SATA

SATA

Eliopoulos, Christopher

ENTRY TYPE:

WORK TITLE: The Imaginoodles
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://chriseliopoulos.com/
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: SATA 403

 

RESEARCHER NOTES:

PERSONAL

Born September 30, 1967, in Astoria, NY; married; children: twin sons.

EDUCATION:

Attended Fashion Institute of Technology, 1985-89.

ADDRESS

  • Home - River Vale, NJ.

CAREER

Author, illustrator, comic book artist, and cartoonist.

AWARDS:

Wizard Fan Award, favorite letterer, 2002, 2003; Eisner Award nomination, best letterer, 2006; Eagle Award nomination, best letterer, 2006, 2008; Eagle Award, best letterer, 2007; Harvey Award nomination, Special Award for Humor, 2008, for Franklin Richards; Harvey Award, best letterer, 2008, for Daredevil.

WRITINGS

  • SELF-ILLUSTRATED
  • Cosmic Commandos, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2017
  • Monster Mayhem, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2018
  • The Yawns Are Coming!, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2020
  • The Giggles Are Coming!, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2021
  • A Little Emotional, Rocky Pond Books (New York, NY), 2023
  • The Imaginoodles, Rocky Pond Books (New York, NY), 2024
  • ILLUSTRATOR
  • Zeldar the Great and Diana Holquist, The Rabbit Who Wants to Go to Harvard: A Parody, Dial Books (New York, NY), 2015
  • ILLUSTRATOR; “ORDINARY PEOPLE CHANGE THE WORLD” SERIES, WRITTEN BY BRAD MELTZER
  • I Am Amelia Earhart, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2014
  • I Am Abraham Lincoln, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2014
  • I Am Rosa Parks, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2014
  • I Am Albert Einstein, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2014
  • I Am Jackie Robinson, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2015
  • I Am Helen Keller, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2015
  • I Am Lucille Ball, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2015
  • I Am Martin Luther King Jr., Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2016
  • I Am George Washington, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2016
  • I Am Jane Goodall, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2016
  • I Am Sacagawea, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2017
  • I Am Jim Henson, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2017
  • I Am Gandhi, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2017
  • I Am Harriet Tubman, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2018
  • I Am Sonia Sotomayor, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2018
  • I Am Neil Armstrong, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2018
  • I Am Billie Jean King, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2019
  • I Am Marie Curie, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2019
  • I Am Walt Disney, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2019
  • I Am Unstoppable: A Little Book about Amelia Earhart (board book), Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2019
  • I Am Kind: A Little Book about Abraham Lincoln (board book), Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2019
  • I Am Caring: A Little Book about Jane Goodall (board book), Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2019
  • I Am Brave: A Little Book about Martin Luther King Jr. (board book), Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2019
  • I Am Leonardo da Vinci, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2020
  • I Am Benjamin Franklin, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2020
  • I Am Strong: A Little Book about Rosa Parks (board book), Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2020
  • I Am Curious: A Little Book about Albert Einstein (board book), Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2020
  • I Am Anne Frank, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2020
  • I Am I.M. Pei, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2021
  • I Am Oprah Winfrey, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2021
  • I Am Frida Kahlo, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2021
  • I Am Superman, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2022
  • I Am Batman, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2022
  • I Am Muhammad Ali, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2022
  • I Am Malala Yousafzai, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2022
  • I Am Dolly Parton, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2022
  • I Am John Lewis, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2023
  • I Am Temple Grandin, Rocky Pond Books (New York, NY), 2023
  • I Am Mister Rogers, Rocky Pond Books (New York, NY), 2023
  • I Am Wonder Woman, Rocky Pond Books (New York, NY), 2023
  • I Am Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Rocky Pond Books (New York, NY), 2024
  • You Can Change the World, Rocky Pond Books (New York, NY), 2024
  • I Am Jesse Owens, Rocky Pond Books (New York, NY), 2024
  • I Am Stephen Hawking, Rocky Pond Books (New York, NY), 2024
  • I Am Sally Ride, Rocky Pond Books (New York, NY), 2025
  • We Are the Beatles, Rocky Pond Books (New York, NY), 2025
  • I Am Simone Biles, Rocky Pond Books (New York, NY), 2025
  • ILLUSTRATOR; “XAVIER RIDDLE AND THE SECRET MUSEUM” SERIES
  • Brooke Vitale, I Am Mary Anning, Penguin Young Readers (New York, NY), 2021
  • Marilyn Easton, I Am Mary Shelley, Penguin Young Readers (New York, NY), 2021
  • Soy Harriet Tubman (Brad Meltzer, illus by Christopher Eliopoulos, tr by Isabel C. Mendoza), Rocky Pond Books (New York, NY ), 2024

Author of comic Desperate Times. Also illustrator of Marc Sumerak’s Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius. Creator of the webcomic Misery Loves Sherman and contributor to Daredevil, Marvel Comics.

