Picture books allow us to see the world through the eyes of a child. They subtly teach children – or in the case of grown ups remind us of – simple but critical life lessons. All of this accomplished with just a few hundred words and a handful of stunning images.
Bob’s journey into children’s publishing began with a stroke of luck. A New Yorker article shared with him, “America’s Surprising Views on Inequality“, was the inspiration for writing his first book, Three Little Engines – a more modern and nuanced take on the classic The Little Engine That Could. After cold calls, emails and months of waiting, Bob scored a meeting with Penguin Random House, who owned the rights to the original and coincidentally was looking for a new way to tell that story to mark the book’s 90th anniversary.
After many twists and turns Three Little Engines was published in 2021 and became a New York Times bestseller. It’s now available in three languages.
The success of Three Little Engines resulted in a deal with Penguin to write two more books. The next of which, America’s Dreaming, comes out on June 4th, 2024. Bob’s journey as a successful children’s author is marked by good fortune, great timing, and the support and inspiration from so many others.
To learn more about his journey, watch the piece on CBS Sunday Morning below or hear directly from Bob himself. Bob loves to visit schools, libraries and communities across the country to share his remarkable experience and the lessons behind his books. Just contact Allyson Hickey at Booked (allyson@bookedauthors.com) if interested. You can also scroll down to learn more about each of his books.