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  • What about Bob?

    This website features the work of Bob McKinnon. He is a writer, designer, podcast host, children’s author and teacher. What unites all of his work is the desire to help others move up in life – just as others have helped him.

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  • America's Dreaming

     

    Bob’s new children’s book, America’s Dreaming, has just been released!  It tells the story of a child whose simple dream is to feel welcomed and seen.

    Now On Sale!
  • Three Little Engines

    New York Times’ best seller Three Little Engines, a  modern retelling of the beloved classic Little Engine that Could, is now available in Spanish!

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  • NPR Special Program

    On the 50th anniversary of The Piano Man, Bob interviewed Billy Joel to discuss his contributions to our ideas of struggle and success in America.

    The Piano Man at 50
  • New Series

    Check out Moving Up in Communities, our new  series sharing stories of innovation and advancement in communities across the country. This series is supported by the journalism nonprofit Economic Hardship Reporting Project

    Fast Company Moving Up in Communiities
Three Little Engines

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.

How did you end up here?

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

What is Your American Dream Score?

Spend five minutes taking this quiz, and you’ll find out what factors were working in your favor and what you had to overcome to get where you are today. At the end, you’ll receive an overall score and a personalized summary of the results (and probably a big dose of pride and gratitude).

Newsletter

New-found

I developed a new-found appreciation for Yacht Rock, after watching this documentary that talked about the musicianship of groups like Steely Dan, Toto and The Doobie Brothers. I had no idea of their jazz underpinnings or their profound influence on so many other groups and music.

Similarly, while I had heard of the storytelling organization The Moth and listened to one or two of their stories over the years, I now have a new-found interest in their work after reading the book The Moth Presents A Point in Beauty True Stories of Holding on and Letting Go. I have found myself alternatively laughing out loud and shedding a few tears in hearing people share profound pieces of their lives in just a few pages.

Last week, our family rewatched the memorable Little House on the Prairie episode where Mary Ingalls loses her eyesight. There was a subplot where the town is facing ruin due to the railroads. A friend checks in on Charles, who is devastated by his daughter’s pain and loss and says that there was a time when the the town’s situation would be the sole focus of all his energies but now he doesn’t care at all. Concluding, “I look back and wonder how much of my life, I’ve spent worrying about things that don’t really matter now.” A new-found perspective on what’s important.

On a lesser scale, I recently took a hard look at all of my various work and creative projects. With a more honest assessment captured on a handful of index cards, I left with a new-found focus on how to spend my time and attention moving forward.

Finally, as I laid in bed last night thinking about this post I would write today, I thought of the Canadian province Newfoundland, where members of my family settled a hundred years ago. To that point, I hadn’t realized the obvious origin of the name. New-found land. A new-found realization for me.

These examples may seem trivial but as we approach a season where we will be buying new things or planning new experiences for the new year, there is plenty of new to be found all around us. A new-found appreciation for someone we love, a new-found understanding of something that has vexed us, a new-found contentment for what we have or new-found courage or confidence to do what we can to make our lives or world better – to name just a few.

The beauty of these new-found gifts is that they keep giving. New-found anything suggests discovery. And as Proust once wrote, “The real voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in seeing with new eyes.” Once you see things with new eyes, it usually changes the way you see them forever.

Like the way, I’ll forever see Yacht Rock.

Recommendation of the week: I listened to Steely Dan’s Aja album in it entirety for the first time. Some have called the best sounding album of all time. I’m not enough of a music aficionado to make that call, but it is definitely worth the listen.


See all posts from Moving Up Mondays blog

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:

New-found

I developed a new-found appreciation for Yacht Rock, after watching this documentary that talked about the musicianship of groups like Steely Dan, Toto and The Doobie Brothers. I had no idea of their jazz underpinnings or their profound influence on so many other groups and music. Similarly, while I had heard of the storytelling organization …

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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:

Episode 29: Random w/ Mark Rank

Mark R. Rank is recognized as a foremost expert on issues of poverty, inequality and social justice. To date he has written 10 books on a range of subjects, including an exploration of the American Dream and  a new understanding of poverty and inequality. In this episode, I talk to Mark about his latest book, The Random Factor which looks at the role of luck and chance in shaping the course of our lives. It was a fascinating discussion, one I was lucky to have. I hope you enjoy. 

Show Links: 

Mark R. Rank

The Random Factor

Poverty Risk Calculator

Your American Dream Score