Book – 50 American Heroes Every Kid Should Meet

by Dr. Dennis Denenberg (a co-founder of “The Heroes Club”) and Lorraine Roscoe

“50 American Heroes Every Kid Should Meet!” is a compilation of short biographies of men and women from different eras, professions, and ethnic backgrounds.

How quickly can you name 50 American heroes? They can be men or women, young or old, from the past or present, living or dead. But they all must have made an exceptional, positive contribution to our world. This simple, yet unique, book biographies 50 great American heroes in lavishly illustrated double-page spreads — including Susan B. Anthony, Martha Graham, Bill Cosby, Thomas Jefferson, Sandra Day O’Connor, Tecumseh, and many more.

The following review provides a nice introduction to this book.

In their introduction, Denenberg and Roscoe challenge readers to name fifty people whom they view as heroes. The one requirement all fifty must meet is that “all must have made an exceptional positive contribution to our world.” Denenberg and Roscoe’s own list consists of doctors, inventors, teachers, conservationists, and politicians, among others. Many of their subjects are well known, but some might not be as familiar to young readers. Each hero is introduced in a double-page spread that includes information on the person’s most famous accomplishments, a “Power Word” quote, the title of a book for further reading, and photographs. The authors also include website addresses and snail mail addresses of organizations that readers can contact for further information. 50 American Heroes Every Kid Should Meet is not intended to be a biography; rather it is intended to be used as a springboard that leads children to learn more about the book’s subjects. It also encourages young readers to turn away from idolizing only athletes and pop-stars and learn more about people who have really made a difference in the world. Denenberg and Roscoe present a racially and ethnically diverse group of heroes. Some of the heroes they discuss are George Washington, Ben Franklin, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Tecumseh, labor activist Dolores Huerta, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel. The authors encourage readers to find a way to make a difference in their community, offering suggestions as to how they can do this. Overall, this is an exceptional reference work.

-AnnMarie Hamar

(reprinted from www.heroes4us.com/reviews.html)

Editorial Review - Cahners Business Information (c) 2001
Gr 3-6-A compilation of short biographies of men and women from different eras, professions, and ethnic backgrounds. The alphabetically arranged, double-page entries include expected names, such as Mary McLeod Bethune, Thomas Jefferson, and Harriet Tubman, as well as the unexpected, for example, Martha Graham, Yo-Yo Ma, and Cal Ripken, Jr., with justification by the authors. The sketches are casual, sometimes asking readers questions to provoke thought. Many of the entries seem more chatty than informative, e.g., for Milton Hershey, “Sounds like a fantasy place in a kids’ book, doesn’t it? Well, don’t tell that to the people in Hershey, Pennsylvania. It’s their home!” Black-and-white pictures of the individuals appear on every spread. The profiles are followed by a “Hero Hunt,” 24 questions to encourage children to uncover the identities of other American heroes via their computers or encyclopedias. It’s all a great idea and a nice collection for browsing, but readers who want more information than inspiration will need to look elsewhere.-Be Astengo, Alachua County Library, Gainesville, FL

Ordering

You can order an autographed copy from the author or you may buy a copy on Amazon.com.