SIDELIGHTS

Chris Eliopoulos is an award-winning cartoonist in addition to writing and illustrating books for young readers. His comic book output includes Desperate Times and Misery Loves Sherman, while his self-illustrated books for young readers include Cosmic Commandos, I Am Brave: A Little Book about Martin Luther King, Jr., Monster Mayhem, The Yawns Are Coming!, and A Little Emotional. Eliopoulos has also illustrated a popular series of biographical-themed books and board books by Brad Meltzer, with subjects ranging from Leonardo da Vinci to Jane Goodall to Martin Luther King Jr. In an interview on the Brightly website, Eliopoulos discussed his feelings about the importance of cartoons and graphic novels for young readers: “I grew up on comic strips and then comic books. I’ve seen a lot of places where graphic novels are looked down upon. I have found that, if we really want children to be excited to read, we must understand that there are reluctant readers and we need to give them a toe-hold to reading. That toe-hold can be graphic novels.”

 

Following a long stint as a comic book creator and artist, Eliopoulos launched his children’s book career with the 2015 work The Rabbit Who Wants to Go to Harvard: A Parody, on which he collaborated with Diana Holquist. He then published his own graphic novel, Cosmic Commandos, in 2017. Based on his life—particularly his experience raising twin sons with his wife—the book focuses on identical twins Jeremy and Justin. The twins are always fighting with one another, but when a magic ring appears and disaster threatens Earth, the duo must put aside their differences to save the planet. The writing is filled with clever puns and wordplay, and the constant antics keep the plot moving swiftly. Reviewers praised the book, with Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction critic Charles de Lint commending the author’s “effortless gift … for voicing such young characters.” De Lint added: “ Cosmic Commandos is a funny and entertaining story, suitable for both younger readers and the young at heart.” Similarly, a Kirkus Reviews contributor remarked that “readers will look for Eliopoulos’ next venture into kids’ comics with anticipation.”

That next venture turned out to be Monster Mayhem, a book about a young science wiz who excels at building robots and in which another magic ring plays a central plot role. Here, young Zoe finds it easier to work on her robots than socialize with other kids. One day, after she finds a strange ring, a monster out of a Japanese “kaiju” movie shows up on her front lawn. The monster, Chomp, and Zoe must then work together—along with some of Zoe’s other peers—to save the city from a horde of new monsters that appear. Zoe discovers in the end that the other kids at her school are not so bad after all. Once again, reviewers warmly greeted the humor and silly hijinks that Eliopoulos brings to the book. A Kirkus Reviews critic noted that “the story will keep readers giggling, gasping, and turning pages all the way to the thoroughly delightful end,” while a Publishers Weekly contributor commented that “this fun, relatable tale captures how children can lose themselves in interests to distract from feelings of loneliness and isolation.”

In The Yawns Are Coming!, Eliopoulos again offers up his trademark humor and wordplay, this time in a bedtime book for children. Two kids, the narrator and his best friend, Noodles, plan a sleepover in which no sleep is to take place—only play. However, the pair find themselves pursued at every turn by large blue blobs with names like Doze and Fluttering Snores. Eventually the blogs overtake the youngsters and sleep arrives. “Amid fun-filled antics in Eliopoulos’s signature style, his use of soothing cool colors plays out against ample white space, cleverly centering exaggerated yawns and bleary eyes,” noted a Publishers Weekly contributor. A Kirkus Reviews critic agreed, noting that the book provides “hilarious bedtime fun, ideal for sharing—provided the dozes hold off.” Eliopoulos produced a companion volume in 2021, The Giggles Are Coming!

In A Little Emotional, Eliopoulos features a wide range of emotions as anthropomorphized characters. These include Funn, Happiness, Guilt, Worry, and Kindness. On his website, Eliopoulos explained that the idea for the book came during the COVID-19 pandemic, when his book The Yawns Are Coming! was published into a very difficult economic environment: “I pictured this little kid being a little angry and that anger manifesting with this little ugly creature standing beside him. But, as his anger grew, so did the monster until it was huge, taking up the entire room, and nothing else. Just like I was feeling. I was consumed by my anger.” Some time later, after his anger had receded, Eliopoulos realized that the concept could grow in scope to encompass a range of emotions.

[OPEN NEW]

In The Imaginoodles, Henry is young hedgehog who likes to keep to himself, especially if he is feeling overwhelmed. That is a problem when he goes on a playdate with next-door neighbor Chester, a chipmunk who can be overwhelming. Chester wants to have pretend adventures in the backyard where they use their imagination. Using his imagination feels overwhelming to Henry, as he is afraid he will be judged for what he comes up with. When Henry steps out of his comfort zone, however, things turn out much better than he anticipated.

