Professors’ Picks

Experts say that reading to a child is an important part of improving his or her literacy. Reading develops kids’ language and communication skills.

Thinking of some of the most literate individuals I knew, I asked several professors about their favorite bedtime stories as kids.

Professor Acker teaches Ancient History, so it is no wonder his favorite book was the story of David and Goliath in the Children’s Bible. When asked what he liked the most about the story, he replied, “It just stuck with me.”

Professor Saba, Professor of Psychology, liked the book “Hind Feet in High Places,” which focuses on the “Fearing Family” and a girl named “Much-Afraid.” This is clearly a fitting choice for a man who now studies phobias.

What would one expect from an English Professor? Well, Professor Munro states that she read all the time. “Usually, [I read] what I could get my hands on—in bed, at the table, under the table, behind the couch.” Her favorites are books that later became television series, such as Laura Ingals Wilder’s “Little House on the Prairie” series and L. M. Montgomery’s “Anne of Green Gables.”

Professor Stoppa, a Psychology professor, liked the book “Ferdinand the Bull.” This is about a little bull who does not want to participate in bull fights, but instead wants to be in a field with flowers. Professor Stoppa relates this to her profession. She explains, “I was always very drawn to Ferdinand as a character. “I like that he was a peaceful character, who also was not afraid to do his own thing in life. I’m confident that there are actually many psychological reasons for why this appealed to me.”

I was amazed at how apt all of these answers were. But, who knows, perhaps your favorite books can tell you something about your future profession!