinkney

The episode begins with a focus on She Was Loved, a biographical picture book about the legendary writer Toni Morrison, authored by Andrea Davis Pinkney. Pinkney, an accomplished New York Times bestselling author, brings a personal connection to the narrative, having known Morrison and edited her children's books.

**a. Andrea Davis Pinkney's Connection to Toni Morrison

Pinkney recounts her deep admiration for Morrison's work, highlighting how Morrison's storytelling was a beacon for her own creative journey. She emphasizes Morrison's roots in the oral tradition, which profoundly influenced her writing style and her ability to connect with readers.

Andrea Davis Pinkney [02:27]: "When I first discovered Toni Morrison, it was the fact that she grew up in the oral tradition that is so core to the black experience... that inspired me to tell the story of Toni Morrison, who, again, like many of us, grew up hearing stories and then eventually writing them down."

**b. Editing Morrison's Children's Books

Pinkney shares her experiences editing Morrison's children's literature, describing it as a pivotal period in her career. She fondly refers to it as the "quivering pencil period," reflecting the challenges and the emotional depth involved in collaborating with such a renowned writer.

Andrea Davis Pinkney [03:12]: "What I learned from her is that storytelling comes from the heart and that the best stories are those that are authentic and real. And that's what she did so beautifully in her works for children and for the works that so many of us know for her narratives for adults."

**c. Reading Excerpts from "She Was Loved"

Pinkney presents a heartfelt reading from She Was Loved, showcasing the book's poetic and conversational format aimed at children aged 4 to 8. The dialogue between the child narrator and Toni Morrison underscores themes of love, imagination, and self-expression.

Andrea Davis Pinkney [05:18]:

"Oh, Toni Morrison, do You feel it. Your love has lifted us to places untouched. You born with a roar for stories that speak."

"Now, child, invite your imagination, dear one. Dream with wide open eyes when a stick of chalk fills your fingers, when Mama Muse visits you at twilight, when all you want to do is write, write, write, make your mark, stitch your story. You are loved." [06:14]

**d. Relevance in Contemporary Times

Addressing the current socio-political climate, Pinkney discusses the importance of Morrison's legacy in promoting diversity and inclusion. She echoes Morrison's belief that artists must actively contribute to societal progress, emphasizing that the arts are a vital response to times of adversity.

Andrea Davis Pinkney [07:02]: "Toni Morrison herself said, this is precisely the time when artists go to work. There isn't time for despair. We can't focus on self-pity or silence or fear. This is the moment we speak, we write, and that is how civilizations move forward."

2. Highlighting Ruby Bridges: "I Am Ruby Bridges"

The episode transitions to I Am Ruby Bridges, a children's picture book authored by Ruby Bridges herself. This narrative recounts Bridges' historic experience as the first African American child to integrate an all-white elementary school in the South, presented through her own perspective as a six-year-old.

**a. Ruby Bridges' Historic Journey

Ruby Bridges shares her memories of November 14, 1960, the day she walked into William France Elementary School amidst hostility and segregation. Her recounting captures the innocence and confusion of her young age juxtaposed with the gravity of the momentous event.

Ruby Bridges [09:13]: "I had no idea that it was going to be a white school. It wasn't something that my parents explained to me. As a matter of fact, the only thing they said is, Ruby, you're going to go to a new school today and you better behave."

**b. Enduring Hostility and Isolation

Bridges describes the intense opposition she faced, including the presence of federal marshals and an angry white mob. She vividly portrays the atmosphere of fear and the physical and emotional challenges of being the sole African American student in her classroom.

Ruby Bridges [09:38]: "Living in New Orleans, I was accustomed to Mardi Gras and that's exactly what it looked like to me. White people, black people, all lined up together and, you know, shouting and waving their hands and throwing things."

**c. Facing Racism and Finding Self-Awareness

A pivotal moment in Bridges' narrative is her realization of racism when confronted by a peer who explicitly rejected her based on her skin color. This encounter marked her first clear understanding of systemic racism's impact on personal relationships.

Ruby Bridges [13:24]: "But I have to say that that was the day that I realized that everything was about me and the color of my skin... He actually made it make sense. I did not realize what was going on around me until he told me, and that my first encounter with racism, he introduced it to me."

**d. Connecting with Contemporary Youth

Bridges emphasizes that while her experience of integration might seem like ancient history to today's children, the underlying emotions of loneliness and exclusion are still relatable. Her book aims to foster empathy and understanding among young readers, highlighting that racism fundamentally does not make sense.

Ruby Bridges [15:15]: "They relate to the loneliness. They relate to someone not wanting to play with you for no real good reason, not giving you a chance... Racism just does not make any sense. And they get that once this book is closed and I know that they've gotten that, then I feel like part of my work is done."

3. Concluding Insights

NPR's Book of the Day masterfully intertwines the lives of Toni Morrison and Ruby Bridges, showcasing how their stories continue to inspire and educate new generations. Through Andrea Davis Pinkney's poetic homage and Ruby Bridges' firsthand account, the episode underscores the enduring importance of storytelling in fostering understanding, resilience, and progress.

Listeners are encouraged to explore these picture book biographies to engage with the profound legacies of Morrison and Bridges, ensuring that the lessons of the past inform a more inclusive and empathetic future.

Transcript

[Andrew Limbong]

Hey, it's NPR's Book of the Day. I'm Andrew Limbong. And we're wrapping up this week of women writers on the pod with two biographical picture books for kids. In a bit, we'll hear from Ruby Bridges herself about telling her story of integrating a segregated school through the eyes of a six year old. But first, and she Was Loved is a picture book about the life of the legendary writer Toni Morrison. It's written by Andrea Davis Pinkney, who actually knew Toni Morrison and edited Morrison's children's books. Now if you're up on your literary history, you might know that Morrison worked in the publishing industry as an editor and Pinckney spoke with here and as Lisa Mullins about what it was like editing one of the great writer editors of our time. That's coming up.

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[Lisa Mullins]

Author Andrea Davis Pinkney was just a child when the writings of Toni Morrison came into her life. Pinckney had struggled in school with a classroom reading list full of books that felt disconnected from her experience as a young black girl. But Toni Morrison's books were different to her. They were the glistening key that unlocked her soul and helped her feel understood. Well, Pinkney grew from that young reader to a publishing professional and eventually edited Morrison's children's books. Now she's out with her own. It's about Toni Morrison and her life. Welcome to Here and Now, Andrea.

[Andrea Davis Pinkney]

Thank you, Lisa. It's great to be here.

[Lisa Mullins]

So the book takes the form of both a poem and a love letter to Toni Morrison. And the reader is speaking to Morrison and she speaks back at the very end. It's an interesting format for a children's book. And I wonder what made you come up with that.

[Andrea Davis Pinkney]

Yes, it's a praise poem. It is a love letter. It's a thank you, but it's also an invitation into the experience of Toni Morrison as a child, expressing herself through her creativity, through writing, drawing pictures, because that's the way that children express themselves creatively.

[Lisa Mullins]

And what kind of stories did you find the most entrancing when you first discovered Toni Morrison?

[Andrea Davis Pinkney]

Well, when I first discovered Toni Morrison. It was the fact that she grew up in the oral tradition that is so core to the black experience. There were stories everywhere in her young life. And that was what inspired me, as someone who heard stories on porches and in backyards and picnic settings and church settings, that inspired me to tell the story of Toni Morrison, who, again, like many of us, grew up hearing stories and then eventually writing them down.

[Lisa Mullins]

And you also worked with Toni Morrison as a publisher, editing her children's stories?

[Andrea Davis Pinkney]

Yes, so I have the great privilege and pleasure of having worked with Toni Morrison. I was the editor of her book, Books for Children. And as you can imagine, the tall order of having to be the editor of Toni Morrison, I call it the quivering pencil period of my career because Hadiya edit Toni Morrison. What I learned from her is that storytelling comes from the heart and that the best stories are those that are authentic and real. And that's what she did so beautifully in her works for children and for the works that so many of us know for her narratives for adults.

[Lisa Mullins]

By the way, how do you edit Toni Morrison?

