Interview: Jenna Elyse Johnson

SARAH STEINBACHER: Kirkus called your debut disability-themed picture book, EVERY BODY MOVE!, “a much-needed window and mirror for children” that’s “welcoming, joyful, and truly inclusive.” Why do children need disability stories?

JENNA ELYSE JOHNSON: Disability is human. Completely normal. Nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about. But I think we forget that, sometimes. Or, if we haven’t had any experience with disability, it is so easy to slip into an “othering” mindset. Like “those people” are XYZ. Or that’s when we stare or get all awkward or don’t know what to say. Disability stories remind us that disability is human. That we are all human. It normalizes a very normal thing. It sparks conversations that parents/teachers/caregivers might otherwise find difficult to begin. And disability stories reflect our world. Real kids and real people. Have you ever read a book and seen a character who looks like YOU on the page? That feels good. Really, that’s the bare minimum. Everyone deserves that.

SARAH STEINBACHER: Your newly released second picture book, I SPARK LIKE LIGHTNING, is an affirming story about epilepsy. In what ways did you draw on your own personal experiences when writing this story? And why does authentic representation matter?

JENNA ELYSE JOHNSON: This book is probably my most vulnerable story, so I was really nervous the first time I read it aloud in front of a group of people. It feels scary, sometimes, to talk about my disability and chronic illness in front of so many people. But, thankfully, so far, people have loved the book, even tearing up at read alouds. I have even met other people (strangers!) at bookstores with epilepsy who have been so excited to find out this book exists.

I was honored when Free Spirit asked me if I wanted to write the Epilepsy book for their new Disability Books for Kids Series. (To be clear, this was an audition and not a guaranteed contract. I’m just so happy they loved my manuscript.) The whole idea behind the series is that each book is written by an author who has the disability. So, the series is genuinely authentic and quite powerful. This story flowed out of me. It’s probably the quickest PB I have ever written because I have lived this story. It was cathartic in a way to write this all out.

My favorite part of the book is that I included my service dog, Hamilton in the story. He is a seizure alert and response dog and very good at his job. He wasn’t actually in the original draft, but when we got to the editing stage, we had some extra spreads to play with, and I asked if we could add information about service dogs and Free Spirit loved that idea. I feel like Hamilton is the true stand out star of the book!

SARAH STEINBACHER: Your first chapter book series, MAE AND MALIBU, centers on a girl and her service dog. The first two books in the series release in Fall 2026 with the next two books scheduled for 2027. How did writing this chapter book series differ from writing picture books? Which age group do you enjoy writing most and why?

JENNA ELYSE JOHNSON: Yes! Writing this chapter book series has been so much fun. This series has been inspired by my relationship with my own service dog and is truly a dream come true. With chapter books, you get to go a lot deeper into character development and explore a lot more emotions. You also get to use a lot more words! My chapter books are all ten chapters and around 8,000ish words. I know chapter books vary widely with word count and mine lean more toward the wordy side, and I was so pumped to use those words! As a child I devoured chapter books, so this is something that I am so thrilled to see come to life. I hope I get to write MAE AND MALIBU books forever! Right now, there are four books planned for the series, and, if it sells well, the publisher said they are open to doing more. So please spread the word and pre-order! J

All that being said, I primarily focus my time writing picture books. Picture books were my first love because picture books are the go-to for storytime. And picture book ideas are what consume my brain. I also love the satisfaction of being able to draft an entire picture book quickly. Of course, that draft needs a LOT of revision before it is ever submission ready, but chapter books take me a lot longer to write. I got a TBI from a car accident last year which has made writing longer forms even more difficult. Luckily, I find MAE AND MALIBU easy to write because it is such a passion project of mine.

I always want to keep growing as a creator, though, which means trying new things. Perhaps taking classes, attending webinars, listening to podcasts etc. I never want to turn myself off to any sort of opportunity or writing genre. I love writing for children and want to do it for as long as possible. So, I want to develop my skillset to be as diverse as possible.

SARAH STEINBACHER: In your upcoming picture book, PENNY’S PAGES (coming Spring 2027), a bookstore pup wants to befriend the new mail carrier who is afraid of dogs. You’ve said you try to “sneak a dog into every story” you write. How has your love of dogs shaped this story in particular?

JENNA ELYSE JOHNSON: Dogs are my favorite animal. I have always been drawn to dogs and dog books. So, it only makes sense that I write books with dogs in them. Plus, PENNY’S PAGES is also inspired by a real dog and a real bookstore! I work at an indie bookstore called Ruby’s Books, which is named after the owner’s golden retriever, Ruby. Not long after working there, one of our mail carriers told me that he used to be afraid of dogs, but Ruby helped him overcome his fear of dogs. A lightbulb lit up inside of me. I knew that had the makings of a picture book! So, I tucked that idea away and pondered it for about a year before a more fully formed story arch came to me. Since that first story idea, our store has gotten a new mail carrier who Ruby absolutely adores. She can’t wait for him to come in every day, and he carries treats just for her! Their relationship helped shape the heart of the book. The book is dedicated to Ruby, our mail carrier, and the wonderful team at Ruby’s Books.

I find myself very lucky that I get to work in a place with my favorite things, dogs and books.

SARAH STEINBACHER: You’ve said it’s your passion to “showcase disabled joy” through your writing. Why is disabled joy essential and, in many ways, radical?

JENNA ELYSE JOHNSON: Disability joy is essential because it rejects ableism. So many people have one idea, or a limited idea of what disability means. Or, often, they are afraid to even utter the word “disabled.” Like it’s dirty or something. Disability joy celebrates disability culture. It doesn’t shy away from the difficulties of living disabled in world designed for nondisabled people. But it rejects the narrative that disability is defined by tragedy and suffering alone.

I am disabled. I live a full life. There is not a “but” between those two sentences. My disability does not mean my life is of lesser or lower quality. Do I have challenges? Absolutely! Am I sometimes angry about my disability? Yes. That’s human. That doesn’t mean I don’t have disability joy, though. My life is worthy of celebration and value, and I want kids, especially kids with disabilities, to know that their lives matter too. A great way to do this is to write a character that kids connect with. Or perhaps a catchy song that kids can sing to themselves over and over. Is life with disability sometimes hard? Yes. Is life without disability sometimes hard? Also, yes. We all have our struggles. Disability joy is about claiming our culture and our community and being unapologetically ourselves. 

SARAH STEINBACHER: How has your experience as a teacher and bookseller shaped your writing and vice versa?

JENNA ELYSE JOHNSON: As a teacher and a bookseller, I feel like I have access to all the “goods!” Like, I could be the person wearing the oversized trench coat and when I flash it open, there would be stacks and stacks of picture books. Because I work in books, and with kids who read so many books, I get to read picture books all the time. AND get paid while doing it! A literal dream. I feel like I have my finger on the pulse, so to speak. Working in a bookstore literally inspired one of my picture books, PENNY’S PAGES. And my school is the inspiration behind book 2 in the MAE AND MALIBU series. Plus, my jobs bring me so much joy. And joy is priceless.

Follow Jenna through her website and Instagram.

*****Order Jenna’s picture books, EVERY BODY MOVE! and I SPARK LIKE LIGHTNING, both available now.*****

*****Pre-order Jenna’s first two MAE AND MALIBU chapter books, available 9/22/2026.*****