"Kids always search for heroes, so we might as well have a say in it," Brad Meltzer realized, and so he envisioned this friendly, fun approach to biography.

Each book tells the story of one of America's icons in an entertaining, conversational way that works well for the youngest nonfiction readers, those who aren't quite ready for the Who Was series. Each book focuses on a particular character trait that made that role model heroic.

For example, Rosa Parks dared to stand up for herself and other African Americans by staying seated, and as a result she helped end public bus segregation and launch the country's civil rights movement.