Reviewers enjoyed this self-illustrated outing from Eliopoulos. A contributor in Publishers Weekly praised the text as “funny and knowing” and wrote that the “comic-style action moves at a fast clip.” “A charming tale that will have readers unleashing their imaginations” is how a writer in Kirkus Reviews described the book. They called the story “amusing” and noted that different aspects of the design will “appeal to graphic novel fans.”

[CLOSE NEW]

In addition to his self-illustrated children’s books, Eliopoulos has also illustrated numerous titles in the “Ordinary People Change the World” series, written by Brad Meltzer. In titles such as I Am George Washington, I Am Sacagawea, and I Am Unstoppable: A Little Book about Amelia Earhart, Meltzer and Eliopoulos introduce young readers to men and women who have made significant contributions to human civilization. Reviewing I Am Jackie Robinson, a book about the first African American to play Major League Baseball, Booklist contributor Thom Barthelmess commented that the “eternally young narrator, comic-style illustrations, word-balloon dialogue, and a compact trim size” provide these books with an “immediacy” that “is the key to the success of the whole series.” Reviewing I Am Dolly Parton, a Booklist critic praised “Eliopoulos’ instantly recognizable illustrations.” Another Booklist critic, Ronny Khuri, said of I Am Anne Frank, : “This undeniably somber volume is appropriately lightened by Eliopoulos’ disarming cartoons.”

Discussing his approach to children’s book writing and illustrating, Eliopoulos told a Carlscomix interviewer that he enjoys crafting stories that both entertain and enlighten: “I think that anything that’s full of explosions is a lot of fun,” he remarked, “and that kids learn a lesson at the end [is] even better.”

BIOCRIT

PERIODICALS

  • Booklist, June 1, 2014, Lolly Gepson, review of I Am Albert Einstein, p. 84; June 1, 2014, Angela Leeper, review of I Am Rosa Parks, p. 86; February 1, 2015, Thom Barthelmess, review of I Am Jackie Robinson, p. 43; November 15, 2017, Connie Fletcher, review of I Am Gandhi, p. 46; July 1, 2018, Sarah Hunter, review of Monster Mayhem, p. 44; August 15, 2020, Ronny Khuri, review of I Am Anne Frank; June 1, 2022, review of I Am Dolly Parton, p. 71; August, 2024, Vivian Alvarez, review of Soy Harriet Tubman, p. 64.

  • Children’s Bookwatch, April, 2017, Brad Meltzer, review of I Am Jim Henson.

  • Kirkus Reviews, May 15, 2014, review of I Am Rosa Parks; July 15, 2014, review of I Am Albert Einstein; November 1, 2014, review of I Am Jackie Robinson; November 15, 2016, review of I Am Jim Henson; May 1, 2017, review of Cosmic Commandos; July 1, 2018, review of Monster Mayhem; February 15, 2020, review of The Yawns Are Coming!; November 1, 2023, review of I Am Ruth Bader Ginsburg; May 15, 2024, review of The Imaginoodles.

  • Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction, September-October, 2017, Charles de Lint, review of Cosmic Commandos, p. 93.

  • Publishers Weekly, November 4, 2013, review of I Am Amelia Earhart, p. 68; May 29, 2017, review of Cosmic Commandos, p. 70; July 2, 2018, review of Monster Mayhem, p. 71; March 2, 2020, review of The Yawns Are Coming!, p. 62; April 1, 2024, review of The Imaginoodles, p. 57.

  • School Library Journal, April, 2014, Maggie Chase, review of I Am Abraham Lincoln, p. 181; June, 2014, Ann W. Moore, review of I Am Albert Einstein, p. 140; November, 2014, Ann W. Moore, review of I Am Jackie Robinson, p. 130; January, 2017, Taylor Worley, review of I Am Jim Henson, p. 112.; July, 2017, Benjamin Russell, review of Cosmic Commandos, p. 81; October, 2020, Erica Ruscio, review of I Am Benjamin Franklin, pp. 94+; February, 2022, Sue Morgan, review of I Am Malala Yousafeai, p. 92.

ONLINE

  • Brightly, https://www.readbrightly.com/ (October 5, 2018), “Meet the Illustrator: Chris Eliopoulos”; August 8, 2025, “Meet the Illustrator: Chris Eliopoulos,” author interview; August 8, 2025, Laura Lambert, “Author Brad Meltzer and Illustrator Christopher Eliopoulos on the Heroes and Lessons We Need Right Now,” author interview.

  • Carlscomix, https://carlscomix.com/ (March 15, 2019), author interview.

