Each month my children each receive a free book from PJ Library, an organization that sends free books that celebrate Jewish values and culture to Jewish families across America and Canada.
Last week the newest books arrived. They tend not to be my favorite stories. Perhaps part of the problem is that I’m not Jewish, but while they do an excellent job teaching Jewish culture and values, they tend to be light on humor, antagonists, and conflict.
I find them a little boring.
Elysha opened the latest books and began raving about one that she remembered reading at a child. “Yeah, yeah,” I thought. “Another sweet little book with no stakes, no bad guy, no car chases, and no laughs.”
A little while later I rose from my computer and took a peak at the book she had been holding. Just as I thought. No sword fights. No blood. No evil emperor. No underwear jokes. Blah.
Then I looked at the other book that had arrived. The one she didn’t mention. My eyes immediately settled on the author of this book:
Julian Edelman.
“Julian Edelman!” I shouted. “This book is written by Julian Edelman!”
“Who’s that?” Elysha asked.
“Who’s Julian Edelman? Just the best receiver on the Patriots since the days of Randy Moss and Troy Brown! And apparently Jewish! Julian Edelman! I can’t believe it!”
Flying High is the story of a squirrel named Jules who learns to overcome his physical limitations through hard work and the assistance of a goat named Tom.
If you know anything about the Patriots, you understand the genius of this plot.
Julian Edelman is an undersized player – my height, in fact – who played quarterback in college and transformed himself into one of the finest receivers (and former two-way player) in the league.
Tom Brady is the G.O.A.T. – an expression in sports that means Greatest of All Time.
It’s true. There wasn’t much conflict in the story and very little humor, but still… Julian Edelman wrote the book.
I couldn’t wait to read it to the kids. It was truly the first PJ Library book that excited me in the same way Elysha, Clara, and Charlie are so often excited about these books.
I guess even a blind squirrel can find a nut every now and again.
