A Book, a Grandson, and a Whole Lot of Joy

Yesterday, Jordan had an event at Tuft’s Library, and I stood in a place I’ve never been completely comfortable—standing in front of people. I’ve never been, and probably never will be, someone who feels at ease giving speeches. But afterward, I regretted not giving my prepared speech.

So, I thought I’d share them here:

Libraries are one of my favorite places, a place where stories have always mattered. I have always felt that books are the gateway to imagination.

When Jordan first came to me after seeing Spot at the Museum of Science, he was bursting with excitement. Like many adults do, I’ll admit—at first, I pacified him. I listened, I nodded, and I encouraged him, but I didn’t imagine that his idea would become a Boy and His D.O.G. series.

But then something happened.

As he talked, I realized he hadn’t just been inspired—he had come up with an original idea for a story. And as an author, I can tell you, that alone is remarkable. Original ideas don’t come easily, at any age.

So I took it one step further.

Jordan didn’t stop with a single idea. He created a world. A boy. A robot dog. Friends. Villains. Gadgets. Action. Lots and lots of action. He gave me a challenge—his intent was clear. He wanted to write a story for kids like himself. No slowing down. No long explanations. Just action, action, action.

And it worked.

His voice came through on every page. If you know Jordan, you know he believes he’s funny—and that humor found its way right into the story. What we ended up with wasn’t just a book. It was confidence earned, imagination honored, and joy shared.

Jordan and I wrote a book together. It gave him confidence—and it gave me joy. The kind of joy that reminds you why stories matter and why listening to children is one of the most important things we can do.

There’s a lesson here that feels especially important as the year ends:
Confidence can’t be given. It has to be earned.

And one of the simplest ways we help children earn it is by listening—really listening—when they say, “I have an idea.”

So as we step into a new year, I hope we remember to slow down, to listen, and to say “Tell me more”—especially to the children in our lives.

That’s how stories begin.
That’s how confidence grows.
And sometimes… that’s how a boy and his robot dog change everything.

Thank you for being part of this journey with us. 💙