When we think of heroes we may think of police officers, firefighters, and doctors. But kids can be heroes too. Sometimes in big, noisy ways and sometimes in small, quiet ways. We all have the power inside to be our own hero!
In my book, Joshua and the Lightning Road, Joshua discovers he has magical powers, but he quickly discovers that sometimes the power he’s had all along within himself is even bigger than magic. He tells his friend Charlie, “You don’t need powers to do the right thing. All you need is to believe in yourself.”
Kapow! You’ve got the power!
Maybe you overcame a fear or faced down a bully. Maybe you volunteer to make other people’s lives better. Maybe you helped someone in trouble or just made someone feel special when they were feeling sad. Maybe you made a difficult choice such as ending a friendship because you weren’t treated very nice. Maybe you gave the gift of time to someone. We don’t need “special powers” to be powerful and we don’t need to do big things to be a hero.
My new Kid Heroes page will feature inspiring kids that have the courage inside to embrace their own power. Send me a note about a kid hero you know and I will feature them here. Be sure to fill out the consent form to send in for your kid hero. Would your child like to be interviewed here? Let me know! Are you a kid hero yourself? Have your parents contact me!
For each kid that I feature I will donate $10 to the Kids Wish Network, a special program that grants wishes to kids who face remarkable challenges and are in desperate need of hope.
One of my favorite child heroes is Anne Frank, who lived for over three years in an attic with her family to survive during the Holocaust. Anne Frank inspired me as a kid with her words. She taught me that I could be my own hero. It was because of her that I started a diary that helped me find my own power through writing.
Anne wrote in her diary, “Despite everything, I believe that people are really good at heart.” She was a quiet hero but her quiet words had the power to affect the world.
Kid hero resources: