The Children's Book Behind Marilyn Monroe's Famous JFK "Happy Birthday" Performance

There comes a time in one's life where the inevitable happens. You have to get all of your junk out of your parents' house.

And boy, do I have a lot of junk. 

After carrying out three cardboard boxes full of children's books, my husband turned to me. 

"Do you really need all of these?" he lamented. I understood his plight. But I wasn't ready to capitulate. 

"Yes. I do."

He picks up a random book from the stack. 

"How about this one?"

"That's The Velveteen Rabbit," I answer. "The illustration of the sad bunny when he gets thrown out after the little boy gets scarlet fever is sooo sad and sweet!"

"Ok. How about this one?"

"Uh-uh. Don't even touch anything from the Frog & Toad series."

So off they went, box after box. Once we were home, I began going through them in-depth, picking out the ones I really wanted to keep. My husband was right. I had gone a little bit overboard. 

It's funny though, for the most part, I could remember the plotline from almost every single one of these books. They inspired me, they taught me core lessons about life. 

Marilyn Monroe Sings Happy Birthday to President John F. Kennedy

Marilyn Monroe sings Happy Birthday to the President.

Right around the time I was sifting through boxes of books, I was also reading Marilyn Monroe's biography. I had to smile when it stated that she had an acute bout of stage fright, just before her infamous crooning of the "Happy Birthday" song to John F. Kennedy. I found that fascinating. What I found more fascinating was the fact that she carried a book with her backstage -- a book a young friend had given her to give her courage. 

The book was The Little Engine that Could. And I find this anecdote proof-positive that children's stories really can change the world. 

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