Authentic Disability Representation in Children's Books with Jenna Elyse Johnson

In this episode of Reading Inspires, host Dr. Erin Bailey talks with author, educator, and bookseller Jenna Elyse Johnson about writing authentic disability representation for kids. Jenna shares her path from teacher to author, her personal experience with cerebral palsy and epilepsy, and how her books Every Body Move and I Spark Like Lightning celebrate mobility tools and epilepsy with joy and honesty. The conversation covers common pitfalls in disability representation, the difference between "disability books" and authentic incidental representation, and practical advice for building inclusive classroom and home libraries year-round.