Jayla Jumps In

Ages 9 to 12, Grades 3 to 7

A heartwarming story about finding your place, in the ropes and out.

When eleven-year-old Jayla finds out that her mother used to be a Double Dutch champion, she’s stunned. Her mom, who’s on doctor’s orders to lower her blood pressure, could move like that?!? Jayla decides to follow in her mom’s footsteps, thinking that maybe double Dutch can make her stand out in her big, quirky family. As she puts together a team at school and prepares to compete, Jayla finds that Double Dutch is about a lot more than jumping rope—and it just might change her life in ways she never imagined. Full of hilarious family dynamics and plenty of jump rope action, Jayla Jumps In follows one girl’s quest to get her mom healthy and find her place in her community.

About the Author

Joy Jones has taught creative writing and public speaking to middle school students and coached poetry slam teams. Her book Tambourine Moon was chosen in 2000 as a Kid's Pick of the Lists by the American Booksellers Association, selected as one of the best books for children by the black caucus of the ALA, and seen on Fox TV's hit show The Bernie Mac Show. She is also the author of Fearless Public Speaking. Joy is the director of The Spoken Word, a performance poetry ensemble, and founder of D.C. Retro Jumpers, an all-ages double Dutch group. She lives in Washington, DC.