  • Christopher Eliopoulos website, https://chriseliopoulos.com (August 8,2025).

  • The Imaginoodles Rocky Pond Books (New York, NY), 2024
  • I Am Mister Rogers Rocky Pond Books (New York, NY), 2023
  • I Am Wonder Woman Rocky Pond Books (New York, NY), 2023
  • I Am Ruth Bader Ginsburg Rocky Pond Books (New York, NY), 2024
  • You Can Change the World Rocky Pond Books (New York, NY), 2024
  • I Am Jesse Owens Rocky Pond Books (New York, NY), 2024
  • I Am Stephen Hawking Rocky Pond Books (New York, NY), 2024
  • I Am Sally Ride Rocky Pond Books (New York, NY), 2025
  • We Are the Beatles Rocky Pond Books (New York, NY), 2025
  • I Am Simone Biles Rocky Pond Books (New York, NY), 2025
1. I am Simone Biles LCCN 2025018499 Type of material Book Personal name Meltzer, Brad author Main title I am Simone Biles / Brad Meltzer ; Illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos. Published/Produced New York, NY : Rocky Pond Books, [2025] Projected pub date 2510 Description 1 online resource ISBN 9780593533499 9780593533505 (kindle edition) (hardcover) Item not available at the Library. Why not? 2. We are the Beatles LCCN 2025017081 Type of material Book Personal name Meltzer, Brad, author. Main title We are the Beatles / Brad Meltzer ; illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos. Published/Produced New York : Rocky Pond Books, 2025. Projected pub date 2505 Description 1 online resource ISBN 9780593533475 (kindle edition) 9780593533468 (hardcover) Item not available at the Library. Why not? 3. I am Sally Ride LCCN 2024051566 Type of material Book Personal name Meltzer, Brad author Main title I am Sally Ride / Brad Meltzer ; illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos. Published/Produced New York, New York : Rocky Pond Books, [2025] Projected pub date 2502 Description 1 online resource ISBN 9780593533437 eBook 9780593533444 kindle edition hardcover Item not available at the Library. Why not? 4. I am Stephen Hawking LCCN 2024033236 Type of material Book Personal name Meltzer, Brad, author. Main title I am Stephen Hawking / Brad Meltzer ; illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos. Published/Produced New York : Rocky Pond Books, 2024. Projected pub date 2409 Description 1 online resource ISBN 9780593533413 (kindle edition) 9780593533406 (ebook) (hardcover) Item not available at the Library. Why not? 5. The imaginoodles LCCN 2024008513 Type of material Book Personal name Eliopoulos, Chris, author, illustrator. Main title The imaginoodles / Christopher Eliopoulos. Published/Produced New York : Rocky Pond Books, 2024. Projected pub date 2407 Description 1 online resource ISBN 9780593698495 9780593698501 (kindle edition) (hardcover) Item not available at the Library. Why not? 6. I am Jesse Owens LCCN 2024008483 Type of material Book Personal name Meltzer, Brad, author. Main title I am Jesse Owens / Brad Meltzer ; illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos. Published/Produced New York : Rocky Pond Books, 2024. Projected pub date 2407 Description 1 online resource ISBN 9780593533383 (kindle edition) 9780593533376 (hardcover) Item not available at the Library. Why not? 7. You can change the world LCCN 2023056977 Type of material Book Personal name Meltzer, Brad, author. Main title You can change the world / Brad Meltzer, Christopher Eliopoulos. Published/Produced New York, NY : Rocky Pond, 2024. Projected pub date 2403 Description 1 online resource ISBN 9780593700471 9780593700488 (kindle edition) (hardcover) Item not available at the Library. Why not? 8. I am Ruth Bader Ginsburg LCCN 2023058174 Type of material Book Personal name Meltzer, Brad, author. Main title I am Ruth Bader Ginsburg / Brad Meltzer, Christopher Eliopoulos. Published/Produced New York : Rocky Pond Books, 2024. Projected pub date 2403 Description 1 online resource ISBN 9780593533345 9780593533352 (kindle edition) (hardcover) Item not available at the Library. Why not? 9. I am Helen Keller LCCN 2024403473 Type of material Book Personal name Meltzer, Brad, author. Main title I am Helen Keller / Brad Meltzer ; illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos. Published/Produced New York : Rocky Pond Books, 2023. Description 40 pages : illustrations (chiefly color) ; 20 cm. ISBN 9780593619209 (paperback) CALL NUMBER Not available Request in Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms 10. I am Wonder Woman LCCN 2023037280 Type of material Book Personal name Meltzer, Brad, author. Main title I am Wonder Woman / Brad Meltzer ; illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos. Published/Produced New York : Rocky Pond Books, [2023] Description (unnumbered) pages : color illustrations ; 20 cm. ISBN 9780593531495 (hardcover) (ebook) (ebook) CALL NUMBER PZ7.7.M4556 Iaw 2023 FT MEADE Copy 1 Request in Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms - STORED OFFSITE 11. I am Mister Rogers LCCN 2023037287 Type of material Book Personal name Meltzer, Brad, author. Main title I am Mister Rogers / Brad Meltzer ; illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos. Published/Produced New York : Rocky Pond Books, 2023. Projected pub date 2312 Description 1 online resource ISBN 9780593533321 (ebook) 9780593533314 (ebook) (hardcover) Item not available at the Library. Why not? 12. I am Wonder Woman LCCN 2023037281 Type of material Book Personal name Meltzer, Brad, author. Main title I am Wonder Woman / Brad Meltzer ; illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos. Published/Produced New York : Rocky Pond Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, [2023] Projected pub date 2311 Description 1 online resource ISBN 9780593531518 (ebook) 9780593531501 (ebook) (hardcover) Item not available at the Library. Why not? 13. I am Gandhi LCCN 2024403474 Type of material Book Personal name Meltzer, Brad, author. Main title I am Gandhi / Brad Meltzer ; illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos. Edition First paperback edition. Published/Produced New York, NY : Rocky Pond Books, 2023. Description 1 volume (unpaged) : illustrations (chiefly color) ; 20 cm. ISBN 9780593619216 (paperback) CALL NUMBER Not available Request in Jefferson or Adams Building Reading Rooms
  • Soy Harriet Tubman (Brad Meltzer, illus by Christopher Eliopoulos, tr by Isabel C. Mendoza) - 2024 Rocky Pond Books, New York, NY
  • Christopher Eliopoulos website - https://chriseliopoulos.com/