[Andrea Davis Pinkney]

How do you edit Toni Morrison? Well, this was. I started to work with her in 1999. It was before the advent of, you know, rapid email and attachments and Google Drive docs and all that. And she would write longhand. She would write muses and reflections and poems and narratives longhand. She would say, andre, you know, call me up. Andrea, go to the fax machine. I'd go to the fax machine, and out would come this waxy scrolling paper with the very calligraphic, decorative, cursive handwriting of Toni Morrison. And I would save that piece of paper, and then a day later or a week later or a month later, Andrea, go to the fax machine. And again, another scroll of paper would come out. And that would be how we would collaborate and build the narratives that she ultimately published for young people.

[Lisa Mullins]

I love the idea of these beautiful books coming out of one fax and then another fax and then another, building a story. So could you do a reading for us from the book? Maybe some of your favorite parts of the book? And we should say it's targeted toward kids between 4 and 8 years old. And many of them will be experiencing your poem out loud as they get their parents to read it to them. And so I wonder if you can read some for us.

[Andrea Davis Pinkney]

Yes, absolutely. So, Lisa, we in the book, and she was loved. We, we, the reader, the child, we speak to Toni Morrison, and she in turn speaks back to us. So the book opens, oh, Toni Morrison, do You feel it. Your love has lifted us to places untouched. You born with a roar for stories that speak. And then as we go, Toni Morrison in turn speaks to us. She says, now, child, invite your imagination, dear one. Dream with wide open eyes when a stick of chalk fills your fingers, when Mama Muse visits you at twilight, when all you want to do is write, write, write, make your mark, stitch your story. You are loved.

[Lisa Mullins]

And the you are loved comes from where?

[Andrea Davis Pinkney]

Yes, so the title and she Was Loved comes from Toni Morrison's groundbreaking seminal novel Song of Solomon, in which the main character, Pilate, is affirmed for her worth, her dignity, and the fact that it is her birthright to be loved. And that is true of all of us, and especially children who go into the world knowing they are loved. And it's the thread that runs through so much of Toni Morrison's work.

[Lisa Mullins]

We're, of course, in a moment now where diversity and inclusion are political targets. And it makes me wonder what space you hope your book about Toni Morrison fills in this era and what you think she would make of this time.

[Andrea Davis Pinkney]

Yes, well, we're in an era now where I think the North Star is that we don't back down, we double down. And Toni Morrison herself said, this is precisely the time when artists go to work. There isn't time for despair. We can't focus on self pity or silence or fear. This is the moment we speak, we write, and that is how civilizations move forward.

[Lisa Mullins]

Andrea Davis Pinkney is New York Times bestselling and award winning Author of nearly 50 books for children and young adults. Her latest is and she Was Loved. It's an ode to the life of Toni Morrison. So nice to speak with you. Thank you.

[Andrea Davis Pinkney]

Thank you, Lisa.

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[Andrew Limbong]

Became the first black child to integrate a School in 1960. That year seems at the same time, so long ago and not that long ago at all. In her picture book I Am Ruby Bridges, she recreates what that moment felt like. And Bridges tells NPR's and Mary Louise Kelly in this interview that even today kids can relate to her feelings of loneliness and isolation.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

The morning of November 14, 1960, a little girl named Ruby Bridges became the first black child to desegregate the all white William France Elementary School in New Orleans. Ruby was 6, and as she got dressed and left for school that day, she told me she didn't know she was making history.

[Ruby Bridges]

I had no idea that it was going to be a white school. It wasn't something that my parents explained to me. As a matter of fact, the only thing they said is, Ruby, you're going to go to a new school today and you better behave.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

Four federal marshals had to drive her and an angry white mob greeted her at the school.

[Andrea Davis Pinkney]

They got places for you.

[Ruby Bridges]

Living in New Orleans, I was accustomed to Mardi Gras and that's exactly what it looked like to me. White people, black people, all lined up together and, you know, shouting and waving their hands and throwing things.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

Today, Ruby Bridges is a civil rights activist and an author. Her new children's book I Am Ruby Bridges tells her story through her six year old eyes. So I asked her to read a bit for me.

