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WORK TITLE: I AM RUTH BADER GINSBURG
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WEBSITE: http://bradmeltzer.com/
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COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: SATA 359
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PERSONAL
Born April 1, 1970, in New York, NY; son of Stewart and Teri Meltzer; married Cori Flam (an attorney), 1995; children: two son, a daughter.
EDUCATION:University of Michigan, B.A. (with high distinction), 1992; Columbia University, J.D., 1996.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer, attorney, and television host. Americorps, Washington, DC, staff writer, 1994; freelance writer, beginning 1997. Creator, with Steven Cohen, and supervising producer of television series Jack & Bobby, WB network, 2004; creator, executive producer, and host of television series Brad Meltzer’s Decoded, History Channel, 2010-11, and Brad Meltzer’s Lost History, History Channel, 2014—; host of America’s 9/11 Flag: Rose from the Ashes, 2016.
AWARDS:Eisner Award, Comic-Con.org, 2008, for “Justice League of America” story arcs; named honorary chair of National Library Week, 2012.
RELIGION: Jewish.WRITINGS
Work represented in anthology The Games We Played: A Celebration of Childhood and Imagination, edited by Steven A. Cohen, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2001; contributor of single issues to various comics.
Film rights to The Tenth Justice were optioned by Fox, 2000. Film rights to The Zero Game were optioned by Kathleen Kennedy and director Gary Ross. The First Counsel was adapted for audiobook, read by D.B. Sweeney, Time Warner, 2001.
SIDELIGHTS
In addition to his work as an attorney and host of several television programs, Brad Meltzer has written political thrillers such as the best-selling The First Counsel as well as producing stories for comic-book series published by DC Comics. Meltzer turned his focus to younger readers in his “Ordinary People Change the World” series of picture-book biographies, which are aimed to inspire young readers. On his personal website, Meltzer admitted that although he did not always know that he would one day become a writer, he “always liked writing. Even back in high school, I tried to write all my papers using tons of dialogue. But it never hit me until I left college. Where I grew up, writing wasn’t ‘a real job.’ And, thankfully, it still isn’t.”
While attending Columbia University Law School, Meltzer penned his debut novel, The Tenth Justice. The work, dubbed a “crafty legal thriller” by a Publishers Weekly reviewer, is set in Washington, DC, and centers on Ben Addison, a clerk for a U.S. Supreme Court justice who makes the ethical error of divulging the confidential outcome of a case to a con man. Other novels for adults by Meltzer include The First Counsel, described as a “lightning-paced suspense thriller” by a Publishers Weekly reviewer, as well as The Millionaires and The Book of Fate, the latter a “dark tale of ex-presidents, assassinations, Masonic intrigue and a 200-year-old secret code invented by Thomas Jefferson,” according to a Kirkus Reviews critic.
Meltzer’s television work includes Brad Meltzer’s Decoded, a program produced for the History Channel that focuses on symbology and conspiracy theories. In the companion book History Decoded: Solving the Ten Greatest Conspiracies of All Time, he and Keith Ferrell examine the facts surrounding ten of history’s most famous conspiracy theories, among them the assassination of U.S. president John F. Kennedy, the possibility that aliens are being housed at Area 51, and the apocalyptic concerns of Italian painter Leonardo da Vinci. The book’s subtitle notwithstanding, the authors raise questions for readers and provide evidence for them to ponder. In Booklist, David Pitt wrote that “Meltzer gains credibility by not being afraid to admit that definitive answers are elusive.” (open new) Other nonfiction volumes by Meltzer include The Lincoln Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill the Sixteenth President —And Why It Failed and The Nazi Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill.(close new—more below)
Meltzer’s start in comics came in 2002, when he wrote stories for DC Comics’ “Green Arrow” series. He followed that effort with “Identity Crisis,” a seven-issue story arc featuring Batman, Superman, the Flash, and other members of the Justice League of America. Meltzer earned critical praise for emphasizing character development over action in the work, a reviewer in Publishers Weekly dubbing the book-length anthology Identity Crisis “a genuine comics landmark.” With this success behind him, Meltzer became the driving force behind the relaunch of DC’s “Justice League” series.
Featuring cartoon-style illustrations by Chris Eliopoulos, Meltzer’s “Ordinary People Change the World” series includes I Am Rosa Parks, I Am Jackie Robinson, and I Am Abraham Lincoln, and I Am Amelia Earhart. By focusing on the personality traits these individuals displayed even in childhood, his texts demonstrate how ordinary people can accomplish monumental tasks. I Am Rosa Parks examines the role of the famed activist in the Montgomery, Alabama, bus boycotts of 1955-56, and Meltzer’s emphasis on Parks’s determined nature and sense of dignity “lends itself well to character education studies,” according to Angela Leeper in her Booklist review. I Am Abraham Lincoln highlights the sixteenth U.S. president’s commitment to fairness, while I Am Amelia Earhart emphasizes the early-twentieth-century aviator’s bold and daring nature. In School Library Journal Maggie Chase wrote that the mix of comic-book art and Meltzer’s “brief, readable text will appeal to young readers,” while a critic for Publishers Weekly observed that “moments of humor balance out the plainly stated message: ‘Whatever your dream is, chase it.’”
I Am Albert Einstein, another installment in Meltzer’s “Ordinary People Change the World” series, stresses the Nobel Prize-winning physicist’s always-curious mind as well as his independent streak. Another lesson in courage is offered in I Am Jackie Robinson, which introduces young readers to the African American athlete who broke Major League Baseball’s “color barrier” in 1946. Noting Eliopoulos’s decision to portray Robinson with perpetually childlike features—a technique he uses throughout the series—as well as the use of comic-book-style dialog bubbles, Booklist contributor Thom Barthelmess maintained that the resulting sense of “immediacy is the key to the success of the whole series.”
Meltzer continued the “Ordinary People Change the World” series with I Am Jim Henson, I Am Gandhi, and I Am Walt Disney. With I Am Jim Henson, Meltzer profiles the famous puppeteer and creator of the Muppets, Jim Henson, as well as several of his most famous characters. He emphasizes Henson’s belief that we should search for the good in life and aspire to replicate that whenever possible. A contributor to Kirkus Reviews stated, “Nearly every child will know his work already; here’s at least a superficial glimpse of his character.” With I Am Gandhi, Meltzer chronicles the rise of Gandhi from a kid who claims to have been bad at multiplication to one of the world’s most notable human rights advocates. Booklist contributor Connie Fletcher remarked that “this humanizing device should make readers take heart, and take to heart the lessons that” Gandhi can teach us through his examples in life. Similarly, in I Am Walt Disney, Meltzer chronicles how Disney sought personal happiness with himself before setting out to design “the happiest place on Earth” for others.
(open new)Among the other subjects in the “Ordinary People Change the World” series are Benjamin Franklin and Anne Frank. In the book on the former, Meltzer focuses on the Founding Father, who became an inventor and writer before going on to help create the United States of America. In the volume on Frank, the subject is shown living a normal life as a child before the Nazis come to power and begin persecuting the Jews in her country. Anne and her family find a hiding place, hoping to wait out the turmoil, and Anne bides her time by writing while keeping a positive attitude. At the end of the book, it is revealed that Frank was killed in a concentration camp. A contributor to Kirkus Reviews described I Am Anne Frank as “a sanitized version of a too-short life.” Reviewing these later installments in the series in Booklist, Ronny Khuri remarked that they “continue to deliver accessible history lessons through the charm of youthful comics.”
I Am Ruth Bader Ginsburg is focused on the celebrated Supreme Court justice, who was only the second woman, after Sandra Day O’Connor, to serve in that position. In an interview with Henry Santoro and Marilyn Schairer, contributors to the WGBH website, Meltzer discussed Ginsburg’s childhood, stating: “Back then, girls weren’t supposed to have adventures like that. In the books she was reading, the boys went on adventures and the girls sat around in pretty pink dresses.” However, Ginsburg’s mother regularly took her to the library and allowed her to check out biographies of remarkable women, including Amelia Earhart. “And in those books, young Ruth Bader Ginsburg learned the most valuable lesson, probably of her life, which is there’s absolutely nothing that a girl can’t do. And I want that lesson for my daughter. I want that lesson for my son. That’s what I am Ruth Bader Ginsburg as a book is all about,” asserted Meltzer. In addition to discussing Ginsburg’s childhood, the book also tracks her ascent in the legal sphere. A Kirkus Reviews writer described the volume as “quick and slick, but ably makes its case.”
