Danielle Joseph is the author of the new children's picture book The Mitzvah Fairy. Her other books include Ruth First Never Backed Down. She lives in Maryland.
Q: What inspired you to write The Mitzvah Fairy?
A: I was actually working on a historical fiction middle grade at the time, which was a bit darker and the idea for the picture book just came to me.
I was thinking about the word mitzvah and the meaning behind it, good deeds. I thought what if a kid dressed up as a fairy and went around town spreading joy. And that is how The Mitzvah Fairy was born.
Q: What do you think Christine Battuz’s illustrations add to the story?
A: Christine's illustrations evoke so much joy and that's exactly where I was going with this story. She really brought The Mitzvah Fairy to life. I love all the details on each page too.
Q: How did you come up with the ideas for the Mitzvah Fairy’s activities?
A: The mitzvahs (mitzvot) actually come from the Torah. There are 613 of them. I picked ones that I thought kids could relate to, things that they could do in their own communities.
Q: What do you hope kids take away from the story?
A: My hope is that readers will be inspired to do some mitzvahs on their own, whether it's helping a friend or a pet or recycling. I want them to realize that we all have the power to spread kindness and put a smile on someone's face.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I just finished writing a contemporary YA. Obviously something very different then The Mitzvah Fairy, but I had a lot of fun with it.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: One of my favorite things about this book is that it's an excuse to dress up. You can make a paper crown and wand, grab some wings if you have them, and do some mitzvahs, all while having fun!
--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Danielle Joseph.
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