Hello BALLy: Jordan Morris Discusses Humor, Musical Theater, and Her Latest Solo Picture Book Venture

Here are a couple things that I like, in no particular order:

• Musical Theater
• Funny Picture Books
• Googly Eyes

Next, here is a list of things that I like about BALLy the Amazing Wonderball by Jordan Morris (also in no particular order):

• It contains musical theater references
• It is a distinct hoot to read aloud
• Googly Eyes

Lest you believe that I am a sucker for any old book that manages to combine these three things, I must assure you that when it comes to BALLy The Wonder Ball (out now), we are in entirely new territory. Indeed, this book is delightful but it is also, and I mean this truly, weird. Weird in the best ways, and weird in a way that will make this the true shining star of your next readaloud storytime, while still being out-and-out bizarre.

The plot? Oh, certainly:

“BALLy the Amazing Wonderball is ready for the show! Unfortunately, so is his audience. You see, the audience is a bunch of dogs (again), and because of a ”little incident“ the previous night, BALLy gets a bad case of stage fright. With the red rubber ball’s every bounce and roll, the dogs get more and more … interested. Will this be BALLy’s last act?

Author and illustrator Jordan Morris’s debut book is a truly unique and riveting experience. Its unusual visual presentation evokes the feeling of attending a live performance – from the theater façade on the front cover to the glimpse backstage in the first spread to the view of the stage for the bulk of the story. BALLy, a winsome bouncing ball with huge, expressive eyes, is a main character readers will root for. The goofy, excitable dogs and the over-the-top emcee narrating the story will have children laughing out loud.”

Let the record show that I deleted a spoiler from this publisher description about the narrator. We’ll talk about it presently, but I think one gets a LOT more delight out of reading this book if you don’t know that that particular reveal is coming. You know what else is delightful? Talking with Jordan Morris herself:

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Betsy Bird: Jordan! Such a pleasure! I can’t thank you enough for talking to me about BALLY. This is such a delightful and (in the best way) weird book that I’m just going to have to find out from you not simply where the idea came from, but how you figured out how to present it. It’s a stage production … entirely for an audience of dogs. Tell me more.

Jordan Morris: Betsy! So great to chat. I will try and keep the ball puns to a minimum. “Delightful and weird” is truly aspirational, thank you!

In my house, lots of objects have imagined personalities—just ask our melodramatic lamp, Gladys, or our ancient toaster who’s hopelessly in love with the espresso machine. The idea for BALLy came straight from my own dog’s beloved red ball. One morning I was goofing around with my kids, pretending this ball was a world-famous show-ball beloved by dogs all over the world— a STAR! For about two weeks my daughters were cracking up about it and begging me to “do BALLy” at breakfast. I thought, maybe this is a book?

As for the stage production, I just leaned into the idea that if BALLy was a star, of course he’d have his own theater. And naturally, the only audience interested in a ball show would be a bunch of dogs… or maybe seals, now that I think about it.

BB: Personally, I always approve of sentient houseware and other objects. Now I know you’ve done picture books before but (and correct me if I’m wrong) this is the first you’ve both written and illustrated yourself. Tell us a bit about how the experience differed from the work you’ve done on something like OUT ON A LIMB.

Jordan: Yes! This is my author/illustrator debut. I’ve written books (including Out on a Limb, Merry Mittens, and several forthcoming) with my friend and collaborator Charlie Mylie, who is an amazing illustrator and author in his own right. When it comes to our joint projects, we usually work together on the idea’s development from the really early stages— in the same room.  We both live in Kansas City (in different states, iykyk). These collaborations are distinct entities and the results end up being pretty different from the work we make alone.

When the idea for BALLy bounced into my head, it just felt very me (I don’t know what that says about my personality). I started drawing it and I couldn’t stop. I was possessed by those dumb googly eyes. I thought, I know exactly how I want this to look and feel, so I should probably be the one to do it! 

BB: I’d say the dumb googly eyes are key. So the art for this book is collage and digital. Was that the plan from the start? How did your earliest concepts of what this book would look like come to differ from the final product? 

