by Denise Riley (Author), Bill Miller (Illustrator)
My name is Pickle is about a little girl and the things she loves. As she goes through life she encounters a bundle of firsts, with imagination, excitement, and giggles. She is filled with love, laughter, and surprises. She will snuggle right into your heart. She has magic in her smile and the things she loves are things I bet you love, too. My name is Denise or Nina to some. I am a retired educator, wife, mother to four adult children, grandmother, and great-grandmother. I am an only child and I grew up in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. I graduated from John Marshall High School and then went to Oklahoma State University where I earned an elementary education degree and a master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction as well as an administrator's certificate. I taught school for 14 years in Oklahoma, California, and Virginia. My next 30 years in education were at the Oklahoma Technical Assistance Center where I later became the Assistant Director. The center provided technical assistance and evaluation services to all schools in Oklahoma. I was inspired to write this story by my daughter who was nicknamed Pickle. She loved everything, especially pickles. This story brings back so many happy memories of childhood innocence, joy, imagination, and the unconditional love that children give so willingly as they meet each day with anticipation and excitement.