Meltzer worked with illustrator Dan Santat on the 2021 standalone picture book, A New Day. In this volume, the days of the week are personified. Sunday feel under-appreciated, so she tells the other days that she is quitting her job. The other days begin auditioning replacements for Sunday, which include Big-BurpDay, DogDay, Band-AidDay, and FirepoleSlidingIntoPoolsOfCottonCandyDay. Meanwhile, a little girl privately expresses appreciation for Sunday and suggests that the day could be used to show kindness to others. The girl’s idea inspires Sunday to return to her job and to encourage the other days to promote kindness, as well. A critic in Kirkus Reviews suggested that the volume offered “a humorous, meandering approach to a life lesson about leading every day with benevolence.” Writing in School Library Journal, Mary Lanni called it “dynamic and engaging.”(close new)
Meltzer and Josh Mensch collaborated on the American Revolutionary War-era nonfiction account The First Conspiracy, a book intended for younger readers. Treason and undercover operations abounded as the American colonists assembled to stave off the well-organized and well-connected British. George Washington worried about the rumors he was hearing and pulled together a team that could separate fact from fiction and misinformation. He also assembled the Life Guards to protect him from potential assassination attempts. A contributor to Kirkus Reviews called it “a lively political thriller.”
Meltzer’s innovative approach to life has aided him in his success as a writer. “With novels, comics, and television, you use entirely different palettes,” he told Library Journal interviewer Jeff Ayers. “In novels, the palette is words. In comics, I paint with words and pictures. And in television, you mix words, pictures, actors, music, and all the things that make a Jackson Pollock painting. The key is learning the limits and benefits of each medium.”
BIOCRIT
BOOKS
Newsmakers, Issue 4, Gale (Detroit, MI), 2005.
PERIODICALS
Booklist, September 1, 2000, Danise Hoover, review of The First Counsel, p. 7; December 1, 2001, Mary Frances Wilkens, review of The Millionaires, p. 606; November 15, 2003, Mary Frances Wilkens, review of The Zero Game, p. 549; September 1, 2005, Gordon Flagg, review of Identity Crisis, p. 77; July 1, 2006, David Pitt, review of The Book of Fate, p. 7; July 1, 2008, Mary Frances Wilkens, review of The Book of Lies, p. 5; December 1, 2008, Mary Frances Wilkens, review of The Book of Lies, p. 71; December 15, 2010, David Pitt, review of The Inner Circle, p. 23; January 1, 2013, Jen Baker, review of The Fifth Assassin, p. 46; October 1, 2013, David Pitt, review of History Decoded: Solving the Ten Greatest Conspiracies of All Time, p. 6; June 1, 2014, Lolly Gepson, review of I Am Albert Einstein, p. 84, and Angela Leeper, review of I Am Rosa Parks, p. 86; February 1, 2015, Thom Barthelmess, review of I Am Jackie Robinson, p. 43; May 1, 2015, Jen Barker, review of The President’s Shadow, p. 43; November 15, 2017, Connie Fletcher, review of I Am Gandhi, p. 46; April 15, 2020, Sara Jorgensen, review of The Lincoln Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill the Sixteenth President—and Why It Failed, p. 14; October 15, 2020, Ronny Khuri, review of “Ordinary People Change the World” series, p. 43.
BookPage, March 1, 2001, review of The First Counsel, p. 20; January 1, 2002, review of The Millionaires, p. 5.
Christian Science Monitor, July 31, 1997, Michele Ross, review of The Tenth Justice, p. B2.
Entertainment Weekly, January 31, 2019, Anthony Breznican, “Pop Culture of My Life: Brad Meltzer on the Stories That Changed His Life.”
Fortune, March 4, 2002, Nicholas Varchaver, author interview, p. 44.
Globe & Mail (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), January 12, 2002, review of The Millionaires.
Kirkus Reviews, March 1, 1997, review of The Tenth Justice, p. 329; October 1, 2000, review of The First Counsel, p. 1380; November 15, 2001, review of The Millionaires, p. 1572; November 15, 2003, review of The Zero Game, p. 1333; August 1, 2006, review of The Book of Fate, p. 747; December 15, 2010, review of The Inner Circle; December 1, 2012, review of The Fifth Assassin; October 15, 2013, review of History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time; December 15, 2013, review of I Am Abraham Lincoln; 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; April 15, 2015, review of The President’s Shadow; June 1, 2016, review of The House of Secrets; November 15, 2016, review of I Am Jim Henson; January 1, 2018, review of The Escape Artist; September 1, 2019, review of I Am Walt Disney; October 15, 2019, review of The First Conspiracy; March 15, 2020, review of The Lincoln Conspiracy; August 15, 2020, review of I Am Anne Frank; December 15, 2020, review of A New Day; May 1, 2022, review of The Lightning Rod; October 15, 2022, review of The Nazi Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill; November 1, 2023, review of I Am Ruth Baden Ginsburg.
Kliatt, September 1, 2004, Mary Purucker, review of The Zero Game, p. 66.
Library Journal, February 15, 1997, Lori Dunn, review of The Tenth Justice, p. 163; June 15, 1998, Alicia Graybill, review of Dead Even, p. 108; October 15, 2000, Jeff Ayers, review of The First Counsel, p. 102; January, 2002, Jeff Ayers, review of The Millionaires, p. 153; December, 2003, Jeff Ayers, review of The Zero Game, p. 167; January 1, 2006, Steve Raiteri, review of Identity Crisis, p. 86; August 1, 2006, Jeff Ayers, review of The Book of Fate, p. 72, and author interview, p. 74; August 1, 2008, Jeff Ayers, review of The Book of Lies, p. 70; December, 2010, Jeff Ayers, review of The Inner Circle; February 15, 2014, Mark John Swails, review of History Decoded, p. 62; May 1, 2015, Sandra Knowles, review of The President’s Shadow, p. 65.
Los Angeles Times, July 12, 1998, review of Dead Even, p. 15.
New York Times, May 18, 1996, James Barron, “Presumed Best Seller; Law Student Wins Top Money for First Novel, p. 21; May 20, 1996, James Baron, “Making a Case for the Spare-Time Novel,” p. B1; August 10, 2006, George Gene Gustines, “Comic Book Excerpts Novel,” p. E2.
New York Times Book Review, August 24, 1997, Erik Burns, review of The Tenth Justice, p. 19; July 5, 1998, Marilyn Stasio, review of Dead Even, p. 16.
Publishers Weekly, February 10, 1997, review of The Tenth Justice, p. 63; April 20, 1998, review of Dead Even, p. 49; November 6, 2000, review of The First Counsel, p. 67; November 26, 2001, review of The Millionaires, p. 38; August 1, 2005, review of Identity Crisis, p. 46; July 24, 2006, review of The Book of Fate, p. 35; July 28, 2008, review of The Book of Lies, p. 50; November 22, 2010, review of The Inner Circle; November 19, 2012, review of The Fifth Assassin, p. 37; June 10, 2013, review of History Decoded, p. 62; November 4, 2013, review of I Am Amelia Earhart, p. 68; April 20, 2015, review of The President’s Shadow, p. 55; October 31, 2022, review of The Nazi Conspiracy, p. 41.
School Library Journal, November 1, 1997, Mark Connally, review of The Tenth Justice, p. 147; March 1, 2006, Erin Dennington, review of Identity Crisis, p. 253; July 1, 2008, John Leighton, review of Justice League of America: Lightning Saga, p. 120; December 1, 2008, Francisca Goldsmith, review of The Book of Lies, p. 157; April 1, 2014, Maggie Chase, reviews of I Am Abraham Lincoln and I Am Amelia Earhart, both p. 181; June 1, 2014, Ann W. Moore, review of I Am Albert Einstein, p. 140; November 1, 2014, Ann W. Moore, review of I Am Jackie Robinson, p. 130; January, 2021, Mary Lanni, review of A New Day, p. 57.
Spectator, May 12, 2001, review of The First Counsel, p. 39.
Tribune Books (Chicago, IL), February 25, 2001, review of The First Counsel, p. 2.
Voice of Youth Advocates, December 1, 1998, review of The Tenth Justice, p. 334.
Washington Post Book World, October 1, 2006, Maureen Corrigan, review of The Book of Fate, p. 13.
Writer’s Digest, March 1, 2015, Jessica Strawser, author interview, p. 40; January 23, 2019, Jess Zafarris, “Brad Meltzer on Research, Rejections, and More.”
ONLINE
Bookreporter.com, http://www.bookreporter.com/ (January 26, 2001), Joe Hartlaub, author interview.
Brad Meltzer website, https://www.bradmeltzer.com (April 2, 2024).
CBS News Online, https://www.cbsnews.com/ (September 21, 2021), author interview.
Frederick News-Post Online, https://www.fredericknewspost.com/ (January 4, 2023), Clara Niel, author interview.