    Hi! Welcome to my little web page. I’m Chris. I’m a cartoonist. You may know me from The Ordinary People Change the World books or Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum on PBSKids.

    I also have a few of my own books out. Two graphic Novels; Cosmic Commandos and Monster Mayhem.

    I’ve also authored a few picture books: The Yawns Are Coming! The Giggles Are Coming! and out in May 2023, A Little Emotional!

  • Read Brightly - https://www.readbrightly.com/meet-illustrator-chris-eliopoulos/#0

    Meet the Illustrator: Chris Eliopoulos
    by the Brightly Editors
    If you have a young reader in your life, it’s likely you’re already familiar with Chris Eliopoulos’s artistic style. As the illustrator behind Brad Meltzer’s Ordinary People Change the World biography series, he has brought dozens of historical figures to life on the page, everyone from Gandhi to Harriet Tubman to Albert Einstein. Eliopoulos’s latest is a graphic novel for an older crowd: middle grade readers. Featuring a pair of twins who unexpectedly find themselves living a video game storyline in real life, Cosmic Commandos is the perfect read for modern-day tweens everywhere. In this installment of Meet the Illustrator, the author-illustrator shares how he fell in love with writing and illustrating, ponders his love of monsters, and shows us a self-portrait in his signature style.

    What first made you excited about art?

    When I was a kid, my uncle had a remainder book company and my parents would help him in the warehouse on weekends. They’d take me along and I’d sit in these large metal bins and read Peanuts books all day. Then I’d take them home. The Peanuts comic strip is how I fell in love with writing and drawing.

    What’s your favorite thing to draw at the moment?

    The book I’m currently working on, the sequel to Cosmic Commandos, is about monsters. So, right now, that’s my favorite.

    mti_dino-sketch_1-4dino-sketch-5

    Which illustration from your latest book did you especially enjoy creating?

    I loved drawing the Jell-O monster. (Detecting a theme?) He was this gelatinous blob that made me laugh. It was so silly.

    Which characters from your books would you like to spend time with?

    I based the two characters in Cosmic Commandos on my sons, Jeremy and Justin, so I like to spend time with them. Almost as much as spending time with my real sons.

    Can you draw us a self-portrait?

    Since I look better as a cartoon, it’s a must.

    self-portrait

    What illustrated book have you read recently and been wowed by?

    I’ve been reading the Hilo series by Judd Winick. He’s such a great storyteller. He can go from silly and weird to heartbreaking in less than a page. His writing is something I aspire to match.

    Why do you think art is important for kids? What can grown-ups do to encourage kids to engage with art?

    I grew up on comic strips and then comic books. I’ve seen a lot of places where graphic novels are looked down upon. I have found that, if we really want children to be excited to read, we must understand that there are reluctant readers and we need to give them a toe-hold to reading. That toe-hold can be graphic novels.

    Making it fun to read will create lifelong readers. And that’s the ultimate goal. Mixing art with writing will help that new reader learn to love books and reading, just as it did for me.

