She Could Not Find a Main Character Who looked Like Her, So She Created One
Meet Author Jeanne Knapp, eitas 2025 Author of the year and creator of the Megan Mattson mystery series
From a fourth-grade writing assignment to a four-book mystery series, Jeanne Knapp is bringing disability representation to the center of children’s stories.
Sitting beneath a colorful red panda mural during a recent trip to the zoo, Jeanne Knapp was already thinking like a mystery writer.
Somewhere among the animals, exhibits and visitors, she wondered if there could be the beginning of Megan’s next mystery.
Jeanne, the 2025 eitas Author of the Year , has been looking for mysteries since childhood. When she was in fourth grade, a classroom writing assignment led her to notice something important about the stories available to her.
Jeanne, who was born with spina bifida, could not find a main character with a visible disability.
So she wrote one.
Her first short story included a character who looked like her. The character had a visible disability, but that was not the entire story. She was also curious, capable and involved in solving a mystery.
That fourth-grade assignment helped Jeanne recognize that she wanted to write children’s books. She wanted young readers to meet a character with a disability who did not remain in the background.
Years later, time during the COVID-19 pandemic gave Jeanne an opportunity to return to that childhood goal. She published her first book and continued writing mysteries featuring Megan Mattson.
“In the late 1980’s I realized books didn’t have characters with disabilities. I want people to know that people with disabilities can be anything they want.”
Meet Megan Mattson
Megan Mattson is a 12-year-old girl with spina bifida who uses a wheelchair. She enjoys helping people, following clues and solving mysteries.
Her disability is part of who she is, but it is not the entire plot.
Throughout the series, Megan recognizes when something is wrong. She asks questions, trusts her observations and works with her friends and community members to uncover the truth.
Most importantly, Megan is not waiting for someone else to solve the mystery.
She helps solve it herself.
Four mysteries are waiting
Jeanne has published four books featuring Megan. Each story introduces a new mystery while continuing to develop Megan’s friendships, confidence and ability to notice what others might overlook.
Megan belongs at the center of the story
Across the series, Megan is consistently portrayed as someone whose ideas and actions matter.
She:
Notices details other people may overlook
Trusts her observations and asks questions
Works with friends and community members
Helps people who may be in danger
Takes an active role in solving each mystery
Megan is not included simply to teach readers a lesson about disability. She is a friend, an investigator and a problem solver.
Why authors with disabilities matter
Representation is not only about who appears in a story. It also includes who has opportunities to write, publish and share stories.
Children with disabilities deserve to find characters who share parts of their experiences. They also deserve stories in which those characters develop friendships, make decisions, help their communities and lead adventures.
Children without disabilities benefit from inclusive stories, too. Books can help readers understand that people with disabilities are part of every community and can be authors, leaders, investigators, adventurers and heroes.
Authors with disabilities write in every genre and bring a wide range of experiences, interests and ideas to their work. Their books should be recognized not only for their representation, but also for their creativity, characters and storytelling.
Jeanne’s work gives readers an opportunity to meet a main character with a visible disability without making disability the only thing readers need to know about her.
Megan has a personality, friendships, responsibilities and mysteries to solve.
From a fourth-grade story to Author of the Year
Jeanne has worked with eitas Community Resource Coordinator Sam Stepp for many years to identify and navigate opportunities.
In 2025, Sam nominated Jeanne for eitas Author of the Year. Jeanne received the award in recognition of her writing and the work she has done to bring Megan’s mysteries to readers.
At eitas, we believe people with disabilities should have opportunities to make choices, pursue their interests and participate fully in community life.
Support should help people move toward the goals they choose for themselves. Jeanne’s journey reflects that belief. She recognized something missing from the books she found as a child and decided to create it herself.
Her accomplishments also remind us why it is important to recognize and support authors with disabilities. Buying their books, requesting them at libraries, sharing their work and leaving thoughtful reviews can help more readers discover their stories.
The next clue may be at the zoo
Jeanne continues to find new ideas while participating in her community.
During her recent trip to the zoo, she began considering how a mysterious connection to a zoo could become part of Megan’s next adventure.
For an author, a new story can begin almost anywhere. A school assignment, a childhood observation or a day at the zoo can become the first clue.
A fourth-grade assignment gave Jeanne the beginning of Megan’s story. Years later, a trip to the zoo may have given her another mystery to investigate.
Wherever the next clue leads, Megan will be where Jeanne always believed a character with a disability belonged: at the center of the story.
Begin the mystery
Learn more about Jeanne and the Megan mystery series on Jeanne Knapp’s author website.
Megan and the Mysterious Boy
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Megan and the Suspicious Visitors
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Megan and the Sinister Minister
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Megan and the Mischievous Musicians
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Celebrate Jeanne’s work by exploring the Megan Mattson mystery series and sharing her story.