Heroes for My Son: An Inspiring Picture Book About 52 Diverse Heroes for Children

by Brad Meltzer

#1 New York Times bestselling author Brad Meltzer brings together a remarkable group of heroes with one thing in they were ordinary people who became extraordinary. Brad was inspired by the birth of his first son to curate this collection, but you don’t need to be a parent to treasure it— Heroes for My Son is perfect for children, parents, teachers, and anyone looking for inspiration. The fifty-two featured figures represent the spectacular potential we all have within us to change the world. The dynamic pages full of photos, quotes, and brief biographies are perfect for reading aloud and allow every reader to explore at their own pace. Not limited to male role models, the wonderfully diverse heroes included in the book are men, women, historical, contemporary, athletes, actors, inventors, politicians, and so much more. Heroes for My Son is a book to be read again and again, as the simple question of what makes a hero remains a vital part of today’s conversation.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, History, Parenting, Inspirational, Historical, Childrens

128 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Brad Meltzer is the Emmy-nominated, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lightning Rod, The Escape Artist, and eleven other bestselling thrillers. He also writes non-fiction books like The JFK Conspiracy, about a secret plot to kill JFK before he was sworn in – and the Ordinary People Change the World kids book series, which he does with Chris Eliopoulos and inspired the PBS KIDS TV show, Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum. His newest kids books are We are the Beatles, We are the Beatles, and I am Simone Biles. His newest inspirational book is Make Magic, based on his viral commencement address.

In addition to his fiction, Brad is one of the only authors to ever have books on the bestseller list for Non-Fiction (The Nazi Conspiracy), Advice (Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter), Children’s Books (I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln) and even comic books (Justice League of America), for which he won the prestigious Eisner Award.

He is also the host of Brad Meltzer’s Lost History and Brad Meltzer’s Decoded on the History Channel, and is responsible for helping find the missing 9/11 flag that the firefighters raised at Ground Zero, making national news on the 15th anniversary of 9/11. Meltzer unveiled the flag at the 9/11 Museum in New York, where it is now on display. See the video here. The Hollywood Reporter recently put him on their list of Hollywood’s 25 Most Powerful Authors.

He also recently delivered the commencement address at the University of Michigan, in front of 70,000 people, including his graduating son. Entitled Make Magic and called “one of the best commencement addresses of all time,” it’s been shared millions of times across social media. Do yourself a favor, watch it here and buy the book here.

For sure, it’s tough to find anyone being so successful in so many different mediums of the popular culture. But why does Brad thrive in all these different professions? His belief that ordinary people change the world. It is that core belief that runs through every one of his projects.

His newest thriller, The Lightning Rod, brings back characters Nola and Zig in a setting that will blow your mind (you won't believe where the government let Brad go). For now, we'll say this: What's the one secret no one knows about you? It's about to come out. Nearly 2,000 five-star reviews. Raves by everyone from the Wall Street Journal, to James Patterson, to Brad's mother-in-law. Plus that twist at the end! And yes, the new Zig & Nola thriller is coming soon!

His newest non-fiction book, The JFK Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Kennedy -- and Why It Failed, which he wrote with Josh Mensch, is a true story about a secret assassination plot to kill JFK at the start of his Presidency and, if successful, would’ve changed history.

His illustrated children’s books I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln, which he does with artist Chris Eliopoulos, were written for his own children, to give them better heroes to look up to. Try them. You won’t believe how inspired you and your family will be. Some of our favorites in the series are I am Mister Rogers and I am Dolly Parton.

His other non-fiction books, Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter, are collections of heroes – from Jim Henson to Sally Ride — that he’s been working on since the day his kids were born and is on sale now, as well as History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time.

He’s also one of the co-creators of the TV show, Jack & Bobby.