Mystery People, https://mysterypeople.wordpress.com/ (April 4, 2018), author interview.
Washington Independent Review of Books, http://www.washingtonindependentreviewofbooks.com/ (March 13, 2018), Michael Causey, author interview.
WGBH website, https://www.wgbh.org/ (March 15, 2024), Henry Santoro and Marilyn Schairer, author interview.
“We are all ordinary. We are all boring. We are all spectacular. We are all shy. We are all bold. We are all heroes. We are all helpless. It just depends on the day.”
About
BRAD'S BIO
BRAD'S SECRET OFFICE
Q&A
INVISIBLE ARMY
CHARITIES
Brad Meltzer is the Emmy-nominated, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lightning Rod, The Escape Artist, and eleven other bestselling thrillers. He also writes non-fiction books like The Nazi Conspiracy, about a secret plot to kill FDR, Stalin, and Winston Churchill at the height of WWII – and the Ordinary People Change the World kids book series, which he does with Chris Eliopoulos and inspired the PBS KIDS TV show, Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum. His newest kids books are I am Mister Rogers and I am Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
In addition to his fiction, Brad is one of the only authors to ever have books on the bestseller list for Non-Fiction (The First Conspiracy), Advice (Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter), Children’s Books (I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln) and even comic books (Justice League of America), for which he won the prestigious Eisner Award.
He is also the host of Brad Meltzer’s Lost History and Brad Meltzer’s Decoded on the History Channel, and is responsible for helping find the missing 9/11 flag that the firefighters raised at Ground Zero, making national news on the 15th anniversary of 9/11. Meltzer unveiled the flag at the 9/11 Museum in New York, where it is now on display. See the video here. The Hollywood Reporter recently put him on their list of Hollywood’s 25 Most Powerful Authors.
For sure, it’s tough to find anyone being so successful in so many different mediums of the popular culture. But why does Brad thrive in all these different professions? His belief that ordinary people change the world. It is that core belief that runs through every one of his projects.
His newest thriller, The Lightning Rod, brings back characters Nola and Zig in a setting that will blow your mind (you won't believe where the government let Brad go). For now, we'll say this: What's the one secret no one knows about you? It's about to come out. Nearly 2,000 five-star reviews. Raves by everyone from the Wall Street Journal, to James Patterson, to Brad's mother-in-law. Plus that twist at the end!
His last non-fiction book, The Nazi Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill, which he wrote with Josh Mensch, is a true story about a secret Nazi assassination plot to kill the Big Three and, if successful, would’ve changed history.
His illustrated children’s books I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln, which he does with artist Chris Eliopoulos, were written for his own children, to give them better heroes to look up to. Try them. You won’t believe how inspired you and your family will be. Some of our favorites in the series are I am Mister Rogers and I am Dolly Parton.
His other non-fiction books, Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter, are collections of heroes – from Jim Henson to Sally Ride — that he’s been working on since the day his kids were born and is on sale now, as well as History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time.
He’s also one of the co-creators of the TV show, Jack & Bobby.
Raised in Brooklyn and Miami, Brad is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Columbia Law School. The Tenth Justice was his first published work and became an instant New York Times bestseller. Dead Even followed a year later and also hit the New York Times bestseller list, as have all thirteen of his novels. The First Counsel came next, which was about a White House lawyer dating the President’s daughter, then The Millionaires, which was about two brothers who steal money and go on the run. The Zero Game is about two Congressional staffers who are – literally – gambling on Congress. The Book of Fate, is about a young presidential aide, a crazed assassin, and the 200 year-old code created by Thomas Jefferson that ties them together. For authenticity, The Book of Fate, was researched with the help of former Presidents Clinton and Bush. The Book of Lies, is about the missing murder weapon that Cain used to kill Abel, as well as the unsolved murder of Superman creator Jerry Siegel’s father. Brad is one of the only people to interview Jerry Siegel’s family about the murder and, with his charitable site www.OrdinaryPeopleChangeTheWorld.com, has been the driving force behind the movement to repair the house where Superman was created.
His book The Inner Circle (and its sequels, The Fifth Assassin and The President’s Shadow) is based the idea that George Washington’s personal spy ring still exists today. A young archivist in the National Archives finds out the spy ring is still around. He doesn’t know who they work for — but the greatest secret of the Presidency is about to be revealed. While researching the book, former President George H.W. Bush also gave Brad, for the very first time, the secret letter he left for President Bill Clinton in the Oval Office desk. If you need a good cry, read this story about Brad reading to President Bush before he died.
Oh, and yes, Brad was recruited by the Department of Homeland Security to brainstorm different ways that terrorists might attack the US.
Brad supports many worthy causes including putting mentors in underserved public schools with City Year, fighting breast cancer with Sharsheret, and serving on the Boards of the National Archives, the Women's Suffrage National Monument Foundation, and the National Medal of Honor Museum.
His books have spent over a year on the bestseller lists, and have been translated into over 25 languages, from Hebrew to Bulgarian. In The Tenth Justice, the opening lines are: “Ben Addison was sweating. Like a pig.” In the Hebrew translation, it became: “Ben Addison was sweating. Like a horse.” We’re not sure if it’s a kosher thing or what!
Brad has played himself as an extra in Woody Allen’s Celebrity, co-wrote the swearing in oath for AmeriCorps, the national service program, and earned credit from Columbia Law School for writing his first book, which became The Tenth Justice. Before all of that, he got 24 rejection letters for his true first novel, which still sits on his shelf, published by Kinko’s.
Brad currently lives in Florida with his wife and three children.
FAQ: https://www.bradmeltzer.com/About/QA
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Brad Meltzer
Meltzer at a signing for The Escape Artist at Barnes & Noble in Union Square, Manhattan
Meltzer at a signing for The Escape Artist at Barnes & Noble in Union Square, Manhattan
Born April 1, 1970 (age 53)
Occupation
Novelistscreenwritercomic book writer
Alma mater University of Michigan, Columbia Law School
Period 1997–present
Genre political thriller, superhero fantasy, non-fiction
Notable works The Tenth Justice
Jack & Bobby
Identity Crisis
Notable awards 2008 Eisner Award for Best Single Issue (or One-Shot)[1]
Spouse Cori Flam (m. 1995)
Children 3
Website
www.bradmeltzer.com
Brad Meltzer (born April 1, 1970) is an American novelist, non-fiction writer, TV show creator, and comic book author. His novels touch on the political thriller, legal thriller and conspiracy fiction genres, while he has also written superhero fiction for DC Comics and a series of short biographies of prominent people for young readers.
