A tall tale inspired by the life and works of Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison.Young Toni knows that her stories are going to change the world. She's good at spinning a yarn, and in fact, she thinks she might be able to spin her stories into gold if she tries hard enough. Maybe her stories can even lead her to buried treasure?
And so Toni sets out on a quest for gold with her siblings, telling tales and looking for a little magic at every turn. But when her quest doesn't go quite as planned, Toni realizes that it's all about
how you tell a story in order to find the perfect ending.
Literary scholar Giselle Anatol and Coretta Scott King honoree Raissa Figueroa have crafted a wholly original tale inspired by the life and works of Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison.
Small-Girl Toni and the Quest for Gold honors one of America's most important writers and is a testament to the power of storytelling.
On sale: December 26, 2023
Age: 4-8 years
Grade: Preschool - 3
Page count: 32 Pages
ISBN: 9780593404867
Reading level: Lexile: AD660L
Giselle Anatol is a professor of English at the University of Kansas. She teaches courses on children's literature, Caribbean literature, and literature of the African diaspora. This is her first picture book. She lives in Kansas City, MO. Her favorite book by Toni Morrison is
The Big Box.
Raissa Figueroa is the illustrator of several picture books, including
We Wait for the Sun, which received a Coretta Scott King Honor Award as well as four starred reviews. She is also the illustrator of the Oona books by Kelly DiPucchio. She lives outside of San Diego.
Visit her online at RizzyFig.com or follow her on Instagram and Twitter @RizzyFig.
★ "A charming tale in tribute to the life and imagination of storytelling powerhouse Toni Morrison. . . . Glowing and overflowing with the legacy of the author who inspired it." —
Kirkus Reviews, starred review"Vibrant and joyous. The picture book is successful as an ode to Morrison and as a message of creativity, community, and hope." —
School Library Journal