Jordan: I feel like Ed Emberley’s notion of being a bookmaker over an illustrator is my guiding force. It takes some of the judgment out of the process and allows me to think about books as both a place to enter and an experience to share. 

I have a background in printmaking and sculpture and have worked as a designer for most of my career (including about 9 years with the incredible creative team at The Rabbit hOle). I feel like all of these things came together in the art for BALLy. I wanted the characters to be toy-like and the theater to be puppet-show-esque. Collage always feels natural to me. I have a lot of collections and love to arrange little tableaus, so it made sense that I would just create and play around with like 100 tiny dog paintings and set pieces until it all clicked. 

BB: In terms of the writing, the seemingly omnipotent narrator makes an unexpected appearance at the story’s end and it gives you a slam dunk finish. Did you always know the twist at the end? And were there any significant changes between the earliest draft and the final in terms of the writing and story?

Jordan: I did not know! That bit of inspiration came during the editing process. My editor at Kids Can was Patricia Ocampo (now at Scholastic Canada). She was so fun to work with and really loved and championed this absurd story. She pushed me on the ending in the best possible way. 

*SPOILER ALERT* There was always a squirrel in the box, but one day I realized—of course—the squirrel is the MC who is speaking the whole time. It made perfect sense. I love the moment when the reader realizes they are voicing a character in the book. I got to experience that great feeling of being surprised by your own story, which is just the best.

BB: I’m having a hard time believing that the person who created this book doesn’t own a dog herself. So fess up. What’s the pup’s name and breed?

Jordan: My much-loved dog Dolly is a Heeler Shepherd mix who is utterly convinced that she is a human girl child between the ages of 5 and 9. 

Dolly is so sweet, so smart, and also… INTENSE. The sheep intimidating stare of a herding breed dog will penetrate right down into your soul. You can picture Dolly by imagining a mash-up of Bluey, Lassie, and the Terminator. Her love of balls verges on pathological. BALLy the Amazing Wonderball is dedicated to Dolly and her favorite human, my husband Dane— who also *fun fact* wrote the real music for the intermission ditty.  

BB: But it’s not enough that you love dogs! On the back of the book you’ve three posters referencing three 80s musicals, all with a “ball” worked in there. I take it you’re a musical nerd as well? 

Jordan: I wouldn’t call myself a musical nerd per se, (nerds having a level of knowledge that I really don’t) but I am definitely a fan! Confession: I’ve never actually seen Phantom (hides behind hands… or mask). The posters on the back cover are really just a peek into BALLy’s personality and imagined backstory. He’s shy, yes, but also has a huge ego and is obsessed with his own (kinetic) potential—of course he’d insert himself into these iconic theater roles.

I think he dreamed of being a Broadway star but had to settle for a small dog theater in… probably Branson, Missouri. Such is life. At least he gets to work every day with his best friend. 

BB: And who would begrudge him that life choice? Finally, what’s next for you? What else do you have going on these days?

Jordan: I’m very thankful to say that I have a lot coming up! In 2026, I’ll have a fun one with StoneFruit Studio at Sourcebooks called Princess Pony Says Nay (the first of two, a collaboration with Charlie Mylie). My second solo book, Leona Alone, comes out in 2027 with Holiday House—it’s got a fun, surprising twist at the end too. 

Merry Mittens: A Moontime Cats Christmas Story, also with Charlie,came out this September from Candlewick, and there will be another Moontime Cats book in 2026.  This one is a cozy quirky holiday adventure perfect for cat lovers. I myself, am a cat respecter/appreciator— that is how my cat prefers it. 

Thank you so very much for everything you do and for these thoughtful questions. I loved talking about BALLy the Amazing Wonderball. My hope for this book is that it will create some entertaining read-aloud experiences and get some good laughs. I will also accept eye rolls. 

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Big thanks to Jordan for talking to us today, and to Bianca Rodrigues and the team at Kids Can Press for helping to put this all together. As mentioned before BALLy The Wonder Ball just came out this month, so be sure to go get yourself a copy, particularly if you like dogs, googly eyes, musical theater, or a wild combination of any and all of those things.

Filed under: Interviews