Today we are very excited to share an interview with Author Michelle Meadows (Jimmy’s Rhythm & Blues: The Extraordinary Life of James Baldwin)!
Meet the Author: Michelle Meadows
Michelle Meadows is the author of many acclaimed books for children. Connection, compassion, friendship, and family are common themes in her work. Michelle’s books include MOON GIRL AND DEVIL DINOSAUR: One Girl Can Make a Difference, MAXIE WIZ AND HER DRAGON, HOW TO LOVE A PONY, FLYING HIGH: The Story of Gymnastics Champion Simone Biles, and BRAVE BALLERINA: The Story of Janet Collins. Michelle also contributed research and writing to BLACK BALLERINAS: My Journey to Our Legacy by Misty Copeland. Michelle studied journalism and literature at Syracuse University. Michelle is represented by literary agent Rosemary Stimola of the Stimola Literary Studio. She grew up in Washington, D.C. and now lives near the beach in Delaware with her husband. Visit her online at www.michellemeadows.com and on Instagram at @michellemeadowsbooks.
About the Book: Jimmy’s Rhythm & Blues: The Extraordinary Life of James Baldwin
Celebrate James Baldwin’s one-hundredth birthday anniversary with the first-ever illustrated biography of this legendary writer, orator, activist, and intellectual.
Before he became a writer, James “Jimmy” Baldwin was a young boy from Harlem, New York, who loved stories. He found joy in the rhythm of music, family, and books.
But Jimmy also found the blues, as a Black man living in America.
When he discovered the written word, he discovered true power. Writing gave him a voice. And that voice opened the world to Jimmy. From the publication of the groundbreaking collection of essays The Fire Next Time to his passionate demonstrations during the civil rights movement, Jimmy used his voice fearlessly.
Michelle Meadows, author of Brave Ballerina and Flying High, introduces young readers to the great American novelist, essayist, poet, playwright, orator, and artist James Baldwin, who, with the fire of his pen, dared a nation to dream of a more equitable world filled with love. Brought to life with warm illustrations by Jamiel Law, Jimmy’s Rhythm & Blues chronicles the life of an incredible visionary who left an indelible mark on American literature and history.
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~Author Chat~
YABC: What inspired you to write this book?
My editor at HarperCollins, Luana Kay Horry, approached me about writing a picture book (PB) about James Baldwin. She had read my other picture book biographies—Brave Ballerina: The Story of Janet Collins and Flying High: The Story of Gymnastics Champion Simone Biles—and thought a biography about James Baldwin would be a great fit for me. I immediately got excited about the opportunity to learn more about one of America’s greatest writers and intellectuals. I felt a special connection to James Baldwin because he found comfort in words from a young age, and I did too.
YABC: What is the main message or lesson you want your reader to remember from this book?
James Baldwin’s love of reading and writing began when he was a little boy growing up in Harlem. I want readers to know that the library was a refuge for him, and writing gave him a voice. Words can provide comfort, knowledge, and empowerment. I hope Jimmy’s Rhythm & Blues will inspire children to find joy and power through written expression. I also hope readers are inspired by James Baldwin’s courage to live his life in exactly the way he wanted to. My goal with this book was to introduce young readers to an incredible writer and visionary who used his voice fearlessly.
YABC: How do you make sure the book is both informative and engaging for your intended audience?
With a biography, I aim to provide certain facts that are of interest to kids, and I also want to make sure the approach is engaging. In this case, I told James Baldwin’s life story through the lens of a variety of colors. I wrote short poems for many spreads to represent the colors of his life, and illustrator Jamiel Law showed those colors visually through striking illustrations. The opening lines:
Home is brick brown,
Harlem, uptown,
trains rumbling by.
YABC: Were there any surprising things you learned during your research?
I was surprised and fascinated by the many places James Baldwin lived throughout his life, including apartments in New York City, houses in Istanbul, Turkey, and various spots in France. He sometimes wandered to different cities and countries looking for the peace and space to write, which I found so interesting.
One of my favorite parts of his story is that he spent the last years of his life in a 300-year-old farmhouse in the village of Saint-Paul de Vence in the south of France. Locals called the house “Chez Baldwin.” Jimmy called it “the spread.” With a view of the Mediterranean Sea in the distance, this house served as a refuge after the turbulent years of the Civil Rights Movement. It was a place where he loved writing, reading, and gathering with friends and family around his “Welcome Table” in celebration of joy, love, and inclusion of all people.
YABC: Do you have a playlist you listened to while writing?
Not a specific playlist, but I did listen to a lot of jazz while working on Jimmy’s Rhythm & Blues. Although he is well known for writing, James Baldwin appreciated many types of artistic expression. He loved to sing and dance. He often wrote while listening to jazz music.
YABC: Do you have an unusual office supply that helps you in your writing routine?
I love writing in beautiful notebooks. Not just any old notebook. When I start a new project, I search for just the right gorgeous notebook that speaks to me and inspires me.
YABC What would you say is your superpower?
I think my superpower is empathy. My ability to understand others’ emotions and have compassion for people helps me build strong, authentic relationships with my friends and family. And I think empathy also helps me develop strong characters on the page.
YABC: What was your latest release in 2025?
I had the pleasure of writing three young picture books based on the Disney Junior Ariel TV show, and the third book came out this year – Disney Junior Ariel: Cuttlebaby Sitter. Ariel wants to prove she is a good babysitter and volunteers to babysit cuttlebaby eggs. But when the cuttlebabies start to hatch and swim away, the mermaid princess learns it’s okay to ask others for help. These are really fun books showing an 8-year-old Ariel in action-packed underwater adventures.
YABC: Is there anything that you would like to add?
Digging into James Baldwin’s work and writing Jimmy’s Rhythm & Blues was transformative for me. I learned so much about the importance of identity – understanding who you are, what you stand for, how you want to live, and where you came from. This led to many enlightening conversations with my parents about these topics and our family history. James Baldwin was all about not letting other people define us. Writing this biography led me to take ownership of my own identity in a way that I had never done before.
Title: Jimmy’s Rhythm & Blues: The Extraordinary Life of James Baldwin
Author: Michelle Meadows
Illustrator: Jamiel Law
Release Date: January 30, 2024
Publisher: HarperCollins
Genre: Picture Book Biography
Age Range: 4-8 years