    What’s the best name for a color that you’ve ever heard?

    Xanadu. It’s a Chinese city, a bad movie, and gray-green color of the philodendron leaf.

  • Read Brightly - https://www.readbrightly.com/author-brad-meltzer-and-illustrator-christopher-eliopoulos-interview/

    Author Brad Meltzer and Illustrator Christopher Eliopoulos on the Heroes and Lessons We Need Right Now
    by Laura Lambert
    Background image credit: Hybrid_Graphics/Shutterstock
    When author Brad Meltzer and illustrator Christopher Eliopoulos sit down to decide who to tackle next in their beloved Ordinary People Change the World series, how do they choose? They each have their shortlists, of course. Early on, Meltzer wanted a sports hero for one of his sons — hence, Jackie Robinson; a woman in STEM for his daughter — hence, Jane Goodall; and a creative person — Walt Disney — for his other son.

    But there’s a bit of serendipity involved as well.

    Back in 2016, having worked together on the series for a couple years, Meltzer and Eliopoulos chose Gandhi. “During the 2016 election, everybody was angry. Everybody felt anxious, upset and worried,” explains Eliopoulos. I am Gandhi, which came out in the fall of 2017, offered a balm against all of that. “It benefited us as creators,” says Eliopoulos. “I took a lot out of that book — that mindfulness and peacefulness is the way. The answer is not in anger.”

    “You can’t plan your timing,” adds Meltzer. But one thing is for sure — there is a need for the kinds of stories that instruct and inspire.

    “The world is starving for heroes right now,” he says.

    This year, those heroes are Benjamin Franklin and Anne Frank, who are featured in the two latest installments of the Ordinary People Change the World series, out now.

    Benjamin Franklin, a Founding Father, speaks to Eliopoulos’ wheelhouse, which is Colonial America. But Franklin is also very much relevant today, in the midst of a presidential election. “At a time when a lot of kids don’t understand what it means to be an American, he’s an amazing person,” says Eliopoulos. “He has a great sense of humor, he’s smart, he’s inquisitive. It’s all the things we as Americans claim ourselves to be.”

    Anne Frank also speaks to this particular moment in time. “The rise of anti-Semitism … it’s too important to ignore,” explains Meltzer. “We knew we wanted to have a book that fought back against the targeting of people for their religion, their race, or just for being different.”

    I am Benjamin Franklin
    I am Benjamin Franklin
    by Brad Meltzer, illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos

    Available from:
    Amazon Barnes & Noble Bookshop Target Walmart
    I am Anne Frank
    I am Anne Frank
    by Brad Meltzer, illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos

    Available from:
    Amazon Barnes & Noble Bookshop Target Walmart
    And while kids may know certain facts about both characters — Ben Franklin and his kite, for example — it’s not just a history lesson.

    “This has never been a history series. These are books about values. These are books about character,” says Meltzer. And the books remind readers — children and adults, alike — that these people are just like you. They were kids once, too.

    One way they do that is to make sure that kids are seeing themselves — literally. That’s why Eliopoulos draws them as children throughout. “It confuses adults and makes sense to every child,” he says.

    The books are also about making mistakes — not perfection.

    “The hardest part is trying to maintain the complexity of these heroes and not just reduce them down to something that isn’t real,” he says. “When we put them on a pedestal, they’re not human beings anymore. Anyone you look up to — even Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. — there were moments when they were scared and terrified and didn’t know if they could go on. But they do.”

    That part resonates. Meltzer keeps a stack of letters from kids on his desk, and invariably, the parts children love best are not when the person succeeds.

    And, of course, the real heart of these stories comes in the last six pages. This is where Meltzer sends home the ultimate message of the book. And it’s where he enlists his wife.

    “It’s the one part we do together,” he explains. She comes up to his office and he reads to her. “I do it until one of us is in tears or gets emotional. That’s how we know it. That’s what the book is about,” he says. And that’s because, in the end, these are also books for parents.

    “What is the lesson we need so badly?” Meltzer and his wife ask themselves. “That’s the ending.”

MELTZER, Brad. I Am Benjamin Franklin, illus. by Christopher Eliopoulos. 32p. (Ordinary People Change the World). Dial. Oct. 2020. Tr $15.99. ISBN 9780525555919.

