Ordinary People Can Change the World: I Am Lucille Ball by Brad Meltzer

Hi guys and gals!

Welcome back to the site that aims to please the reader in you, Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're taking a look at an unexpected arrival in my mailbox via Penguin RandomHouse.  (THANKS!)  It stars the most recent addition to the popular and growing Ordinary People Can Change the World series written by none other than Brad Meltzer.  The focus?  Well, it rather follows just what it proclaims in the series name, offering readers of all ages the chance to get to know someone that started out not very different than you or I and made a name for themselves in a BIG way.  Inspiring?  Certainly!  Informative? Definitely.  Entertaining?  You betcha!  Though Sunday's are usually reserved for a "Funnies" post, I think this one will work just fine as we meet and greet the one, the only star of today's book of choice...

I Am Lucille Ball

by

Brad Meltzer

Illustrated by

Christopher Eliopoulos

9780525428558

Dial

Here we have a wonderful exploration of the funny woman herself.  Whether you saw the show (I Love Lucy), the reruns, or dressed as her for Halloween, she's been a household name for several decades.  That wasn't always the case though.  In her childhood days, she was continually told that it wasn't proper for a young lady to want to perform to get a laugh out of the crowd.  It was better to be seen and not heard.  Well now, she may have had to listen for a few years, but it didn't get her down and definitely didn't have her calling it quits.  She knew her destiny was to bring smiles to the masses and kept at her talent until one day, all that she dreamed came to be...and THEN some!  For example, did you know that she and her on screen husband were married in real life AND owned the show thanks to a smart agreement garnered by she herself?  Or how about that Ms. Ball was the first woman to run a major Hollywood studio? Pretty nifty, huh?

Now, if the subject matter doesn't grab your interest, the bright and cheery "TADA!" cover is definitely gonna do it.  One can't read a picture book without a nod to the illustrations that adorn its pages and these are most memorable.  The exaggerated gestures and facial expressions translate well from word to page with the styling employed here.  You can't help but see the charm little Lucille has in every scene as well as the can do spirit to see her dreams comes true.  It will delight little ones with the vivid colors and cartoonish images while still dazzling the eyes of those more seasoned souls that embark on a read through this wonderful addition to the edutainment category.

To summarize the great message that this little gem screams from cover to cover....

Dare to be BRAVE!

Dare to be DIFFERENT!

Dare to be KOOKY, ODD, or OUTRAGEOUS!

But most of all...

DARE TO BE YOU!

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About the author and illustrator...

Brad Meltzer is the author of six New York Times bestselling thrillers: The TenthJustice, Dead Even, The First Counsel, The Millionaires, The Zero Game, and TheBook 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 co-creator of the TV series Jack & Bobby. A graduate of the University of Michigan and Columbia Law School, he currently lives in Florida. To learn more about Brad, please visit him at www.bradmeltzer.com.

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Christopher Eliopoulos began his illustration career as a letterer for Marvel, and has worked on thousands of comics, including Franklin Richards: Son of a Genius, Pet Avengers, and Cow Boy, all of which he wrote and illustrated. He is the illustrator of the New York Times Bestselling Ordinary People Change the World series of picture book biographies. He lives in New Jersey with his wife and their identical twin sons.

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Special thanks to the team at Penguin Random House for the review copy as well as the chance to bring this title to you.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the series, the author, the illustrator, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title just released last week via Dial, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.

Until next time...happy reading!