Jaycie and Her Joybird
by David Isaiah Hamilton
Third-grader Jaycie Johnson is the most creative, inspired, and artistic kid in her family. She’s happy when she’s making art, but her process is often messy, and her parents don’t like the messes her creations leave behind.
Jaycie’s brother and best friend is leaving for college, and when her special gift for him is ruined, her sadness has snuffed out her creative spark. Will she ever be able to get that spark back and be inspired to make art again?
Pictures by Me books are designed to encourage young readers to engage their imaginations on a higher level when reading our stories. We intentionally leave space for your reader to illustrate their own pictures, using their own creative expression to bring the story to life. Imagine the joy they will feel seeing their own artwork in their books.
Jaycie is a vibrant third-grader with magical inspiration and an artistic imagination. Anything and anywhere are her tools and canvas for her art!
Jaycie’s parents don’t understand her artistic process, and they don’t like the messes she makes when she creates. When a very important art project for a special person is ruined, Jaycie loses her creative spark and feels even more alone in her family.
Will Jaycie ever feel like her artistic, creative self again? How will she get back the magical spark that inspired her masterpieces? Perhaps she can find it again with a new perspective and a new friend.
Hey, I’m David!
I wrote Jaycie and Her Joybird for my two beautiful and crazy little girls. This story captures their creativity, zeal for life and fullness of joy that is always on display. I wanted this story to feel authentic in it’s celebration of the messiness that life is on a day to day basis. I want to celebrate their self expression (even if it usually leaves a mess for their parents to clean up), encourage them to feel the fullness of their emotional depth, and charge into this world knowing that they were made to make something beautiful. And I want the same for your readers, as well.
It’s my deepest hope that your readers will be entertained, inspired and challenged to feel deeply as they explore the wonder that surrounds them every day!