[Ruby Bridges]

Second day, when I arrived at my classroom, my new teacher opens the door and greets me. Hi, I'm Mrs. Henry, your teacher. Come in and take a seat, she says. And aren't I surprised because she is also white. I never had a white teacher before. The biggest surprise of all, I am the only kid in the class. I didn't see any other kids at all. Not one. That test must have been a lot harder than I thought. Why am I the only kid in my class, not to mention the only kid in the whole school? And why don't I see anyone who looks like me? And then that's when it hit me.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

As I was reading. It took me a minute to get that why there were no other kids. This is because white parents had come to school and pulled their kids out, taken them home.

[Ruby Bridges]

Absolutely. When I arrived on the first day, the mob of people standing outside rushed inside of the building behind me. I was escorted to the principal's office where I sat the whole day with my mom, waiting to be assigned to a classroom. But that did not happen because every one of those parents rushed in behind me, went into every classroom and they pulled out every child. I watched them parade right past me out of the school building. So by the time I got there on the second day, the school was totally empty.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

I'm so Sorry you had to go through that. Did it get better? Did kids, other kids eventually show up?

[Ruby Bridges]

You know, I think part of the story that lots of people are not aware of is that there were some white parents who actually tried to cross that same picket line, that same mile during that year to bring their kids to school with me. But it was only a handful, maybe five, six kids. The principal would take them and she would hide them so that they would never see me and I would never see them. I remember hearing voices, but I never saw kids. And it kept me wondering where the voices were coming from, if they were real at all. What I did not know is that every time I would mention it to Mrs. Henry, she was going to the principal and advocating for me. She was saying, the laws changed and kids can be together now, but you're hiding them from room B. If you don't allow them to come together, I'm going to report you to the superintendent that forced them to allow Mrs. Henry to take me to where they were being hidden. And that was near the end of the year.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

Near the end of the year, I'm thinking I just introduced you as the first African American student to integrate an elementary school in the South. And it sounds like integrate was way too strong a word for what was happening at that school for most of that school year.

[Ruby Bridges]

Yes. That was always something that bothered me. I was the only kid. And it stayed that way until the end of the year when Mrs. Henry took me to this other classroom and opened the door, and lo and behold, there they were, four or five kids sitting there playing. And I was so excited. It didn't matter to me what they looked like. I just wanted someone my own age to play with. So I was excited to find them finally. But I have to say that that was the day that I realized that everything was about me and the color of my skin. Because a little boy said, I can't play with you. My mom said, not to play with you. And he called me the N word. And that's when I had my aha moment. That the reason why there were no kids here was because of me and the color of my skin. He actually made it make sense. I did not realize what was going on around me until he told me, and that my first encounter with racism, he introduced it to me.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

You're only in your 60s now. What happened to you? That first day of school was so recent in the grand scheme of things. And it occurs to me that the kids reading this today, many, most of them will take it for Granted that black and white kids go to school together. This is totally normal. Like, how else would it be? They've never known anything else. How did you think about writing to kids for whom this must feel like ancient history in a way, and yet it so clearly isn't.

[Ruby Bridges]

What I found in the past 25 years, visiting schools and talking to kids and working with them, I think that they relate to the loneliness. They relate to someone not wanting to play with you for no real good reason, not giving you a chance. And so kids, it resonates with them. They don't quite understand why someone would do that, why someone would treat another person like that. And I think that they feel like, why don't we give each other a chance, try to get to know each other, that everyone at that age wants a friend to play with. And I think that that's part of what they resonate with, the fact that it's also explaining a time in history when we couldn't be together. You know, it touches on something that I truly want them to understand. Racism just does not make any sense. And they get that once this book is closed and I know that they've gotten that, then I feel like part of my work is done.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

We've been speaking with Ruby Bridges, author of the children's book I am Ruby how 16 year old girl's march to School Change the World. Thank you.

[Ruby Bridges]

Thank you.

[Andrew Limbong]

And that's it for this week on NPR's Book of the Day. Let us know what you think. You can write to [e-mail] I'm Andrew Limbong. The podcast is produced by Danica Panetta and Chloe Weiner and edited by Megan Sullivan. Our founding editor is Petra Maher. The show elements for this week were produced and edited by Mia Vankaj on Ketchum, Ashley Brown, Lauren Hodges, Emiko Tamagawa, Katherine Fink, Justine Kennan, Kalyani Saxena, Mikayla Rodriguez and Todd Mundt. Yolanda Sanguine is our executive producer. Thanks for listening.

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