K-Gr 3--This latest installment in the "Ordinary People Change the World" series covers the life of Benjamin Franklin. Using first-person narration, the text opens with a few anecdotes from Franklin's childhood in Boston before launching into the many accomplishments of his adult life, such as his printing career in Philadelphia, his kite and electricity experiment, and the subsequent invention of the lightning rod. Unexplained cameos of other electricity pioneers in the final spread--from Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison to Doc Brown and Marty McFly--suggest that the biography's focus is on Franklin's scientific achievements. The text also describes Franklin's role as a Founding Father; however, it completely ignores why George III was treating the colonies "unfairly." Franklin's attempts at self-improvement are also featured. One spread shows his chart of 13 virtues, and the final spread advises, 'You don't have to be just one thing. But you do need to be a good person." Overall, this formulaic overview may work for some of the other books in this series, but this breezy biography attempts to include too many facets of Franklin's life without context or much detail. Back matter includes a time line, sources, and a further reading list. VERDICT An extra purchase where short biographies are popular.--Erica Ruscio, Ventress Memorial Lib., Marshfield, MA

Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Ruscio, Erica. "MELTZER, Brad. I Am Benjamin Franklin." School Library Journal, vol. 66, no. 10, Oct. 2020, pp. 94+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A638792852/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=8ec65eec. Accessed 26 June 2025.

MELIZER, Brad. I Am Malala Yousafeai. illus. by Christopher Eliopoulos. 40p. (Ordinary People Change the World). Dial. Feb. 2022. Tr $15.99. ISBN 9780593405888.

K-Gr 2--This first-person biography presents Pakistani activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai from the time she was a young girl to more recent times. In the chatty early pages, Malala describes her favorite color and foods, is shown arm-wrestling with her brother, and talks about games she plays with her friends. The narrative then abruptly changes to a street scene in which the unfair treatment of girls and women is briefly explained. Following pages depict Malala's education at her father's school--later shut down by the Taliban--the horrific attack that left her with a devastating facial wound; her subsequent recovery and determination fueled her message of empowerment for the world. Though the events in the book are presented in chronological order, there is a disjointed quality to the text which may prove confusing to younger readers. Several pages at the end, for example, are less biographical than a call to power: "The world doesn't change unless you speak up. Use your voice. Help those who need it." Despite the current appeal of graphic novels to young readers, the illustrations in this book seem oversimplified, with very limited facial expressions. Back matter includes a time line and photographs. VERDICT An additional purchase for libraries that don't already have one of the numerous excellent biographies on this Malala.--Sue Morgan

Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
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Morgan, Sue. "MELIZER, Brad. I Am Malala Yousafeai." School Library Journal, vol. 68, no. 2, Feb. 2022, p. 92. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A692875696/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=e4d99b13. Accessed 26 June 2025.

Meltzer, Brad I AM RUTH BADER GINSBURG Rocky Pond Books/Penguin (Children's None) $16.99 1, 9 ISBN: 9780593533338

The distinguished jurist stands tall as a role model.

Not literally tall, of course--not only was she actually tiny but, as with all the other bobbleheaded caricatures in the "Ordinary People Change the World" series, Ginsburg, sporting huge eyeglasses on an outsize head over black judicial robes even in childhood, remains a doll-like figure in all of Eliopoulos' cartoon scenes. It's in the frank acknowledgment of the sexism and antisemitism she resolutely overcame as she went from reading about "real female heroes" to becoming one--and also the clear statement of how she so brilliantly applied the principle of "tikkun olam" ("repairing the world") in her career to the notion that women and men should have the same legal rights--that her stature comes clear. For all the brevity of his profile, Meltzer spares some attention for her private life, too ("This is Marty. He loved me, and he loved my brains. So I married him!"). Other judicial activists of the past and present, all identified and including the current crop of female Supreme Court justices, line up with a diversely hued and abled group of younger followers to pay tribute in final scenes. "Fight for the things you care about," as a typically savvy final quote has it, "but do it in a way that will lead others to join you."

Quick and slick, but ably makes its case. (timeline, photos, source list, further reading) (Picture-book biography. 7-9)

Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Meltzer, Brad: I AM RUTH BADER GINSBURG." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Nov. 2023. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A770738858/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=a4b4741b. Accessed 26 June 2025.

Christopher Eliopoulos. Rocky Pond, $19.99 (48p) ISBN 978-0-5936-9848-8

Anthropomorphized hedgehog Henry retreats into a protective ball when overwhelmed, prefers to read about adventures than to have them, and really doesn't want to meet the new kid next door ("He's probably going to think I'm the biggest dork on earth"). And Henry's fears seem justified when the neighbor, headstrong chipmunk Chester, insists on rambunctious pretend play ("This mound of dirt is a volcano ready to EXPLODE!"). After the hedgehog, having reality-checked a number of Chester's imagined scenarios (about the Sleeping Mountains--"These are just little rocks"), finally confesses to a fear of being judged, Chester isn't having it: "Imagination isn't about being 'cool.' It's about being silly and not caring what anyone else thinks." So Henry gives it a tentative whirl--and comes up with an "amazing" voracious sock monster who wants to eat Chester, necessitating a brilliant rescue. If Chester's steamroller antics initially come on strong, all-dialogue text from Eliopoulos (The Yawns Are Coming!) is funny and knowing, the comics-style action moves at a fast clip, and Henry seems genuinely pleased to discover his place among the most exuberant of pretenders. Ages 4-8. (July)

Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 PWxyz, LLC
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"The Imaginoodles." Publishers Weekly, vol. 271, no. 13, 1 Apr. 2024, p. 57. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A799108144/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=cd8fd3be. Accessed 26 June 2025.

