From Bob McKinnon comes this modern retelling of the beloved classic, Little Engine that Could, that asks young readers, “How does your journey differ from others?” It also serves as a thank you letter to all the parents, teachers, role models, and even strangers, who help to clear the storm or pull the tree trunk from their track.
Available in your favorite bookstores.
Have you ever asked yourself this question? Or wondered why your life turned differently than you expected or from others you know. On this site, you’ll find tools, writing and podcast episodes that explores this question and others. Watch Bob’s TEDx talk to learn about his journey and the science behind how we see our lives and those of others.
Children’s Books
I think I can, I think I can, I think I… can’t? What’s an Engine to do when even believing in yourself won’t get you to the top of the mountain? In this modern retelling of the beloved The Little Engine That Could, The Little Blue Engine and her friends attempt to reach the town on the other side of the mountain, but they quickly realize that not every engine is on the same track, and they all face different obstacles in their journey. In Three Little Engines author Bob McKinnon asks young readers: How does your journey differ from others?
While paying homage to the beloved classic, author Bob McKinnon acknowledges that although positive thinking and confidence are important, they are not always enough to help you succeed. In many instances, success requires a helping hand. This book is a gentle introduction to the idea of socioeconomic mobility and inequality in America. Heavily inspired by his own experiences, McKinnon teaches the youngest of readers how to recognize opportunity and inequality in the American Dream, and, most importantly, how to extend a helping hand to those on different tracks of life. At its heart, Three Little Engines is a thank you letter to all the parents, teachers, role models, and even strangers, who help to clear the storm or pull the tree trunk from your track.
Three Little Engines is now a New York Times best seller! Order your copy today from your favorite online bookseller or your local bookstore:
What is Your American Dream Score
Newsletter
Savor
Saturday was a day of savoring life.
Earlier in the morning I ran into an acquaintance at the local library. He asked me if I was still coaching soccer (I am) and I in turn asked him the same (he is not).
He mentioned that his soccer coaching days were over, as his children had moved on to high school sports or other activities. I quipped he must have a lot of free time on his hands. After a quick smile, a look of loss filled his face. “Yeah, I guess.’
He acknowledged that he knew he wouldn’t be coaching his kids forever but it seemed to end abruptly and without much warning. Despite all the stress and time commitment, he missed it terribly.
Later that night, I uncharacteristically found myself at home alone. My children and wife all had other plans for dinner or shopping with friends.
I decided I would treat myself to a nice home cooked meal. I sat alone with seared scallops, a tuna steak and a fresh cut avocado on my plate, After a sip of wine, I took my first bite. It was, I must say, delicious. I ate more slowly than normal, savoring each and every morsel.
In between bites, I looked closely at the objects in my home. Pictures on the wall, pieces of furniture, knick knacks on shelves. As I stared at various objects, I remembered its story of origin, how it came to be something I valued in our home. I appreciated each and every one of them, as much as I relished each bite of foot.
It was the best meal I had in quite some time and while technically alone, I found myself in the company of so much life and love.
The next day as I coached my kids soccer teams, I was more present. I joked more, and became less frustrated. Later sitting in my home, I was less annoyed by the mess in our home and more grateful for the life in it.
To savor something is to “enjoy it completely.” It is a deep appreciation that requires us to be both present and aware of the transient, fleeting nature of our lives.
It is a way of seeing and experiencing our lives more fully.
It reminds me of a book I read many years ago by a young writer, Marina Keegan. It was published posthumously as she died tragically in a car accident while on the way to visit her father for the weekend. One line she wrote has stuck with me many years later – “And I cry because everything is so beautiful and so short.”
All the more reason to savor all that surrounds us while we can.
Monday Morning Notes
Delivered to your mailbox each Monday morning, these short notes offer an opportunity each week to reflect on who and what contributes to where we end up in life. Readers tell us it’s a great way to start their week on a positive note. See the latest note below:
Savor
Saturday was a day of savoring life. Earlier in the morning I ran into an acquaintance at the local library. He asked me if I was still coaching soccer (I am) and I in turn asked him the same (he is not). He mentioned that his soccer coaching days were over, as his children had …
Attribution with Bob McKinnon
Attribution is a podcast, where people from all walks of life, reflect on who and what has contributed to where they ended up. Our hope is after each episode, you feel a little more inspired, grateful, or supported, then when you first hit play. Check out the latest episode below:
The Piano Man at 50
Fifty years ago, a performer called Bill Martin wrote a song about his experience playing in a bar. He introduced us to people he met there. A waitress who’s practicing politics, a real estate novelist who never had time for a wife, among others. They are sharing a drink they called loneliness, which as the song affirms is better than drinking alone.
Bill Martin was the stage name for Billy Joel and the song is, of course, Piano Man.
As Joel’s famed residency at Madison Square Garden comes to a close and a new exhibit looking at his legacy opens at Long Island Museum and Entertainment Hall of Fame’s Stony Brook museum, we reflect back on Joel’s contribution to our ideas of struggle and success in America.
Bob McKinnon, host of the podcast Attribution, talks to Josh Duchan an ethnomusicologist specializing in American popular music. He has published three books, including Billy Joel: America’s Piano Man and “We Didn’t Start the Fire”: Billy Joel and Popular Music Studies. You’ll also hear from the Piano Man himself, Billy Joel.
For more information on Piano Man @ 50 and the resources mentioned in this program, please visit:
Billy Joel: America’s Piano Man
We Didn’t Start the Fire: Billy Joel and Popular Music Studies
Billy Joel: My Life, A Piano Man’s
Journey @ The Long Island Music $ Entertainment Hall of Fame
The Piano Man @ 50 is a WLIW-FM special program distributed in partnership with Chasing the Dream, a public media initiative from The WNET Group, reporting on poverty, justice, and economic opportunity in America. You can learn more at pbs.org/chasingthedream. Major funding for Chasing the Dream is provided by The JPB Foundation.