Early life
In 1993, Meltzer lived in Beacon Hill, Boston, Massachusetts with roommate, fellow comic book writer/artist Judd Winick, working in sales at Games magazine by day while working on his first novel by night.[2] Afterwards Meltzer graduated from Columbia Law School,[3] and was selected to the Columbia Law Review.[4]
Career
Meltzer in a 2003 publicity photo
Meltzer's books have appeared on the bestseller lists for fiction, non-fiction (History Decoded), advice (Heroes for My Son and Heroes for My Daughter), children's books (I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln), and comic books (Justice League of America, for which he won an Eisner Award).[5][6][7][8][9]
Meltzer is also responsible for helping find the missing 9/11 flag that the firefighters raised at Ground Zero at the World Trade Center site, making national news on the 15th anniversary of 9/11. Using his TV show, Brad Meltzer's Lost History, he told the story of the missing flag and asked Americans for their help in returning it. Four days later, a former Marine walked into a fire station in Everett, Washington, said that he saw Meltzer's TV show, and that he now wanted to return the flag. Meltzer unveiled the flag at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York, where it is now on display.[10][11]
Known for his thorough research, Meltzer counts former Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush as fans, and both have helped him with his research.[12] During Brad's research, Bush gave Brad the secret letter he left for President Bill Clinton in the Oval Office desk.[13]
In September 2006, Meltzer participated in a work group with the CIA, the FBI, various psychologists, and Department of Homeland Security intelligence staff to brainstorm new ways that terrorists might attack the U.S.[14][15]
As an inspirational speaker, Meltzer's TEDx Talk, "How to Write Your Own Obituary", has been viewed over 50,000 times, and prompted TED to ask him to do another TED Talk: "Write Your Story, Change History", which has been viewed over 80,000 times.[16][17]
Meltzer helped preserve the house where Superman was created in Cleveland, Ohio, helping to create the Siegel & Shuster Society, then telling the story of the house and running an auction that raised over $100,000.[18]
Meltzer has worked with numerous organizations throughout Florida to promote literacy within the State. Meltzer has worked in the past with Florida Family Literacy Initiative, and is due to participate in the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County's 23rd Annual Love of Literacy Luncheon in March 2014.[19][20]
Meltzer was one of four authors selected to entertain at Barbara Bush's 90th birthday party in 2015.[21]
Meltzer aided in helping save the life of his 11th grade history teacher. When his teacher told Meltzer she was sick and needed a new kidney, Meltzer asked his 100,000 Facebook fans to find her a new kidney and in the process, helped find a donor.[22][23]
During Star Wars Night at the 2015 Marlins/Mets baseball game, Meltzer threw out the first pitch of the game, then proceeded to fight mascot Billy the Marlin in a lightsaber battle.[24]
Novels
His first novel, Fraternity, garnered 24 rejection letters, but he then sold his second novel, The Tenth Justice, while in law school.[14] In 1994, he co-wrote the original swearing-in oath that is taken by AmeriCorps members, and has been delivered by Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush. In 1996, Meltzer created one of the earliest author websites for his first published novel, The Tenth Justice.[25] Over the years, every one of Meltzer's thrillers has made The New York Times bestseller list and The Hollywood Reporter has listed him as one of "Hollywood's Most Powerful Authors".[26]
While Meltzer was conducting research for his 2011 novel The Inner Circle, former U.S. President George H. W. Bush gave him a copy of the secret letter that he had left in the Oval Office desk for Bill Clinton.[27]
His popular “Culper Ring” novels, of which The President's Shadow is the third, imagine that a secret spy ring, founded in real life by George Washington, continues to exist today. His 2013 novel, The Fifth Assassin, follows a killer bent on re-creating the crimes of presidential assassinations from John Wilkes Booth to Lee Harvey Oswald.[28]
Meltzer's 2018 novel The Escape Artist debuted at No. 1 on The New York Times Hardcover Fiction Bestseller list.[29]
Non-fiction
In May 2010, Meltzer released his first nonfiction book, Heroes For My Son, a book he had worked on for almost a decade, beginning on the night his first son was born.[30] The book is part of a two-book deal with Meltzer's publisher. He stated in a May 2010 interview that he was working on Heroes for My Daughter.[31] The book is a collection of stories from the lives of 52 people such as Jim Henson, Rosa Parks and Mr. Rogers, and was written with the intention of being presented one day to his then-eight-year-old son. It debuted at #2 on The New York Times Best Seller list.[32] Heroes for My Daughter also made The New York Times bestseller list.[9]
In January 2014, Meltzer and artist Chris Eliopoulos launched a line of biographies for kids, starting with I Am Amelia Earhart and I Am Abraham Lincoln, which debuted on The New York Times bestseller list.[8][28] The books are part of a series, Ordinary People Change the World, whose books tell the stories of America's icons in an entertaining way to engage young readers.[33] He followed the initial books with I Am Albert Einstein, I Am Rosa Parks, I Am Lucille Ball, I Am Jackie Robinson, I Am Helen Keller,[28] I Am Martin Luther King, Jr., I Am Jane Goodall, I Am George Washington and I Am Jim Henson. Then in October 2017, I Am Gandhi and I Am Sacagawea were released.[34] In October 2018, PBS announced an animated adaptation of the series called Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum, which debuted in November 2019.[35]
In January 2019, Meltzer released The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington, cowritten with Josh Mensch.
In May 2020, Meltzer and his co-author Josh Mensch released The Lincoln Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill America's 16th President—and Why It Failed, which covers the foiled plot to kill Lincoln in 1861.[36]
Comics
Meltzer speaks in 2019
Meltzer followed director Kevin Smith's run on DC Comics' Green Arrow and created a six-issue story arc for DC Comics' Green Arrow #16–21 (October 2002 – April 2003).
In 2004 he wrote the miniseries Identity Crisis,[37] which became one of the most controversial storylines of the decade,[38] one of the top selling books of that decade, and also one of the most popular.[39] It regularly makes the list of DC Comics' "best comics", "best moments", and even "best fights", praised by The New York Times and director Joss Whedon.[40][41][42][43][44][45] While the miniseries holds an average score of 7.3 out of 10 at the review aggregator website Comic Book Roundup, (the lowest issue score going to issue #7, with 5.3, and the highest going to issue #1, with 8.7),[46][47] it was criticized for its use of sexual violence as a plot device, for retconning events in DC continuity that critics and readers felt harmed the characterization of long-standing DC heroes,[48][49] and for influencing similar subsequent comics.[50]
Meltzer was one of many writers and artists who contributed to Superman/Batman #26 (June 2006), a tribute book dedicated to Sam Loeb, the son of writer Jeph Loeb, who died of cancer in 2005 at the age of 17. Meltzer scripted pages 11–12 and 19 of the comic book.[51]
Meltzer took over the writing duties for a 13-issue stint on the new monthly Justice League of America series, which started with issue #0 on July 19, 2006, and issue #1 following a month later.[52] Meltzer and artist Gene Ha received the 2008 Eisner Award for Best Single Issue (or One-Shot) for their work on issue #11 of the series. The award was presented by Samuel L. Jackson and Gabriel Macht.[1]
In 2008, it was announced that Meltzer would write an arc of Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight comic book for Dark Horse Comics. Whedon would later appear as himself, alongside Brian K. Vaughan and Damon Lindelof in the trailer for Meltzer's 2008 release of The Book of Lies. Whedon, Vaughan and Lindelof portray themselves as conspiracy theorists who believe in a so-called "Book of Lies" which, in Meltzer's novel, connects the original murder story (Cain and Abel) to the murder of Jerry Siegel's father, shortly before the conception of the iconic Superman character. In 2010, Meltzer wrote #32–35 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight.[51]
In January 2014 Meltzer and artist Bryan Hitch collaborated on a retelling of Batman's first appearance for Detective Comics (vol. 2) #27.[53] Meltzer and artist John Cassaday crafted the "Faster Than a Speeding Bullet" chapter in Action Comics #1000 (June 2018).[54]
On October 12, 2023, Meltzer and a group of colleagues announced at the New York Comic Con that they were forming a cooperative media company called Ghost Machine, which would publish creator-owned comics, and allow the participating creators to benefit from the development of their intellectual properties. The company publishes its books through Image Comics, and its other founding creators includes Geoff Johns, Jason Fabok, Gary Frank, Bryan Hitch, Francis Manapul, and Peter J. Tomasi, all of whom would produce comics work exclusively through that company.[55][56] Meltzer's inaugural work for Ghost Machine would be writing First Ghost, a supernatural story written set in the White House.[57][58]
Television
Meltzer was the co-creator of the television series Jack & Bobby, which ran for one season (2004–2005) on the WB television network.
Meltzer hosted the History series Brad Meltzer's Decoded, which aired from December 2, 2010 to January 20, 2012.
