Since December 3rd is International Day of Persons with Disabilities, I thought it would be cool to celebrate by chatting with Jenna Elyse Johnson about her fun and much-needed new pb (and sing-along song), Every Body Move! Illus. Ananya Rao-Middleton (Barefoot Books), which released in September.
About the Book:
“A celebration of the ways we dance, explore, and thrive.
Centering both movement and disability, this picture book feels like it’s in constant motion. Each turn of the page reveals a different type of mobility tool, from canes of all sorts (“chunky canes, skinny canes, / swinging-back-and-forth canes, / TIPPIN’, TAPPIN’, TWIRLIN’ canes”) to walkers and wheelchairs.
This book serves as a much-needed window and mirror for children… Welcoming, joyful, and truly inclusive.”
– Kirkus Reviews
About the Author:
Jenna Elyse Johnson first dreamed of becoming an author in elementary school, ever since her third grade teacher told her she could be a writer. (Never doubt the power of an encouraging word!) As a disabled author, it is her passion to showcase disabled joy through her writing. EVERY BODY MOVE is her debut picture book, with several more forthcoming titles.
Let’s ask some questions!
Q 1. Congratulations on your debut picture book. Yayy! What was the initial inspiration for EVERY BODY MOVE? Was it an epiphany connected to your own experiences? Or–?
JEJ: Thank you, Erin! I am so thrilled to have EVERY BODY MOVE as my debut picture book. It was inspired by my experience growing up with a disability. Growing up with cerebral palsy, I was no stranger to mobility aids. I mostly wore leg braces, or AFOs, and also wore hand splints, an arm brace, and occasionally used a walker.
But I HATED my mobility aids. I didn’t understand why I had to use them, but my twin brother didn’t. My AFOs felt clunky and never fit into my shoes easily. I especially hated the long socks I had to wear with my AFOs. I guess I felt really “othered” and never knew how to talk about them when other kids asked, if they asked. I felt almost ashamed.
Now, as an adult, I have found the disability community! I am so proud to be a part of this warm, inviting, inclusive community and have a completely new view toward mobility aids. They are tools of freedom! They help people access the world around them. And they come in all sorts of fun designs now, something that I wish I had as a child.
written by Jenna Elyse Johnson (Barefoot Books)
Reshaping and Healing
JEJ: So the idea behind this book was for me to reshape how I saw mobility aids as a child, and to create something where kids of all abilities can hopefully find themselves on the page and feel proud. There is no place for shame within the pages of this book!
Really, I wrote this book to heal my inner child. And I also wrote it as an anthem for kids with disabilities today. So they hopefully won’t feel the same shame I felt, but instead will feel pride in their disability community.
written by Jenna Elyse Johnson (Barefoot Books)
Surprises and Um –YES!
Q 2. Was your actual writing/publishing experience what you envisioned as someone new to this #kidlit path? What surprises or discoveries did you make as the book progressed from idea seed to publication?
JEJ: I was surprised that my debut book also became a song! The original text that I submitted to Barefoot Books was not a song, nor did I envision it as a song. It was largely the same as the final version, so written in a meter (which is NOT how I normally write, I’m a prose girlie) but Autumn, my editor, asked if I was interested in turning it into a sing-along. Ummm YES!!
Who would say no to that opportunity? It was both Autumn and my first time doing a sing-along so we both learned as we went. First we had to add the chorus, or the repeating refrain. We went back and forth a LOT on what those lines should be, and I am so happy with how it turned out.
Then, Barefoot hired a musician, Michael Flannery, to write or compose the actual music for the book. And then they brought on Audra Mariel, our fabulous performer, to sing the song in the audio recording.
Something I really love about this book is that the entire creative team, author, illustrator (Ananya Rao-Middleton), and performer, are all disabled!
Let’s Celebrate!
Q 3. In celebration of International Day of Persons with Disabilities (Dec. 3rd), what do you hope readers will take away from your book and the song?
JEJ: I hope readers will be encouraged to talk (or sing!) to their parents/caregivers/friends about a mobility tool that they see in the book.
Something I keep hearing from parents is that they aren’t sure how to talk to their kids about disability. Or that they know somebody who uses a wheelchair/cane/assistive tool but they aren’t sure how to answer their child’s questions when it comes to their tool or disability. I think this book is the perfect starting point for discussions!
