The story is based on Tokuda-Hall's real-life maternal grandparents, who met, married and started their family during the time they were imprisoned at Minidoka.

[2] It was one of ten camps established under President Franklin D. Roosevelt's Executive Order 9066 that interned people of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast during World War II.

Tokuda-Hall included an author's note at the end of the book, revealing that the phrase "the miracle is in us" was taken from her grandmother Tama's real-life journal.

The note also provides more context about Minidoka and Tokuda-Hall's inspiration for writing a story about "improbable joy" even as racism towards Asian Americans and other marginalized groups continues.

'"[5] They further highlighted how Imamura's "fluid, dynamic gouache and watercolor illustrations [...] spotlight the expressive internees’ individualism amid a bleak landscape, immersing readers via era-specific wardrobes and hues.

"[7] Discussing the artwork, Shelf Awareness's Hong wrote, "Imamura favors browns and greens to capture the bleak desert landscapes but includes touching details that inspire and uplift: a beloved book held tight, clasped hands, children at play, tin-can-potted blooming flowers.

In April 2023, Scholastic's Education division proposed obtaining the rights to publish the picture book for inclusion in a collection called Amplifying AANHPI (Asian Americans and Native Hawaiians/Pacific Islanders).

[13] The collection is part of the Rising Voices Library, which curates books along with teaching materials for educators, aiming to offer students engaging texts that highlight the narratives of historically marginalized groups.

Maggie’s powerful words offer vital historical context that will benefit younger and older readers alike, also drawing valuable connections between the events of the story and lessons for today.”[13] Tokuda-Hall referred to the situation as “the perfect encapsulation of what publishing, our dubious white ally, does so often to marginalized creators.

[13] In response to the event, hundreds of authors signed petitions for Scholastic to include her book in the Rising Voices Library without altering the text.

[17] Additionally, the African American Policy Forum chose to include Love in the Library in their Freedom to Learn National Day of Action.