Bestselling author Brad Meltzer writes about heroes, but you won’t find any of them wearing capes and masks. You’ll find them in ordinary people who face fear and keep going.
We could all use some heroes these days. Meltzer wanted to teach his children how to have heroes of compassion, kindness and character. So, with award-winning illustrator Christopher Eliopoulos, he has created a children’s book series called “Ordinary People Change the World,” and the books might inspire adults as well.
Meltzer will speak at the virtual Tucson Festival of Books about searching for heroes.
“We make a huge mistake with our heroes today,” he said. “We build these great monuments to them and chisel them out of granite and then worship at the foot of these monuments. We do our heroes a huge disservice with that because we forget that they’re human beings.”
These human beings are the subject of the “Ordinary People Change the World” series and Meltzer’s book festival talk.
“Anyone you look up to, whether it’s Abraham Lincoln or Rosa Parks or Amelia Earhart, had moments when they were scared or terrified and didn't know if they could go on, but they do,” Meltzer said. “I’m going to talk about those moments when they found the strength.”
During the 2016 presidential election, two books in the “Ordinary People” series began selling more than the others. They were “I am George Washington” and “I am Martin Luther King, Jr.” It appeared parents were tired of seeing politicians on TV and wanted to show their children what real leaders were like.
His latest children’s book, “A New Day,” has an interesting premise. “It’s the first book I ever dreamed,” Meltzer said.
In this book, Sunday quits. Sunday, the best day of the week for most of us, just quits. Can you live without Sundays?
The other days of the week hold tryouts and some amazing suggestions are offered, but they aren’t like Sunday. Without spoiling the ending, let’s just say as Meltzer says, “With just a little bit of kindness, every day can be a new day.”
Meltzer doesn’t just write for kids. He will also talk about his book “The Lincoln Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill America’s 16th President — and Why It Failed.”
“Abraham Lincoln is inspirational,” he said. “He gives us lessons not just on American History, but how to be a better person.”
You can read all about it on a nice, quiet Sunday. That’s assuming Sunday returns to the week.
The Tucson Festival of books will be a little different this year. You can attend in your pajamas. If you're not sure how that works, here's a little help.
Some links that will be helpful:
