Brad Meltzer for redefining childhood heroes

Kids are like sponges. My boys are never afraid to ask “why?” or “what does that mean?” as their curious minds are never at rest. So when they started asking about mantras such as “Black Lives Matter” and “The Future is Female” and wanted to know why I was so upset after the election, I felt like it was the right time to deliver some age appropriate truths about the world.

While I chose my words carefully and gave thoughtful answers, I needed a relatable approach to help them understand the historical context. I found exactly what I needed with New York Times bestselling author Brad Meltzer's “Ordinary People Change the World” series. By focusing on the subject of heroes, Meltzer brings the genre out of comic books and into real life by turning the spotlight on historical figures who faced momentous conflict.

Instead of diving into the complexity of the conflict, the core of each story revolves around the character traits that made each role model heroic. Rosa Parks dared to stand up for herself, Amelia Earhart refused to accept no for an answer and Abraham Lincoln fought for fairness. 

Since adding Meltzer's biographies on Rosa Parks, Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, Jackie Robinson, Amelia Earhart, George Washington, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Jane Goodall to our library, I hear less about Batman and Superman and instead have discussions about whether or not George Washington would have liked Donald Trump or if Rosa Parks would have attended the Women's March on Washington. 

Up next is Sacagawea and Gandhi, their books are due to be released later this year.