Raised in Brooklyn and Miami, Brad is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Columbia Law School. The Tenth Justice was his first published work and became an instant New York Times bestseller. Dead Even followed a year later and also hit the New York Times bestseller list, as have all thirteen of his novels. The First Counsel came next, which was about a White House lawyer dating the President’s daughter, then The Millionaires, which was about two brothers who

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brad Melzer's Heroes for my Sonbegan as a project that centered around words of advice for his firstborn son. When Melzer started making progress, he realized it wasn't turning out as he had hoped, and he also realized that it was the people around him--family members and those he has read about--that inspired him to be a better person. Therefore, this book is a compilation of heroes--from those we all think of (Rosa Parks and Jackie Robinson) to those we may not have ever heard of (Dick and Rick Hoyt of Team Hoyt). Melzer's defined heroes are of a wide different race, gender, religion, and era. Each one is depicted in two simple pages: one page includes a beautiful black and white photograph with a caption while the other page highlights key information about the individual. It is done both simply and beautifully.

I could see this being used in a fourth grade classroom and up. It would be a great way to give kids a "taste" of heroes. It could be used for a writing warm-up activity or to get them started on a hero project. The book is small enough to be displayed using a document camera in the classroom. In the end, each entry gives you a bit of information that has you wanting more.

[Eugenia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am clearly in the minority here, but I was a bit disappointed in this book. I heard the author on NPR and I thought the heroes' stories would lead to some interesting conversations with my sons, but Meltzer just doesn't go far enough. Some of the heroes only get a few sentences about what makes them special. I found the the two pages given to each hero just didn't have enough information. I spent a lot of time giving background info to my kids about who these people were and additional details about what made them so special. Still, I like the idea behind the book. It really didn't keep the kids interest at all. They found it a chore.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for review, but having read some of Brad Meltzer's other work before, I was looking forward to this book.
This is not a novel, but rather a collection of vignettes, I suppose, about many people who he considered heroic because of their words, actions or (most likely) a combination of both.

However, rather than share the well known facts about these people that many of us are familiar with, Meltzer instead chose these fascinating details - and I found myself often reading snippets out loud to my family (Like, did you know that Thomas Jefferson was 33 when he wrote the Declaration of Independence? I didn't know that - and now I'm feeling a bit like a slacker because *I'M* 33 and I often don't even write my grocery list!).

This quick read will make a great gift to the loved ones in your life - not just sons, but your daughters too.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Opening lines:
I was stuck at a red light. It wasn’t a particularly long light. But I remember the moment because it was dark and it was quiet—the first moment of quiet on the day my son Jonas was born.

This is a collection of historical heroes who changed their lives in the benefit of the humanity.

I have read it at DailyLit but I couldn't find its own link to be posted here.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A phenomenal piece of literature!

Brad Meltzer developed this "list" when his oldest child was born. The list is 50+ people who are teachers and / or inspirations to many. Some on the list are "usual" heroes: Washington, Lincoln, Mother Teresa, etc., while others may surprise you.

Each listing or entry is 2 pages long. At the top of the first page is the influence: innovator, dreamer, trailblazer, etc. Next is the name of the person and then how they are "known". In the middle of the page is a picture and under this is a caption. On the next page is a "story" or "brief history" of the hero and at the bottom of this page a "quote" or "quotes" by this person.

Some impressive (in my opinion) people on the list.

Unstoppable -- Team Hoyt
Neighbor -- Mr. Rogers
Lawbreaker -- Miep Gies
Philanthropist -- Roberto Clemente
Trailblazer -- Jackie Robinson
Olympian -- Jesse Owens
Dreamer -- Jim Henson
Master of Rhyme -- Dr. Seuss
Visionary -- Steven Spielberg
Tramp -- Charlie Chaplin
Good Guy -- Officer Frank Shankwitz
Idealist -- Paul Newman
Troublemaker -- Abraham Lincoln
Record Breaker -- Andy Miyares
The Greatest -- Muhammad Ali
Novelist -- Harper Lee
Architect -- Thomas Jefferson
Cool Customer -- Chesley Sullenberger III
Industructible -- Lou Gehrig
Designer -- Teri Meltzer
Family Man -- Ben Rubin

To read their "stories" and others, check out this book!

[Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read my coworker's copy of this that she bought for her son on my recommendation (after hearing Meltzer talk about it on NPR). This book is nothing short of a Fantastic Idea, well-executed. Every page turn provides a new hero to sit down with your son (or daughter; there's nothing gender-specific about this book besides the title) and have a conversation. In my view, you would read one hero per day with your child before bed and discuss what what your child does and doesn't understand, why that person's a hero, and explain concepts to them (death, diseases, stories out of history, etc). You also get to discuss why being a hero isn't always easy or obvious.

I think the reason I like this book most is because it's a great tool to teach your child to be a good person. There would probably be more genuinely good people in the world if parents would sit down with their kids and teach them some of the concepts out of this book.

Also, the stories Meltzer uses to talk about why these people are heroes are fun and different from some of the more commonly known stories. It's a good (but really quick) read for an adult. (My coworker says her son is devouring the stories and concepts. He loves it)

[Tryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Each page layout contains a photo of an influential person, alongside a brief tribute. A quote from each featured hero is also included. In such a format, there isn’t room for much detail about the person’s life, but what detail is included is well-chosen and telling.

What drew me to this book was the the concept of choosing real-life heroes for our children. Kids have enough superheroes. Here are real men and women, imperfect, but shinning examples of one or more qualities that make them great. I liked most of the selected heroes—some were as famous as George Washington and Ghandi—others were more obscure, like the man who has done more to end world hunger than any other human being who has ever lived, by increasing harvest yields around the world. There were athletes, politicians and presidents, writers, civil rights advocates, actors, scientists, musicians, and more.

This would make a good coffee table book because you can pick it up, flip through the pages, and read one tribute in about one and a half minutes, then shut the book feeling inspired. I left it out and my kids picked it up several times.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brad Meltzer began collecting stories about heroes when he first son was born. This book is a collection of 50+ heroes with a picture a one page summary of their heroism and one or two quotes from them.

Why I picked it up: It was recommended in a library magazine that I read.

Why I finished it: Picture me crying in Jiffy Lube, I went this morning to get my oil changed and while I sat in their waiting room, I read this book and cried. It's very inspiring and I think that this would be an awesome graduation gift or a hospital gift. I would buy it just for the inspiring quotes. I have always loved and collected quotes.

Who I would recommend this to: Katie, this has your name all over it. Especially since there is a page in the back where you can add your own hero.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This wasn't the book I thought it was (I bought this thinking it was the book about the dying father who had his friends step in to teach his children about life. If anyone knows what that book is, please let me know). Anyhow, I thought I'd read this anyhow. It's a short book, each page includes a photo of the hero, a short paragraph or two about their feat, and a phrase. Some of the people were to be expected, some had new but interesting stories, some made me realize it's the little things that are important. I think it would make a nice coffee table book, but since mine is messy already, I'm going to give this to a friend that I think would enjoy it for herself and maybe for her two sons.

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is without question the best book I have ever read. It tells the shocking and amazing stories of Gahndi, Mother Teresa, Jackie Robinson, Dr. Suess, and many more. These are people who swept the world away with being the first black major league baseball player, an actual angel, earning rights for India peacefully, and creating childrens books that will live on for decades. i f you haven't read this you need to. It will make you be greatful for what you have and want to change the world.

[Danika · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the premise of this book- the author compiled a list of "heroes" to give to his son. I think there are 52 in the book, 2 pages per person. He includes people like Rosa Parks and George Washington. My complaint was that the snapshot of each hero is extremely superficial. I would have liked it more if each person was developed a bit better. Kind of more like a coffee table book due to its short-form format.

