My career path started with a pickle jar, three pigs and double-decker peanut butter sandwiches

Jamie Greene Early Educational Preparedness Associate United Way for Southeastern Michigan

I am a reader, tried and true. Anyone who knows me can tell you that, at any given point in time, it is likely that I have a book on me that I am currently reading - and several more waiting in line.

It is not a surprise to me that I am a reader, nor is it surprising that my brother and sister always have their heads in a book as well.  We were raised by two parents who loved to read- not only for their own pleasure, but to us as well. In fact, there was never a night in my house that we went to bed without having a book, (or two or five) being read aloud for all of us to enjoy.

In last week’s blog post, Ursula, our Manager of Online Engagement, asked what your favorite childhood books were. I’m grateful that she asked me to blog about mine. They’ve helped me become the person I am today.

The first book that comes to mind is The April Rabbits by David Cleveland. It is the story of Robert, a ten year old boy who lives a normal life and does all the normal boy things.  However on the first day of April, while walking to school, Robert notices a rabbit hop by.  One the second day of April he sees two rabbits hopping behind him as he walks to school. It’s not necessarily anything out of the ordinary, until he sees ten holes in the lawn with rabbit ears sprouting every which way on the tenth of April.  

It is fun to see the patterns of increasing rabbits day by day and to be able to count the rabbits.  However, the real thing that makes this book a forever favorite are the illustrations. They are hilarious! Just wait until you get to the sixteenth day of April and Robert finds sixteen rabbits making double-decker peanut butter and radish sandwiches in the kitchen.

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Eric Kimmel is another childhood favorite. Hershel is a traveling man who comes across the Village of Ostropol on what happens to be the first night of Hanukkah. At first Hershel is confused as to why there is no one in the village is celebrating Hanukkah, but he later learns that the old Synagogue is haunted by a group of mean goblins who hate Hanukah and will not allow the villagers to celebrate - unless one of them agrees to spend eight nights in the Synagogue and outsmart the goblins.  Hershel agrees to take up the challenge and what follows is a hilarious story of using logic to outsmart the goblins at their own games. 

Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins was a favorite of mine because it encouraged me to think outside the box. Who knew you could use a pickle jar to save the day?

Lastly, there was The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Scieszka. This is the story of the Three Little Pigs told from the wolf’s point of view.  The Wolf starts off by explaining that he was not trying to, “Huff and puff and blow (a) house down,”  he just had a really bad cold that day.  I loved this book and not just because it was funny. It showed me that there are always two sides to every story.

I have to admit that I’ve never, thankfully, been chased by multiplying bunnies, nor do I make a career out of outsmarting goblins. And, the last time I checked, there wasn’t a wayward wolf trying to blow down my house.  But I know that these books contributed to the career I have today – a career where I use analytical thinking daily. It is no surprise to me, looking back, that logic and reasoning were the common themes in so many of my favorite childhood books.

But more than the common themes, the fact that I had favorite books at all is what is truly important. My love of literature, of reading and of learning in life has been carried through from my childhood to my adult life because of it.