On October 31, 2014, Brad Meltzer's Lost History premiered on History's H2 network, with Meltzer hosting. Each episode of Lost History presents both solved and unsolved cases and success stories where Americans have helped find missing historic objects such as the Ground Zero flag from 9/11 and the original Wright Brothers flying machine patent. Viewers are encouraged to submit tips to an online site, in an effort to provide key information leading to the return of these treasures. In September 2016, Meltzer hosted America's 9/11 Flag: Rose from the Ashes, which recounts how Lost History located and authenticated the missing 9/11 flag.[11]
Personal life
Meltzer lives in Florida with his wife, an attorney.[14] He has two sons and a daughter.[31] He is Jewish.[59]
Bibliography
Novels
# Title Publication date ISBN
1 The Tenth Justice 1997 978-0688150891
2 Dead Even 1998 978-0688150907
3 The First Counsel 2001 978-0446527286
4 The Millionaires 2002 978-0446527293
5 The Zero Game 2004 978-0446530989
6 The Book of Fate 2006 978-0446530996
7 The Book of Lies 2008 978-0446577885
8 The Inner Circle 2011 978-0446573719
9 The Fifth Assassin 2013 978-0446553971
10 The President's Shadow 2015 978-0446553933
11 The House of Secrets 2016 978-1455559497
12 The Escape Artist 2018 978-1455571222
13 The Lightning Rod 2022 978-0062892409
Comics
DC Comics
Green Arrow vol. 3 #16–21 (with Phil Hester, 2002–2003) collected as Green Arrow: The Archer's Quest (hc, 176 pages, 2003, ISBN 1-4012-0010-9; tpb, 2004, ISBN 1-401-20044-3)
Identity Crisis #1–7 (with Rags Morales, 2004–2005) collected as Identity Crisis (hc, 288 pages, 2005, ISBN 1-4012-0688-3; tpb, 2006, ISBN 1-4012-0458-9; Absolute Edition, 2011, ISBN 1-4012-3258-2)
Superman/Batman #26 (with Ian Churchill and Carlos Pacheco, two short sequences among other writers and artists, 2006) collected in Superman/Batman Volume 2 (tpb, 336 pages, 2014, ISBN 1-4012-5079-3)
Justice League of America vol. 2 (with Ed Benes, Shane Davis (#8), Gene Ha (#11) and Eric Wight (#12), 2006–2007) collected as:
The Tornado's Path (collects #1–7, hc, 224 pages, 2007, ISBN 1-4012-1349-9; tpb, 2008, ISBN 1-40121-580-7)
The Lightning Saga (collects #0 and 8–12, hc, 224 pages, 2008, ISBN 1-401-21652-8; tpb, 2009, ISBN 1-4012-1869-5)
Justice League of America by Brad Meltzer (collects #0–12, hc, 470 pages, 2020, ISBN 1-7795-0245-1)
DC Universe: Last Will and Testament (with Adam Kubert, one-shot, 2008) collected in Final Crisis Omnibus (hc, 1,512 pages, 2018, ISBN 1-4012-8503-1)
Batman:
Detective Comics vol. 2 #27: "The Case of the Chemical Syndicate" (with Bryan Hitch, co-feature, 2014) collected in Batman: Detective Comics — Gothopia (hc, 208 pages, 2014, ISBN 1-40124-998-1; tpb, 2015, ISBN 1-40125-466-7)
DC 100-Page Comic Giant: Our Fighting Forces: "Medal of Honor" (co-written by Meltzer and Salvatore Giunta, art by Jim Lee, co-feature in one-shot, 2020)
Action Comics #1000: "Faster Than a Speeding Bullet" (with John Cassaday, co-feature, 2018)
Other publishers
Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight #32–35: "Twilight" (with Georges Jeanty, Dark Horse, 2010) collected in Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight Volume 4 (hc, 320 pages, 2013, ISBN 1-6165-5127-5)
Aw Yeah Comics! #2: "The Best Fight Ever!" (co-written by Meltzer and his son Theo, art by Franco Aureliani, co-feature, Aw Yeah, 2013) collected in Aw Yeah Comics! And... Action! (tpb, 152 pages, Dark Horse, 2014, ISBN 1-6165-5558-0)
Love is Love (untitled one-page story, with Chris Eliopoulos, anthology graphic novel, 144 pages, IDW Publishing, 2016, ISBN 1-6314-0939-5)
Marvel Comics #1000: "We're Calling Him Ben" (with Julian Totino Tedesco, anthology, Marvel, 2019) collected in Marvel Comics 1000 (hc, 144 pages, 2020, ISBN 1-3029-2137-1)
Non-fiction
# Title Co-author Publication date ISBN
1 Heroes for My Son 2010 978-0061905285
2 Heroes for My Daughter 2012 978-0061905261
3 History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time Keith Ferrell 2013 978-0761177456
4 The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington Josh Mensch 2019 978-1250130334
5 The Lincoln Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill America's 16th President--and Why It Failed Josh Mensch 2020 978-1250317476
6 The Nazi Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill. Josh Mensch 2023 978-1250777263
Children's books
# Title Publication date ISBN
1 I Am Abraham Lincoln 2014 978-0803740839
2 I Am Amelia Earhart 2014 978-0803740822
3 I Am Rosa Parks 2014 978-0803740853
4 I Am Albert Einstein 2014 978-0803740846
5 I Am Jackie Robinson 2015 978-0803740860
6 I Am Lucille Ball 2015 978-0525428558
7 I Am Helen Keller 2015 978-0525428510
8 I Am Martin Luther King, Jr. 2016 978-0525428527
9 I Am George Washington 2016 978-0525428480
10 I Am Jane Goodall 2016 978-0525428497
11 I Am Jim Henson 2017 978-0525428503
12 I Am Gandhi 2017 978-0735228702
13 I Am Sacagawea 2017 978-0525428534
14 I Am Harriet Tubman 2018 978-0735228719
15 I Am Neil Armstrong 2018 978-0735228726
16 I Am Sonia Sotomayor 2018 978-0735228733
17 I Am Billie Jean King 2019 978-0735228740
18 I Am Walt Disney 2019 978-0735228757
19 I Am Marie Curie 2019 978-0525555858
20 I Am Leonardo da Vinci 2020 978-0525555889
21 I Am Benjamin Franklin 2020 978-0525555919
22 I Am Anne Frank 2020 978-0525555940
23 I Am Frida Kahlo 2021 978-0525555988
24 I Am I.M. Pei 2021 978-0525556015
25 I Am Oprah Winfrey 2021 978-0593405826
26 I Am Malala Yousafzai 2022 978-0593405888
27 I Am Muhammad Ali 2022 978-0593405857
28 I Am Dolly Parton 2022 978-0593405925
29 I Am Superman 2022 978-0593531433
30 I Am Batman 2022 978-0593531464
31 I Am Temple Grandin 2023 978-0593405970
32 I Am John Lewis 2023 978-0593405949
33 I Am Wonder Woman 2023 978-0593531495
34 I Am Mister Rogers 2023 978-0593533307
35 I Am Ruth Bader Ginsberg 2024 978-0593533345
Brad Meltzer is the author of the New York Times bestselling Ordinary People Change the World series for children, as well as six New York Times bestselling thrillers for adults: The Tenth Justice, Dead Even, The First Counsel, The Millionaires, The Zero Game, and The Book of Fate. He is also the #1 bestselling author of the critically acclaimed comic books Identity Crisis and Justice League of America, and is the cocreator of the TV series Jack & Bobby. A graduate of the University of Michigan and Columbia Law School, he lives in Florida. To learn more, visit bradmeltzer.com.
Q&A: NYT best-selling author Brad Meltzer on his latest book, ‘The Nazi Conspiracy’
By Clara Niel cniel@newspost.com Jan 4, 2023 0
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New York Times bestselling nonfiction author Brad Meltzer will be in Frederick on Jan. 12 for a book talk and signing of his new work, “The Nazi Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill.” Meltzer worked on this book with Josh Mensch, an author and documentary TV producer.
The evening is hosted by Curious Iguana and Frederick County Public Libraries.
Before his Frederick event, he talked with 72 Hours about becoming a writer, his latest book and the mind-boggling history he uncovered during his research.
How did you find out about the story, and what led you to wanting to write a book about it?
I found it in an online story … [one] of those silly little online articles that come up in your algorithm, and I just saw it. It was really short. It mentioned that there was a plot to kill Churchill, Stalin and FDR. And my first thought was, “How do I not know that story, and I want to know more about it right now.” So that sent me down the rabbit hole. And, you know, I go down a lot of rabbit holes, but this was one of the ones that, as I started digging, I realized there was so much more to find out.
How did you become a writer?
My start in writing really began in ninth grade with my ninth grade English teacher, Sheila Spicer. Ms. Spicer changed my life with three words. She said, “You can write.” And I thought, “Everyone can write.” And she said, “No, you know what you’re doing.” She tried to put me in the honors class, but I had some sort of conflict. She said, “You know what? I want you to sit in the corner for the entire year and ignore everything I do at the blackboard. You’re going to do the honors work instead.” And I did, and what she was really saying was, you’re going to thank me later.
A decade later, I went back to her classroom, I knocked on the door with my first novel, and I said, “I wrote this book, and it’s for you.” She started crying. I said, “Why are you crying?” She said, “I was going to retire this year, because I didn’t think I was having an impact anymore.” That woman changed my life and she had no idea of her impact on it. So that was really my start.
But probably a better answer your question: My very first novel that I ever wrote, I got 24 rejection letters on it. There were only 20 publishers, and I got 24 rejection letters, which means some people were writing me twice to make sure I got the point. And I said, “If they don’t like that, I’m gonna write another, and if they don’t like that book, I’m gonna write another.” And the week after I got my 23rd, 24th rejection letter, I started what became my first true published work, a book called “The Tenth Justice.” For many years, I wrote thrillers and loved writing thrillers, and I was a history major in college, so I always had this love of history. My books always had a slant toward history and using historical details. And then I said, “You know what? I’d like to try writing nonfiction, too.” And so we [Josh Mensch and I] started with “The First Conspiracy,” and then we did “The Lincoln Conspiracy,” and here we are at “The Nazi Conspiracy.”
You said it took about two years to write the book — one year to do research and one year to write, which also included some research. What sources did you use for your book?
