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Who Are Your Heroes?


RELATED SHOW: XAVIER RIDDLE AND THE SECRET MUSEUM

Emotions & Self-AwarenessSocial SkillsCharacter

Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum


WHO ARE YOUR HEROES?

By Brad Meltzer
Nov 8, 2019
Author:

Brad Meltzer

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Jim Henson and Mister Rogers.

Those are my answers.

The question? “Who is your hero?”

The master puppeteer and the King of Kindness are my go-tos. They’ve always been
my heroes. Of course, now you’re making some assumptions about me. I don’t blame
you. You can tell a lot about someone by whom they idolize. Indeed, after two
decades of studying so-called “heroes,” I’ve realized that heroes are really
magic mirrors. Your heroes don’t just reflect you; they reveal you. If you tell
me who your hero is, I’ll tell you who you are.

A few years ago, I started to think about the heroes our children have today,
when I heard my own kids always talking about reality TV stars and people who
were famous for being famous. With my love of history, I knew there were better
heroes for my kids to emulate. I wanted my kids to look up to heroes who were
brave, humble, hardworking, people who blazed new trails and left behind a
profound legacy.

But the most important thing I wanted my children to understand is ordinary
people can change the world. Any historical hero that has impacted our lives was
once a kid, just like you and me. They had fears, they had doubts, they had
flaws, they had everyday difficulties. They were also funny, smart, curious, and
full of adventure, just like I hoped my kids would be.

I wanted to do my own part to change the world. And so I started writing
non-fiction children’s books. I began with I AM AMELIA EARHART, to teach my
daughter the value of courage and bravery. Then I wrote I AM ABRAHAM LINCOLN, to
teach my son about the importance of using your voice to speak up for someone
who needs help. Today, the Ordinary People Change the World series is one of the
most successful children’s series in the last decade.

But I knew I could do more. That’s why I’m so proud that kids everywhere will be
able to watch PBS KIDS’ newest series XAVIER AND THE SECRET MUSEUM, based on my
books. The show will bring the heroes of the past into the present, and help
kids tackle challenges in their own lives. In one episode, Harriet Tubman
teaches Xavier the true meaning of courage. In another, Dolores Huerta shows how
powerful it can be when you speak up to help others.

For me, this isn't just a TV show. It's my dream for my daughter. My dream for
my sons. My dream for all of us who need to see the power of an ordinary
person...and the power — and potential — in each of us.

As I’ve learned in my research, there are thousands of ways to be a hero. But as
parents, there is one thing we can all do: share with our kids our own
heroes—from Sacagawea to Jackie Robinson, from Helen Keller to George Washington
Carver, from a grandparent to an English teacher. Show our kids what our heroes
accomplished. Show them what they stand for. Show them why they mattered. In the
process, like it or not, you’ll be revealing the very best thing of all: who you
really are. As for Jim Henson and Mister Rogers, when I was five years old, they
taught me that you could use creativity to put good out into the world. I still
owe them both for that.

Author:

Brad Meltzer is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of thrillers like The
Escape Artist, non-fiction books like The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to
Kill George Washington, gift books like Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My
Daughter, and of course, the Ordinary People Change the World series. He also
helped find the missing 9/11 flag with his History Channel television show Brad
Meltzer’s Lost History.

Explore Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum

Follow Xavier, Yadina and Brad as they tackle everyday problems by traveling
back in time!

Explore Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum

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