Inspired by her mother, author writes a children's book to answer questions about death

When Malana Joseph Mitchell was 26, her mother died unexpectedly after surgery. The grief was devastating, but with time, Mitchell was able to focus on her warm memories of her mom.

Margo Samuel Joseph was a nurturing mother and grandmother. She loved to read and filled the family's home in Edgard with books and magazines. She worked for decades as a regional manager for the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, the first Black woman in that position, and raised a family in their tight-knit, small community, Mitchell said.

Her loss felt especially acute as Mitchell encountered life's milestones: her marriage to Ruffin Mitchell III and the births of their children, Ruffin IV and Riley. After the loss of another relative, when Ruffin was 4, he started asking questions about death.