[John · Rating 1 out of 5]

This took about 30 minutes to read and didn't seem like much more than Wikipedia summaries of his list of heroes. As a personal project that you do for your son, it's great. As a book that you sell for real money it's kind of a disappointment.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I used this book as a model for a writing/research project in my senior English class. The results were amazing! It was uplifting to see the heroes my students chose to record for their future children. I highly recommend this book. Meltzer puts an interesting twist on the genre of heroes.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short, fast book with lots of pictures. The author gives a picture of the hero on one paGe and on the opposite he gives why he feels that person is worthy. This is sort of like Meltzer's personal hall-of-fame . He wrote this for his children and it's a cool idea My children are all grown, but I think this would be a cool thing for me to flesh out and present to my grandchildren (if and when they arrive).

[Marcie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can see using this with classes as a brief (read 1-3 each day) kind of thing. It also would be interesting to have students select the "hero" of their choice to find more information about. I liked the layout and use of a brief quote by each hero. Most interesting to me were the few heroes with whom I was unfamiliar. I guess I thought there would be more unusual ones after reading the preface. Still a useful book.

[Colleenish · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It's just a collection of short facts about people that the author admires. The quotes and facts are interesting ones that I didn't necessarily know. I love the idea of teaching values through stories. I'm inspired to write my own book like this, and to read it to my little siblings. Everyone should know who Nelson Mandela etc is.

[Mashael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember reading this book back in 2010. I finished it in one day or maybe less it's only 105 pages. Every time I turned a page I learned something new about an inspiring person & what that person did to change and help their society. Heroes for my son is one of the greatest books I've read through the years.

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is honestly a beautiful little book. Brad Meltzer writes heroes, he knows heroes. But he chooses here to tell the story of 52 real heroes, historical and modern. It's surprising how just a few sentences can tell so much about these people he believes his sons, and all of us, should learn from.

[Kimberlee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved sharing this book with my tween son. Learning the back stories on some heroes I already knew and learning about new heroes that I was not aware of really inspired me to think about things that both my son and I do that are heroic. We shared some stories with the other members of our family, and I look forward to reading and sharing "Heroes for my Daughters" next.

[Mary Kenyon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic little book! It would make a great gift for any kid in middle school or older. Each hero has a photo on the left hand page with a caption and then simple text on the right hand page that tells some interesting (and maybe unknown) attributes that make that person a hero.

[Hope]

Excellent little book with a two page spread per hero - consisting of a picture, short bio, and quote. Easy way to talk about ordinary people accomplishing great things with your kids.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just like the other book "Heroes for My Daughter" I say I loved how Melzter, rather than giving a biographical account of people, focused in on key moments and how and why those moments made people great. In my opinion, this book is a brilliant introduction for young people to the grit that makes people exceptionally great. It's something I want in my classroom library for my students to have access to.

[Chesca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly inspiring short, beautiful synopses of courageous people who made lasting impact.

[Angela Blount · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally reviewed for YA Books Central: http://www.yabookscentral.com/kidsnon...

True-to-life heroes--real people who've accomplished attainable yet noteworthy things. This book holds a timeless and intriguing premise. (Particularly in a youth market so thoroughly saturated with fictitious super heroes.)

While the title led me to expect said heroes would be derived from the male sex, sixteen women actually make an appearance within this book; including Mother Theresa, Harper Lee, and Harriet Tubman. The diversity is vast--as are the eras these chosen figures were born into. Said "Heroes" range from politicians and religious figures to athletes, entertainers, and activists. The author even indulges in a bit of sentimentality by including a section for both his own mother and grandfather.

Coming in at a total of 52 two-page spreads, this work presents a wide range of individuals (and two team duos) who have left an indelible mark on the world. The layout consists of a black & white picture of said hero or hero team, a tribute explanation, and a quote. Three blank, lined pages at the back encourage readers to write down their own personal hero's story, and leaves a designated place for said hero's picture. (I'm guessing this book must have preceded 'Heroes For My Daughter,' as that one has seven pages dedicated to this, along with a higher number of hero bios.)

