Who Are Your Heroes?

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.