Life’s like a movie… write your own ending… keep believing… keep pretending…

Throughout the past year Brad Meltzer, noted fiction and non-fiction author and television personality (and DC Comics writer for the Identity Crisis and Green Arrow series) joined former Marvel Comics artist Christopher Eliopoulos to produce the Ordinary People Change the World series of books for young readers from Dial/Penguin/Random House.  Each of these could–or should–be your child, your nephew, niece, grandchild, or other young friend’s first book.  Back in September we previewed the most recent books in the series here at borg.com, featuring Dr. Jane Goodall and President George Washington.  This month Meltzer and Eliopoulos are releasing their latest inspirational and educational book for kids, I am Jim Henson.

What is incredible about this book in the series is Eliopoulos’s success in seemingly including every Muppet you can think of one way or another, all his fuzzy and beloved characters from both Sesame Street and The Muppet Show.  From Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy to Yoda and the movies Henson created, details of Henson’s life that will interest his fans are all here.  Meltzer, writing in first person as Henson, recreates Henson’s influences and youth.  Most importantly, Henson’s love of magic, imagination, and learning, and characters who taught everyone about laughter and kindness, will inspire new generations to look at his works again, and maybe even create their own.

Meltzer and Eliopoulos know Henson’s characters like fans do–some of the most memorable lines and images of them can be found tucked into the background and corners of each page.

“We Can All Be Heroes” is a theme of the Ordinary People Change the World series, and it’s a good message for young and old alike.  Prior books in the series feature Amelia Earhart, Rosa Parks, Abraham Lincoln, Helen Keller, Martin Luther King, Jr., Albert Einstein, Jackie Robinson, George Washington and Lucille Ball.  Future books will include Sacajawea.

As with past books in the series, Meltzer and Eliopoulos include “Where’s Waldo?” type images throughout all their books for kids to hunt for, always a fun bonus for readers of all ages.

Pick up I am Jim Henson now here at Amazon.  The book is a tribute to the man, and a sweet and profound book to spread goodness to others.

C.J. Bunce
Editor
borg.com