The book is very closely tied to its counterpart, Heroes For My Daughter. Perhaps a little too closely--as there is exact cut-and-paste overlap in several of the hero bios between them. Mahatma Gandhi, Lucille Ball, Eleanor Roosevelt, Amelia Earhart, Rosa Parks, Abraham Lincoln, and Teri Meltzer at the very least. Although, it is difficult to tell if there are more, as the heroes are listed in no readily discernible order and there is no appendix at the end to aid in searching for them. (And yes, you will note this paragraph of my review is essentially a cut-and-pasted replica of one I used in the aforementioned related book. It seemed only fair.)

The general layout and excessive smallness of font on the right-sided sections tends to give it a more coffee table book feel than children's book. Information provided is fairly brief and superficial, making minimal use of white space in some cases (i.e. the bio on the Wright brothers only amounts to a handful of sentences.) But there is definitely enough potential here to pique one's interest into further research.

[T.L. Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to love Heroes for My Son by Brad Meltzer when I bought it as a gift. I decided to read it before gifting it because I don't like to give people books I haven't read. As I read, I found many things to really like, but a few that definitely gave me pause. Meltzer offers a rosy picture of the people he presents as heroes while never mentioning their flaws. I think including some of the flaws of these heroes would have made them more relatable. There were also some who I can't imagine having as heroes and would use to open a wider conversation about perceptions and images projected to the world rather than holding those particular individuals up as living lives one should model... Meltzer offers a quick snapshot into the lives of those he considers heroes for his son, and I hope this book will push children and perhaps even adults to further research and better understand the people, particularly the famous people, Meltzer included in Heroes for My Son, so they can decide for themselves if these people are deserving of the title of "hero".

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

One star for calling this "Heroes for My Son." There's a lame, one-sentence disclaimer that *of course* all these heroes could be for girls too... of course. But I was deeply irritated that this became the title, which then becomes a barrier. Maybe a tiny barrier, but why on earth couldn't the introduction describe what inspired this (the birth of his first child, who happened to be a boy), and then slap on a more inclusive (and accurate) title. Everyday Heroes for My Child. Hero Stories Big and Small. People Who Make a Difference. Inspirational Heroes for Everyday Kids. Tiny Stories about Big Actions. Superhero Snapshots. There is nothing about the content that makes this for sons only, which makes the title ridiculous.

Other than that, five stars for the extremely brief snapshots of an incredible diverse pool of people. The short format echoes the stories the author remembers his own grandfather telling. The wide array of people encompass a variety of qualities the author feels are important to pass on to his son. These qualities are not really traditionally masculine, but are instead nicely described character traits that all humans could benefit from displaying: courage, compassion, action, love. I really liked the format, and I really liked the people featured.

[Ben Truong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heroes for My Son is written by Brad Meltzer and pays homage to a collection of fifty-two biographical profiles of remarkable people or groups, past and present, from all over the world that shaped history irrevocably. They were ordinary people who became extraordinary.

Meltzer has collected fifty-two interesting and remarkable people and each entry contains photos, quotes, a very brief biography, and vignettes that highlight the single moment that made each person great.

Diversity is the strength of this anthology. It collects men, women, historical, contemporary, athletes, actors, inventors, politicians, and so much more. The book opens up with The Wright Brothers and closes with Ben Rubin with many very interesting people in-between including family. Meltzer included his mother as a hero in this book for his son.

All in all, Heroes for My Son is a wonderfully written book and a magnificent collection of mini-biographies of diverse people from all around the world and from different time periods. It is a good read and reference book for anyone who wants to learn more about remarkable people in history.

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is barely more than a list with each hero getting one picture and one scant page of information, but it's an excellent list with a nice mix of genders, occupations, races, eras, and nationalities. My boys and I enjoyed reading a couple of entries a night, often supplementing the information with internet searches and YouTube videos.

[Nickie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful book, that is intended to be a gift for the author's son, it would be best if read with a child and discussed. Not appropriate for research, while it's factual, it's too brief for that purpose.

[Jesse Houle]

Something to make me feel good about people. I think I'll wait to read this until I either need desperately to be reminded or feel overwhelmed by human kindness... or if I get someone preggers.