I mean, we try to go to the original source. For instance, a lot of this book [includes] details from FDR’s Secret Service agent who wrote about it. There are obviously, on the American side and in our own archives, stories and things from FDRs presidency. But this was the first time we had to also deal with foreign agencies. So we had to find translators and researchers who could read Russian and German. And because the plot is on the Nazi side, because the Nazis are the ones trying to kill FDR and Stalin and Churchill, now we have to know what their intelligence organizations are doing about it.
What’s your favorite part of the process of writing a book?
To me, it’s always about the people. It’s always about the character that comes out. The strength of character of Winston Churchill and FDR but also the characters you don’t know. The villain in this book — beyond Adolf Hitler and the Nazis, of course — is a person you’ve never heard of named Otto Skorzeny. Otto Skorzeny gets summoned to Hitler’s private headquarters, the wolf’s lair, and [Hitler] lines up all of his special forces fighters to find out who’s the best. And you see this moment where Hitler selects Otto Skorzeny from the group of men and puts him on a course for one of the most incredible secret missions you’ve ever seen in your life. And those are the moments that just make me go, “Oh, my God, look at how history could have easily wound up different if this all worked in a certain way.” And this is not some bad guy in a movie. This all really happened.
What was the most interesting thing that you learned in writing and researching the book?
I think Otto Skorzeny is one. I do think the rally in Madison Square Garden is another. And I do think, although I said this already and sorry to repeat, but I think it’s just how tenuous the alliance was for Churchill and Roosevelt and Stalin. I mean, we love to tell the story of Normandy and how we stormed the beaches and the day was saved. But, my God, it almost didn’t happen. And it took so much twisting by Stalin and so much twisting by FDR and so much pushing against Churchill to make sure that it happened. And you just realize how easily it could have gone the other way, especially if the plot to kill them had succeeded. Can you imagine if all three of them had been triple assassinated?
Do you feel like there’s a message to be had in what happens in your book and how it relates to the modern day?
You know, look at Kanye West, or even Charlottesville, and these past few years. We all wring our hands and say, “Oh, it’s so sad that we’re fighting Nazis here in America today,” as if this is a brand new idea. And then you go back to World War II, and you see that there was a Nazi rally in Madison Square Garden in New York City, where they had a big banner up of George Washington, surrounded by swastikas, saying that George Washington would have loved the Nazis. This is not a new story that we’re telling. They’ve been here the entire time. And we just, again, favor the highlight reel and ignore those details, because they make us uncomfortable. But there are times where we need to be uncomfortable, right? We tell the stories to make sure that people are uncomfortable so it doesn’t happen again.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
QUOTED: "back then, girls weren't supposed to have adventures like that. In the books she was reading, the boys went on adventures and the girls sat around in pretty pink dresses."
"And in those books, young Ruth Bader Ginsburg learned the most valuable lesson, probably of her life, which is there's absolutely nothing that a girl can't do. And I want that lesson for my daughter. I want that lesson for my son. That's what I am Ruth Bader Ginsburg as a book is all about."
Author Brad Meltzer on 'I am Ruth Bader Ginsburg' and what makes a hero
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A bald man with glasses slightly smiles as he stands in front of a white wall. Next to him is the cartoon-style cover of a children's book about Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Author Brad Meltzer, left, and the cover of his book "I am Ruth Bader Ginsburg."
Courtesy of Brad Meltzer
Henry Santoro.jpg
thumbnail_58130173477__338C62F6-395D-477E-B537-86F84DF27E73 - Marilyn Schairer.jpg
Henry Santoro
Marilyn Schairer
March 15, 2024
Author Brad Meltzer makes his living telling stories to everyone. Some are fiction, some are nonfiction, some are comics, and many are for kids. Ten years ago, Meltzer and his collaborator, artist and illustrator Christopher Eliopoulos, launched the bestselling children's book series called "Ordinary People Change the World," which now has over 7 million books in print. Their latest in the series, "I am Ruth Bader Ginsburg," looks at the life of the first Jewish woman to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court. The following interview was slighted edited for clarity.
Henry Santoro: Brad Meltzer, you and I have been doing these interviews for a long time. I think it's 21 years, to be exact. Brad, welcome back.
This "I am" series of books has taken on a life of its own for you and your collaborating partner. But we have your kids to thank it, don't we?
Brad Meltzer: Thank or blame — I'm not sure. But yes, this series started because I wanted my own kids to have better heroes to look up to, to have heroes of compassion and how to teach them kindness. And I tell my kids, having a big company or being really wealthy ... doesn't make you a hero. You've got to think of someone beside yourself. And that's where the whole series was born: "I am Amelia Earhart," "I am Abraham Lincoln," "I am Rosa Parks," and ten years’ worth of stories.
Santoro: Congratulations on those ten years. By my count, there are 32 different "I am" books. Is that correct?
Meltzer: I can't believe I wrote 32 different books, but yes, it's a crazy number.
Santoro: What was the first and how, if at all, have they changed over the past ten years?
Meltzer: It's a good question. So the first ones were "I am Amelia Earhart" and "I am Abraham Lincoln," which came out together. And the thing that has changed is those books were a kind of simpler version of it, and probably why more people buy them for their younger children, 4- or 5- or 6-year-old.
As my kids got older, the books got a little older, and went to ages 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. And I just felt like the books needed even more depth, they needed to deal with the harder things. And the truth is, the books start dealing with harder subjects. So we were doing Harriet Tubman to teach about slavery, and we weren't going to leave out slavery. We did "I am Anne Frank" to deal with the Holocaust, and we worked with the Holocaust Museum to make sure we did it appropriately.
It's one thing when you're saying, "I want to fly an airplane." But it's a very different one when you say, "How am I going to deal with antisemitism and give my child a book where we can talk about such a thing?"
Santoro: All these books start off with these subjects as young children. In the case of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, I had no idea that she went through a few name changes before her parents settled on Ruth.
Meltzer: By the way, that is one of my favorite details in the whole book. And her name is not Ruth. Her name is Joan. But in kindergarten, there were so many girls named Joan, that her family started calling her Ruth, which was her middle name. And I love the fact that here is Ruth Bader Ginsburg — who we all know, the great icon — and it's just because there were a lot of Joan's in her class in kindergarten, that we have the icon we have today.
Santoro: And her younger sibling was calling her Kiki?
Meltzer: Kiki [kick-ee] because she was such a kicky baby. So, she was definitely having name issues as a little girl.
Santoro: And not only was she having name issues and was kicky as a little kid, but she wanted to hang out with the boys and climb trees and get on roofs of houses. She didn't really want to knit or sew.
Meltzer: Right. And back then, girls weren't supposed to have adventures like that. In the books she was reading, the boys went on adventures and the girls sat around in pretty pink dresses. But it was her mother who broke that stereotype. Her mother used to take her every Friday afternoon to the library, and she told her, as a little girl, "Ruth, you can take out five books." And the books that she loved most were about real heroes, Amelia Earhart and Harriet Tubman. And in those books, young Ruth Bader Ginsburg learned the most valuable lesson, probably of her life, which is there's absolutely nothing that a girl can't do. And I want that lesson for my daughter. I want that lesson for my son. That's what "I am Ruth Bader Ginsburg" as a book is all about.
Santoro: That's right. And she lived that credo 'til her dying day.
Meltzer: And the thing about that credo is that she used to see that injustice was a fracture in society. Hatred was a fracture in society, and those fractures need to be repaired.
So when she was a little girl, rather than having birthday parties, her mother used to take her to the local Jewish orphanage. And instead of having a party for her, they would give out ice cream to the orphans. My kids would go crazy if I took away their birthday party, but Ruth's parents took it away. But they taught her how to serve people. And what they taught her is that's how you deal with injustice; you make change yourself. That's not a lesson she learned in law school. It's not a lesson she learned when she went to Harvard or Columbia. It's a lesson she learned from her mom.
And to me, that lesson of fighting to make change and putting good in the world is the same thing that our books do. That's all we're trying to do, is use these books as a way to teach my own kids.
Santoro: Brad Meltzer is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the "Ordinary People Change the World" books. Something tells me that he and artist and illustrator Christopher Eliopoulos are just getting started with the series, even though it's 32 books deep already. Brad, as always, a great pleasure.
Meltzer: Thank you so much, and thanks for being there from the very first book.
South Florida Author Brad Meltzer 'Heartbroken' After Pennsylvania School Board Banned 2 Of His Books About MLK & Rosa Parks
miami
September 21, 2021 / 7:58 PM EDT / CBS Miami
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A Pennsylvania school board is making headlines for banning several books, some of them highlighting perspectives from people of marginalized backgrounds. Two books were written by Fort Lauderdale author Brad Meltzer.
"I was heartbroken because these lessons of Dr. King and Rosa Parks were going to be lost on these kids," Meltzer said.
