Adam Grant is an American psychologist and author who is currently a professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania specializing in organizational psychology. He received academic tenure aged 28, making him the youngest tenured professor at the Wharton School. He was ranked by students the best professor at the university from 2011 to 2017.
In 2013, he wrote his first book, Give and Take: A Revolutionary Approach to Success; a year later he wrote Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World, and in In 2017, he co-authored his third book with Facebook Chief Operating Officer (COO) Sheryl Sandberg, Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy. Grant is the host of the WorkLife podcast.
In other words, he has serious academic and professional bona fides.
That’s why I was surprised, and excited, to see that Grant has branched out.
Along with his wife, Allison, the two of them have written The Gift Inside the Box, a children’s book to share the lighthearted tale of a gift in search of a giver. A mysterious gift box finds himself in search of someone to open him, but nobody seems to be the right one. After disheartening interactions with grabby kids, selfish siblings, and other single-minded would-be recipients, the box wonders if he’ll ever find someone deserving of him. Could that someone be the very person who’s reading the book itself?
Here’s a short video:
I love when people move outside their comfort zone and try something different; here are a few more examples:
- Zach Hyman, a hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs, also writes children’s books and has currently published three best sellers.
- Jon Dorenbos was a former football player (most famously with the Philadelphia Eagles) but was also an avid magician. He was a finalist on season 11 of the television program America’s Got Talent, and is a regular on the Ellen Degeneres show.
- Jimmy Buffett, while best known for his music, has also written three number-one best selling books.
- Bruce Springsteen created and performed a wildly successful one-man Broadway play.
- Eli Goldratt, a management guru and author of the classic business novel The Goal, also wrote a play, Uncommon Sense to try and convey some of his management theories.
- and now we’ve got a Wharton professor writing a kid’s book.
I’ve read Grant’s first two books and loved them. I am confident that The Gift Inside the Box will be another quality product that has the chance to have a favorable impact on the social development of children.
I wish Grant and his wife the best of luck.
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