Eliopoulos, Christopher THE IMAGINOODLES Rocky Pond Books/Penguin (Children's None) $19.99 7, 9 ISBN: 9780593698488

Two animals form a friendship despite their differences.

Shy Henry the hedgehog prefers reading about adventures to actually going on them. He worries that his new neighbor, Chester, will think he's dorky. But with prodding from his dad, he heads over to meet Chester. Chester's thrilled and introduces Henry to the world of imagination, which isn't Henry's forte--or so he believes. When Chester introduces Henry to a fire-breathing "dragon" named Denissa, Henry's skeptical: Denissa looks more like a lizard to Henry. But Chester's determined. Wielding a "magic stick," he transforms the backyard into the magical domain of Imaginaria. As they stroll through Imaginaria, they encounter strange characters and places: "the wise and powerful Smartacus" (actually, that's a garden gnome, as Henry points out), the Candy Forest ("lollipops stuck in the ground"), and the Rainbow Plains ("chalk on the driveway"). But with Chester's encouragement, diffident Henry eventually proves himself to be no imaginative slouch. This amusing, fast-paced tale will appeal to readers' sense of fun. Henry and Chester are lively, endearing characters who speak via speech balloons, comics-style. Typographical wizardry, with numerous onomatopoeic words and large, capitalized words used for dramatic effect, will appeal to graphic novel fans.

A charming tale that will have readers unleashing their imaginations. (Picture book. 4-7)

Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Eliopoulos, Christopher: THE IMAGINOODLES." Kirkus Reviews, 15 May 2024. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A793537049/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=c48bd623. Accessed 26 June 2025.

Soy Harriet Tubman.

By Brad Meltzer. Illus. by Christopher Eliopoulos. Tr. by Isabel C. Mendoza.

Aug. 2024. 40p. VHL/Vista, paper, $14.95 (9781669915218). Gr. 1-3. 326.8092.

A part of Meltzer and Eliopoulos' popular Ordinary People Change the World series, this installment focusing on Harriet Tubman is now available in Spanish in this beautiful translation by Mendoza. Beginning with her early life as Amarinta, the fifth child of nine, the narrative follows the girl born into slavery as she meets other enslaved people on the plantation and fuels her desire for freedom. Eventually, she changes her name to Harriet Tubman to conceal her identity and embarks on a difficult journey with the North Star as her guide to the Underground Railroad, finding helpful people, both Black and white, along the way and ultimately risking the route 13 more times to guide her family and many others to freedom. Eliopoulos' comics pages make this account of history inviting and digestible, with important, evocative details about the environment in the background illustrations. The robust back matter has a time line, photos, and further references. Eight other entries in this kid-favorite series are currently available in Spanish under the series title Gente comun y corriente que cambio el mundo.

Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
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Alvarez, Vivian. "Soy Harriet Tubman." Booklist, vol. 120, no. 22, Aug. 2024, p. 64. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A808396839/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=1b173235. Accessed 26 June 2025.

Ruscio, Erica. "MELTZER, Brad. I Am Benjamin Franklin." School Library Journal, vol. 66, no. 10, Oct. 2020, pp. 94+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A638792852/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=8ec65eec. Accessed 26 June 2025. Morgan, Sue. "MELIZER, Brad. I Am Malala Yousafeai." School Library Journal, vol. 68, no. 2, Feb. 2022, p. 92. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A692875696/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=e4d99b13. Accessed 26 June 2025. "Meltzer, Brad: I AM RUTH BADER GINSBURG." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Nov. 2023. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A770738858/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=a4b4741b. Accessed 26 June 2025. "The Imaginoodles." Publishers Weekly, vol. 271, no. 13, 1 Apr. 2024, p. 57. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A799108144/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=cd8fd3be. Accessed 26 June 2025. "Eliopoulos, Christopher: THE IMAGINOODLES." Kirkus Reviews, 15 May 2024. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A793537049/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=c48bd623. Accessed 26 June 2025. Alvarez, Vivian. "Soy Harriet Tubman." Booklist, vol. 120, no. 22, Aug. 2024, p. 64. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A808396839/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=1b173235. Accessed 26 June 2025.