Meltzer was surprised two of his books from his "Ordinary People Change the World" series, "I am Dr. Martin Luther King" and "I am Rosa Parks," had been put on a freeze list by a Pennsylvania school board.
"What the books always do is we start with the heroes when they were kids, so we see Rosa Parks when she was a little girl, you see Dr. King when he was a little boy," he explained.
But some Central York School board members in Pennsylvania said the books on their list along with Meltzer's had divisive or bad ideas.
"There's no politics in the books, it's just facts," he said.
While some books that didn't seem controversial were on the list, others seemingly delved deep into experiences from people of color.
"A school board has considerable latitude to decide on the curriculum and the materials used in the curriculum," Caroline Mala Corbin, University of Miami Professor of Law said.
CBS4 asked Corbin to explain whether the "freezing" or banning of books could make a case for infringement of rights?
"That broad discretion has a limit and so if they are eliminating not for pedagogical reasons that is not reasons related to teaching but because of hostility towards an idea, that's when you have free speech clause problems," she explained.
Meltzer attended the school board meeting via Zoom Monday night to give the leaders some insight into the history lessons his books taught.
"I went and read two pages to them I read two pages from I am Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and I am Rosa Parks," he said.
Following weeks of criticism that garnered national attention, the Central York School District reversed its decision Monday night. Meltzer thinks it is a small win for the power of democracy.
Meltzer, Brad THE LINCOLN CONSPIRACY Flatiron Books (NonFiction None) $29.99 5, 5 ISBN: 978-1-250-31747-6
The tale of how Abraham Lincoln came close to being assassinated even before taking the oath of office.
In short, energetic chapters, Meltzer and Mensch, who collaborated on The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot To Kill George Washington (2019), fashion a brisk political thriller centered on a nefarious plot to murder Lincoln before his inauguration. Lincoln, who won a slim majority of the popular vote, was deeply hated by the slaveholding South. Six weeks after the election, South Carolina became the first state to secede; five others soon followed, and Jefferson Davis was sworn in as president of the Confederacy. But secession did not satisfy a group of conspirators who gathered to devise a plan to seize the city of Washington and prevent the inauguration and even to kill Lincoln on his way to the capital, “and thus inaugurate a revolution.” The authors speculate that the conspirators were likely members of the Knights of the Golden Circle and National Volunteers, groups composed of pro-slavery white supremacists that grew in virulence after Lincoln’s election and likely were precursors of the Ku Klux Klan. They were thwarted largely through the efforts of pioneering private detective Allen Pinkerton, who was called in to investigate, and foil, the plot. The authors create an admiring portrait of Pinkerton and his staff, which included the first female detective, the sly, unflappable Kate Warne. In addition, a secret “Committee of Five,” convened by Secretary of State William Seward, gathered in Washington to ensure the peaceful transfer of power. Pinkerton was charged with logistics, which meant studying the train route for Lincoln’s convoluted inaugural journey, planning for every contingency, and eventually masterminding a plan that involved smuggling Lincoln, in disguise, onto a train days before he was expected. In addition to revealing the conspiracy, the authors vividly convey the virulent racism endemic in the South.
A sharply drawn episode from a regrettable part of America's past. (b/w illustrations)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Meltzer, Brad: THE LINCOLN CONSPIRACY." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Mar. 2020, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A617193102/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=56089f8f. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.
The Lincoln Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill the 16th President-And Why It Failed. By Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch. May 2020. 448p. Flatiron, $29.99 (9781250317476). 973.7092.
Best-selling novelist and television host Meltzer and documentarian Mensch return to the winning formula of The First Conspiracy (2019) in this account of a conspiracy against President Abraham Lincoln, whose 1860 election became a flashpoint for southern opposition. As Lincoln traveled from Illinois to Washington, DC, for his 1861 inauguration, well-founded fears developed that Lincoln would be attacked in Baltimore, a choke point on the railroad routes between the northern U.S. and DC, a city with strong southern sympathies. The conspiracy failed, with Lincoln spirited through town to catch his DC train, but it allows a fascinating look at the conspirators and the investigators who thwarted them. Meltzer and Mensch introduce a constellation of pro-slavery militias and secret societies, with names like the Knights of the Golden Circle, which worked with the local police on plans to ensnare Lincoln, while their discussion of how the newly founded Pinkerton National Detective Agency infiltrated the conspiracy includes unexpected details of undercover work, 1860s-style--including by pathbreaking women detectives. A delightful addition to popular literature on the Civil War era. --Sara Jorgensen
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
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MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Jorgensen, Sara. "The Lincoln Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill the 16th President-And Why It Failed." Booklist, vol. 116, no. 16, 15 Apr. 2020, p. 14. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A623790209/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=474b7e3a. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.
QUOTED: "a sanitized version of a too-short life."
Meltzer, Brad I AM ANNE FRANK Dial Books (Children's None) $15.99 10, 13 ISBN: 978-0-525-55594-0
A bobblehead avatar of the teenage writer and symbol of the Holocaust presents her life as an inspiration.
From a big-eared babyhood and a childhood spent “writing stories” to fleeing Germany for Amsterdam, Anne’s pre-Annex life is sketched. Narrating in the first person, the cartoon Anne explains that Nazis “didn’t like those of us who were Jewish or other groups who were different from them.” Hitler is presented as a leader “who blamed the Jews for all of Germany’s problems, even though we hadn’t done anything wrong.” Then in short order Anne receives her diary as a birthday present, the family goes into hiding, and Anne finds solace in the attic looking at the chestnut tree and writing. Effectively, Annex scenes are squeezed between broad black borders. Illustrations present four snippets of quotes from her diary, including “I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart.” Narrator Anne says, “You can always find light in the darkest places. That’s what hope is,” as she clutches the diary with Shabbat candles on one side and a menorah burning brightly on the other. In the next double-page spread, an international array of modern-day visitors standing outside the Anne Frank House briefly, in speech bubbles, wraps up the story of the Holocaust, the diary, the Annex, and the chestnut tree. Anne’s wretched death in a concentration camp is mentioned only in a concluding timeline. I Am Benjamin Franklin publishes simultaneously. (This book was reviewed digitally with 7.5-by-15-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
A sanitized version of a too-short life. (photos, sources, further reading) (Picture book/biography. 4-8)
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"Meltzer, Brad: I AM ANNE FRANK." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Aug. 2020. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A632285634/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=fe66b12c. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.
QUOTED: "continue to deliver accessible history lessons through the charm of youthful comics."
I Am Anne Frank. By Brad Meltzer. Illus. by Christopher Eliopoulos. Oct. 2020. 40p. $15.99 (9780525555940). 940.53. I Am Benjamin Franklin. By Brad Meltzer. Illus. by Christopher Eliopoulos. Oct. 2020. Dial, $15.99 (9780525555919). 973.3092.
The two latest entries in the Ordinary People Change the World series continue to deliver accessible history lessons through the charm of youthful comics. I Am Benjamin Franklin features a miniaturized, baby-faced version of the aged Founding Father, complete with gray locks, little specs, and brown coat. Addressing modern youngsters in the first person, Franklin chronicles his own life, from childhood to the Declaration of Independence, focusing on the curiosity, tenacity, and other virtues that made him such a successful inventor, writer, and diplomat. In I Am Anne Frank, readers are introduced to Frank as a relatable, everyday girl before she and her family flee the Nazis, finding their way into the secret annex. Meltzer extolls Jewish values while gently addressing the escalating persecution of Jews and the horrors of the Holocaust, acknowledging the terror but framing Franks story as one of resilience and hope. The girl's narration ends with her still in hiding, and a final, modern-day spread lists pertinent facts, including Frank's eventual death. Older readers will appreciate seeing segments of the diary's text in slivered panels between ever-widening black gutters. This undeniably somber volume is appropriately lightened by Eliopoulos' disarming cartoons, which utilize large panels, speech bubbles, and simple yet expressive character designs. An excellent series--with a particular standout in Anne Frank--perfect for beginning readers not quite ready for Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales.--Ronny Khuri
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 American Library Association
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Khuri, Ronny. "Ordinary People Change the World Series. Dial. Gr. 1-3. (2 new titles)." Booklist, vol. 117, no. 4, 15 Oct. 2020, pp. 43+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A639876228/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=75c45113. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.
QUOTED: "dynamic and engaging."
MELTZER, Brad. A New Day. illus. by Dan Santat. 48p. Dial. Mar. 2021. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780525554240.
