Brad Meltzer normally writes adult thrillers and he also hosts the show Decoded On the History Channel. One day, he realized that his young daughter was surrounded by princesses, but he wanted her to discover real-life heroes. To complete that task, he began his wonderful book series called Ordinary People Change the World. These books are written for children to learn about the character and influence ordinary people have shared in our world. Each book is titled “I am…” and starts with the person’s childhood in a way that young children can relate to; the person then shares information about her or his accomplishments throughout adulthood. The books are written in an easy-to-read format and include eye-catching illustrations in which the person highlighted in each book is drawn as a unique cartoon caricature that jumps out on every page. Each book ends with black and white photos, a timeline, and a quote from the person the book is written about. Even as an adult, I find these books encouraging and they make me want to continue to find ways that I can make this world a better place. If you or your child would like to know more about everyday people who changed the world as scientists, activists, artists, athletes, adventurers, and more, be sure to check out the Ordinary People Change the World book series.
Anyone Can Change the World
