Yoey Does It Her Way follows a determined little girl who learns at her own pace and has her family’s support as they cheer her on every step of the way. Why was it important to focus on joy and everyday moments rather than challenges?

Focusing on joy and everyday moments in Yoey Does It Her Way was important because it shifts the lens from limitation to celebration.

Children who live with differences — including those born with Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome — so often have their stories told through the framework of challenge. Appointments. Diagnoses. Milestones measured against charts. While those realities exist, they are not the whole story. Joy is.

By centering the book on everyday moments — trying something independently, laughing, discovering, persisting — the message becomes empowering rather than sympathetic. Yoey is not defined by what is hard. She is defined by who she is.

This approach:

1. Normalizes inclusion instead of spotlighting differences
2. Shows capability before difficulty
3. Allows children to see similarity first
4. Models confidence rather than struggle

It also invites all children — not just those with disabilities — to recognize that doing something “your way” is a strength. Independence looks different for everyone. Progress looks different for everyone. Success looks different for everyone.

Joy makes the story accessible. It allows readers to connect with Yoey as a child first — playful, determined, unique — rather than as a diagnosis.

And ultimately, joy tells a child reading the book:
“You are not a problem to solve. You are a person to celebrate.”

Yoey is curious, busy, and proud of herself. How did you shape her personality on the page?

From the beginning, Yoey has her own personality and will. She is non-verbal but still manages to express her opinions! Yoey Does It Her Way was built around her voice: determined, joyful, observant, and quietly confident. Rather than writing about what others expected of her, I tried to follow what she chooses to try, how she approaches a task, and how she defines success.

Her personality shows up in several intentional ways:

1. Determination in Small Moments
   The story focuses on everyday actions — making friends at the park, swimming, riding a scooter, trying again and again — because that’s where her resilience shines. The language mirrors her steady persistence rather than dramatic struggle.
2. Joy as a Default Setting
   Yoey isn’t written as fragile or overwhelmed. She is curious, playful, and proud. Her reactions emphasize delight and discovery, shaping a tone that feels uplifting instead of heavy.
3. Independence with Confidence
   The phrase “her way” is central. It reinforces that independence doesn’t mean doing something like everyone else — it means doing it in a way that works for you. That belief guided the pacing and phrasing of each scene.
4. Strength Without Spotlighting Difficulty
   Instead of centering the diagnosis, I wanted the readers to experience Yoey through her personality traits — spirited, brave, thoughtful — rather than through medical language and understand the support she gets from her family to find success.
5. Gentle Repetition and Rhythm
   The structure likely echoes her steady, determined energy. Repetition reinforces her persistence and builds a celebratory cadence as she succeeds in her own time.

What conversations do you hope this book sparks between children and adults?

Yoey Does It Her Way can open the door to some of the most meaningful, gentle conversations between children and adults — because it centers on everyday life, not lectures.

Here are powerful conversations it can spark:

1. “What does doing it your way mean?”
   • Children can reflect on:
     • What feels easy for me?
     • What feels hard?
     • How do I solve problems differently?
   • Adults can reinforce:
     • There is more than one right way to do something.
     • Everyone’s timeline looks different.
2. “What makes you proud of yourself?
   • The book invites children to notice small victories:
     • Trying again
     • Speaking up
     • Being patient
     • Finishing something independently. This builds internal confidence instead of comparison.
3. “How can we be a good friend?”
   • Children may naturally ask:
     • How can I help someone without taking over?
     • How do I include someone who does things differently?
   • Adults can model:
     • Support without rescuing
     • Encouragement without pity
     • Respect for independence
4. “What makes each person unique?”
   • The story allows space to talk about:
     • Different abilities
     • Different learning styles
     • Different personalities. It shifts the focus from “Why is someone different?” to “What makes them special?”
5. “What feels big or new right now?”
   • Because Yoey celebrates everyday milestones, children may open up about:
     • Trying something new
     • Feeling nervous but brave. The book becomes a bridge for emotional honesty.
6. “How do we celebrate effort?”
   • Rather than only praising outcomes, adults can ask:
     • Did you try?
     • Did you keep going?
     • What did you learn? This fosters a growth mindset naturally.
7. “What is something you do your own way?”
   • This question empowers all children — not just those who relate to Yoey’s experiences. It reinforces autonomy and self-worth.
   • The book doesn’t spotlight diagnosis or difficulty — so conversations stay rooted in:
     • Capability
     • Joy
     • Respect
     • Inclusion
     • Confidence

It allows children to see: “I’m not behind. I’m not different in a bad way. I’m growing in my own way.”

And for adults, it offers language that feels celebratory instead of corrective.

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