Gr 3-5--Every week progresses the same way--Sunday moves through Saturday and circles back again--and it is easy to take the routine for granted. Fed up with the lack of appreciation she feels in her job, Sunday announces that she is quitting! The other days are aghast, but they ultimately follow Monday's lead and move to seek out a new day to take Sunday's place. An audition process begins, inviting submissions from all over; some ideas are terrible, others are fine, but none feel quite right. That is, until one final prospect brings a sentiment to the table that changes Sunday's outlook for the better. Santat's iconic style launches these antics in vivid, expressive illustrations; his pages are saturated with color and, with the funny word-bubble text, give this a graphic novel feel. Myriad characters are used to tell the story, enhancing the silly and chaotic plot. The characters vary somewhat in appearance, in pale tones to technicolor ones. The length of text and subject matter are best suited to older elementary readers and will have them chuckling from beginning to end. Occasional rhymes provide a singsong quality that appears at choice moments in the vibrant narrative. Enjoyably executed, this story emphasizes the importance of kindness in a world that sometimes forgets. VERDICT This is a dynamic and engaging addition to libraries for young readers. --Mary Lanni, formerly at Denver P.L.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Lanni, Mary. "MELTZER, Brad. A New Day." School Library Journal, vol. 67, no. 1, Jan. 2021, p. 57. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A647994139/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=d84dfc54. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.
QUOTED: "a humorous, meandering approach to a life lesson about leading every day with benevolence."
Meltzer, Brad A NEW DAY Dial Books (Children's None) $17.99 3, 2 ISBN: 978-0-525-55424-0
To the consternation of the other six days of the week, Sunday quits in protest, tired of being unappreciated for her consistent delivery of a weekly “beautiful free day.”
Sunday’s abrupt decision prompts the others to look for her replacement with an advertisement inviting auditions before the remaining six days. The competition quickly grows increasingly fierce as ideas are broached for DogDay, Big-BurpDay, PieDay, Band-AidDay, and, ridiculously, FirepoleSlidingIntoPoolsOfCottonCandyDay. Amid all this boisterous and frenzied rivalry, a little girl approaches the misunderstood Sunday with a small plant to say thank you and to suggest “simply a nice day. A day when people can show more kindness to each other.” The child’s humble gratitude is enough for Sunday to return to her important weekly position and to prompt all the days to value kindness as the key to each day’s possibilities. Bright art captures the mania, with cotton-candy hues representing each of the anthropomorphic days. Though undeniably comical as it unfolds in busy cartoon illustrations and speech balloons, the drawn-out, nonsensical, and unexpected course the narrative takes may be a stretch for youngsters who cannot always distinguish among days. Kindness as the ingredient for achieving a harmonious week is nevertheless a valuable message, however circuitously expressed. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 50% of actual size.)
A humorous, meandering approach to a life lesson about leading every day with benevolence. (Picture book. 5-7)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Meltzer, Brad: A NEW DAY." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Dec. 2020. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A644767106/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=c257bb1f. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.
Meltzer, Brad THE LIGHTNING ROD Morrow/HarperCollins (Fiction None) $18.42 3, 8 ISBN: 978-0-06-289240-9
Zig and Nola are back in this fast-moving thriller laced with blood and wit.
In "the last fourteen minutes of his life," Wojo the valet steals Archie Mint's BMW and drives it to the Mint family home, led there by the car's GPS. It's a robbery scheme that's worked before, but this time both the valet and Mint--who followed him--end up dead, shot by someone waiting in the house. Jim "Zig" Zigarowski works at Calta's Funeral Home and is an artist in making the dead look their very best. One woman "hasn't looked this good since Reagan was President," he's told. Before Calta's, he'd been a mortician at Dover Air Force Base, which houses "America's most secretive funeral home," for two decades. Zig's gift is to be able to repair any body, no matter how badly damaged. Now he's called back to Dover to take care of murdered veteran Lt. Col. Archie Mint. He has no idea what the government is up to, and he just wants to show the greatest respect for the dead. As he works, he always talks to the deceased as though to comfort them--he's odd but obviously decent. He's also a beekeeper who converses with the hive. Then, at the funeral home in Dover, he sees the Army's Artist-in-Residence, Sgt. Nola Brown, the lightning rod who attracts so much trouble. She'd not only saved Zig's daughter's life when they were Girl Scouts, but two years ago she'd shot her own foster father in the head to save Zig's life. "Nola didn't walk; she lurked," and her "sheer intensity radiated off her, like plutonium." Zig and Nola discover something "fishy" about Mint's death. He'd been about to take secrets of criminal activity to his grave, and Zig and Nola might get killed trying to uncover them. The plot carries the story to a government facility called Grandma's Pantry, apparently a real place where the feds once stored supplies for the aftermath of nuclear war. The characters are mostly delightful, including Nola's cop brother, Roddy, who is trying not to be the monster he'd apparently been as a kid. "We each have a little monster inside us," as he was told. Not so delightful are the Reds, two redheaded killers who aren't above sawing tracheas. There's plenty of clever dialogue and details like the woman with the rhinestoned oxygen tank.
A smart crime package, both funny and serious.
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"Meltzer, Brad: THE LIGHTNING ROD." Kirkus Reviews, 1 May 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A701896805/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=d2eb6d3f. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.
Meltzer, Brad THE NAZI CONSPIRACY Flatiron Books (NonFiction None) $29.99 1, 10 ISBN: 978-1-250-77726-3
The Tehran Conference was a pivotal event of World War II, but there was danger lurking in the shadows.
This is a strange--and strangely entertaining--book. Meltzer and Mensch, whose careers have included TV documentaries, nonfiction, thrillers, and comic books, acknowledge that the events they recount may not have happened, and they have obviously filled in some blank spaces with reasonable speculation. The authors focus on a possible plot by the Nazis to assassinate Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin--the "Big Three," as they were called by the media of the time--when they met for a crucial conference in Tehran in 1943 to plan strategy. Several chapters of the book deal with the problems of setting up the conference, especially Stalin's insistence that it must be held in Tehran. The Nazis, who had a network of spies and sympathizers in the city as well as tapped communications line between Roosevelt and Churchill, were aware that the conference was going to happen and saw an opportunity to reshape the global order. There was a plan to send a squad of commandos into the Soviet Embassy, where the meetings were being held, through underground tunnels. But the NKVD, one of the Soviet intelligence agencies, discovered the plot and intercepted the group before they could do any damage. Much of this territory has already been covered, but Meltzer and Mensch dig up some new material. They admit that several researchers, pointing to contradictions in various firsthand accounts and a lack of documentation, have described the "plot" as a Soviet hoax. However, after sifting through the evidence, the authors conclude that there probably was a plot. As in the authors' previous two co-authored books, The First Conspiracy and The Lincoln Conspiracy, the narrative sometimes wanders away from the main story, but it makes for interesting reading.
A colorful trek through a labyrinth of twists and turns that could have changed history.
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"Meltzer, Brad: THE NAZI CONSPIRACY." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Oct. 2022, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A721918107/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=415036d4. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.
The Nazi Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill
Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch. Flatiron, $29.99 (400p) ISBN 978-1-250-77726-3
Meltzer and Mensch follow up The Lincoln Conspiracy with an action-packed account of the German plan to assassinate the leaders of the U.S., Britain, and the Soviet Union in Tehran in 1943. The story begins after the plot has been discovered, with Franklin Roosevelt hunkered down in the back of a nondescript car on his way to the Soviet embassy while his body double rides through the city's streets in a presidential motorcade. From there, the authors flash backward, recounting the attack on Pearl Harbor; Allied assassinations of enemy leaders, including Japanese admiral Isoroku Yamamoto; and the infiltration of Iran by German spies including Franz Mayr, a sleeper agent who kept his affiliation with Nazi intelligence secret despite not getting any communications from his superiors for almost two years. Though Mayr Was arrested by British intelligence, the German paratroopers he helped infiltrate into Iran remained, and when a Turkish valet assigned to the British ambassadot to Iran leaked information about the top-se,cret summit, Nazi officials hatched a plan to use the commandos to assassinate the "Big Three"--or so Soviet intelligence officials claimed. Meltzer and Mensch acknowledge doubts about the plot's actual existence yet convincingly argue that it was real, and provide necessary historical context while setting a brisk, thriller-like pace. WWII buffs will be enthralled. (Jan.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2022 PWxyz, LLC
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"The Nazi Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill Roosevelt, Stalin, and Churchill." Publishers Weekly, vol. 269, no. 45, 31 Oct. 2022, p. 41. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A726954306/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=06fc49c7. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.
QUOTED: "quick and slick, but ably makes its case."
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)
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"Meltzer, Brad: I AM RUTH BADER GINSBURG." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Nov. 2023, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A770738858/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=a4b4741b. Accessed 21 Mar. 2024.