Book Trailer Premiere: Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall

Jabari Jumps is about a little boy conquering his fear of jumping off the diving board, so I thought it would be funny for the trailer to riff on the whole "Wild West" standoff trope. Here you've got Jabari and the diving board staring each other down and it's super dramatic! --What will happen?? Cliff hanger!  

Like most picture book authors, I always want to write stories that kids relate to. I so clearly remember jumping off the diving board for the first time. It is such a big moment. Working on Jabari Jumps I really got to explore the idea of facing your fears and what that feels like for a kid, but also what a supportive adult looks like in that situation. That fine line between giving your child little pushes forward, but also letting them find their own way. I hope kids read Jabari Jumps and realize you can work up to something that feels scary, or big. Just take it one step at a time and know that all those little steps are moving you forward. Which actually is a great way to tackle all sorts of big things in life, diving boards included. 

Look for Jabari Jumps on May 9, 2017.