I also hope that readers will move or dance or groove in whatever way feels comfortable to them on December 3rd! Celebrate!
written by Jenna Elyse Johnson (Barefoot Books)
Favorites
Q 4. What is your favorite spread or line of text?
JEJ: Anyone who knows me well will not be surprised to hear that my favorite spread is the spread full of service/therapy dogs! I love it SO much! There’s even a dog that looks just like my pup, Hamilton!
That part of the song, “every body wiggle” is also my favorite part. It basically breaks down and changes the beat a bit and is SO fun to do with kids! You’ll have to go give it a listen and watch the animation.
written by Jenna Elyse Johnson (Barefoot Books)
Pawsitive Review!
Q 5. Speaking of your service dog, Hamilton, if we asked him for a review of your book, what would he say?
JEJ: Hamilton would give it 5 tail wags, for sure! Goodness knows he has listened to me read it aloud often enough and he’s heard the song a gazillion times. He even has a bandana to promote the book! 🙂
Tips and Words of Wisdom –for all!
Q 6. Can you share any tips or words of wisdom for other pre-published or hopeful debut authors? What have you learned from working in an Indie Bookstore? (Shoutout to Ruby’s!) What do you wish you’d known when you started?
JEJ: Hmmm this may not be new advice, but I do think it’s golden: Read, read, read! Read as many picture books as you can! And then read some more! If you can, join a group of other PB authors where you just read and analyze picture books. Sort of like a critique group, but you just read already published books. You can learn SO much that way. Plus, it’s just fun!
Working at an Indie Bookstore, I feel really lucky because I get to see which books are selling and I feel like I have my finger on the pulse of what is hot and new. I feel really connected to the industry, and I get to talk books all day. Talk about a dream!
What I wish I’d known…
I wish I had known really how difficult and slow things were before I’d started. I mean, I had heard that it was difficult and “slow” but I didn’t really grasp what that meant.
Also just because you have a book deal or two doesn’t guarantee you will have editors lining up to sign you for more projects. This business is brutal. It can be so rewarding at the same time! But oh man, the waiting can be tough. So definitely have another project always in the works or some other creative outlet that you enjoy, so the waiting doesn’t drag you down too far.
What’s next?
Q 7. Are there more children’s book projects in the queue that you can share?
JEJ: Yes! I’m so happy you asked!
My next picture book, I SPARK LIKE LIGHTNING, illustrated by Sue Teodoro, will be released on April 7, 2026 by Free Spirit Publishing. (Fun fact: I actually signed this contract 2 weeks before the offer for EVERY BODY MOVE! But publishing timelines are wild, so this is my sophomore picture book, but debut nonfiction picture book!)
This book is part of The Disability Books for Kids series, which explores visible and invisible disability in the first person, as seen through the eyes of children and written from lived experience. This series builds allyship, challenges ableism, and celebrates difference, empowering and educating all readers. Each book includes an author’s note to the reader, centering disabled voices and ensuring authentic representation.
I also have a chapter book series, MAE AND MALIBU, illustrated by Anuki Lopez, coming out with Little Bee Books! This is my dream project from my heart! The first two books are set to come out in fall 2026, with book three in spring 2027 and book four in summer 2027.
JEJ: And I have a picture book with Sleeping Bear Press coming out in spring 2027! That one is called PENNY’S PAGES, illustrated by Janna Mattia. Penny is a bookstore dog who reigns over the neighborhood. When a new mail carrier takes on the bookstore route, Penny is eager to make another best friend, until she learns this mail carrier is afraid of dogs. It was inspired by Ruby’s Books and is one of my favorite stories I have ever written!
Oooh –we can’t wait for these!
Congrats, Jenna, and endless thanks for joining us on the blog today.
To learn more about Jenna Elyse Johnson and her much-needed books, check out her website: https://www.jennaelysejohnson.com
and follow her on Instagram: @kidlit_jennaj
Art by Ananya Rao-Middleton for Every Body Move!
written by Jenna Elyse Johnson (Barefoot Books)
And don’t forget to read and SING her book —links HERE!
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