Best Kids Books About Heroes

A boy and his father come from far away to visit the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington and find the name of the boy's grandfather, who was killed in the conflict.

An instruction manual for aspiring superheroes that follows the adventures of action-figure Captain Magma and his sidekick/owner Lava Boy as they outsmart a villainous dinosaur, evade a bee, and save a worm from certain destruction.

Anyone can be a superhero and this guidebook will show you how! Just follow six easy steps and you’ll be saving the world in no time. Join an aspiring hero as he selects a secret identity, chooses a power, and much, much more. But be warned: it isn’t easy being super. And sometimes the greatest acts of heroism need a helping hand to get off the ground. Kristy Dempsey’s rollicking text, coupled with Mark Fearing’s expressive, cartoon-style illustrations will have readers laughing all the way to infinity and beyond!

A beautifully illustrated account of the Greek myth of Jason and the Argonauts with informative details from the award-winning author of Electric Ben The story of Jason and the Argonauts is one of the earliest recorded Greek myths. Here, master artist Robert Byrd has created a striking telling of the legend for a new generation of readers. Complete with explanatory notes and illustrated back matter, Jason and the Argonauts traces each step of our hero’s journey, from the Golden Fleece’s origin story and Jason’s childhood to his triumphant return with the prize and eventual death. Deftly designed to accommodate glorious large pictures and captioned insets, the book is not only a great story, but a wealth of information about ancient Greece.

Beloved author-illustrator Tomie dePaola’s take on traditional “Jack tales”—in which a young hero ventures out to seek his fortune and gains it through luck or pluck—is perfect for preschoolers. His hero’s reward is a wealth of animal friends who increase in number—and volume—as the story progresses. When Jack sets out to see the world and find a place of his own, he’s surprised to attract a following of enthusiastic animal friends eager to join him on his quest. Jack and his entourage all have high hopes that they will find just what they are looking for as they travel on their merry way. Children will delight in the cumulative chorus of animal sounds as the pages get more and more crowded with the residents of this delightful kingdom.

Flashlight Night is an ode to the power of imagination and the wonder of books. Three children use a flashlight to light a path around their backyard at night; in the flashlight’s beam another world looms. Our heroes encounter spooky woods, a fearsome tiger, a time-forgotten tomb, an Egyptian god, a sword-fighting pirate, and a giant squid. With ingenuity, they vanquish all, then return to their tree house—braver, closer, and wiser than before—to read the books that inspired their adventure.

As a young man in India, Gandhi saw firsthand how people were treated unfairly. Refusing to accept injustice, he came up with a brilliant way to fight back through quiet, peaceful protest. He used his methods in South Africa and India, where he led a nonviolent revolution that freed his country from British rule. Through his calm, steady heroism, Gandhi changed the lives of millions and inspired civil rights movements all over the world, proving that the smallest of us can be the most powerful.

Eleven amazing stories from the Viking Sagas, packed with warriors and battles, heroes and heroines, Berserkers, monsters and zombies. AND LOTS OF MAGIC. Stories include: The Dragon's Hoard * The Swan Warrior * The Berserker's Baby * Tusker versus the Earl * The Bear in Chains * The Raven Banner * The Boy in the Bones * Sailing to America * The Zombie on the Roof * Hunting Magnus * Odin's Riddles

Becoming a super-hero: what a great idea, thinks the Wolf! No sooner said than done, our Wolf slips into his tights and cape . . . and starts looking for someone to save! Did you say easy? Not so sure when you're super clumsy!

Just How Big Can a Little kid Dream? Who is your hero? Alexander takes a rip-roaring historical adventure! Through his imaginative journey, Alexander discovers how great men become heroes: the roughest rider can be surprisingly gentle, a strong leader is also the most peaceful, and sometimes, being brave about what makes you different will not only help you break records, but inspire others. Join Alexander as he learns how these remarkable men changed the world and encouraged him to find the hero within himself!

Even superheroes slip up and err. When that happens, do they complain or give up in despair? NO! Whether they've nabbed the wrong guy by mistake or bashed into a planet while zooming through space, all superheroes 'fess up their mess-up and keep on saving the world in the most super way! This follow-up to Even Superheroes Have Bad Days teaches kids another humorous lesson in overcoming adversity.

Welcome back the perfect pug-and-pig pair: Percy and Petunia. The two besties are inseparable--until Petunia wins a blue ribbon at the fair. Suddenly she's too busy to play anymore. So when lonely Percy finds a faded comic book, he takes on a new persona: THUNDER PUG! But what's a superhero without a sidekick? Will a little "Pink Lightning" (aka Petunia) come to his rescue?

On a cold winter day, a curious dog wanders onto a frozen river. Suddenly, the ice starts breaking up, and soon the dog is adrift and traveling -- the unwilling passenger on a fast-moving sheet of ice. The dramatic rescue of this little lost dog, who traveled seventy-five miles in two days, is a true story that will warm reader's hearts. Monica Carnesi's poignant text and charming illustrations perfectly convey the excitement of this remarkable tale, and readers will root for this little dog every step of the way.

Mohandas Gandhi’s 24-day March to the Sea, from March 12 to April 5, 1930, was a pivotal moment in India’s quest to become an independent country no longer ruled by Great Britain. With over 70 marchers, Gandhi walked from his hometown near Ahmedabab to the sea coast by the village of Dandi. The march was a non-violent means to protest the taxes that Great Britain had imposed on salt -- not the salt that the Indians could get from the sea, but the salt that Great Britain forced them to buy. Gandhi believed that peaceful protests were an effective way to challenge British law, and his peaceful but ultimately successful movement became known as Satyagraha.

From Senator Kamala Harris comes a picture book with an empowering message: Superheroes are all around us–and if we try, we can all be heroes too. Before Kamala Harris became a district attorney and a United States senator, she was a little girl who loved superheroes. And when she looked around, she was amazed to find them everywhere! In her family, among her friends, even down the street–there were superheroes wherever she looked. And those superheroes showed her that all you need to do to be a superhero is to be the best that you can be. In this empowering and joyful picture book that speaks directly to kids, Kamala Harris takes readers through her life and shows them that the power to make the world a better place is inside all of us. And with fun and engaging art by Mechal Renee Roe, as well as a guide to being a superhero at the end, this book is sure to have kids taking up the superhero mantle (cape and mask optional).

Yasmin gathers a cape and mask and sets out to find a villain to defeat with her "super powers"--however there are no villains hiding on her block, just neighbors who need a little help.

Second-grader Harry, who loves superheroes and thinks he knows all about them, misunderstands a school assignment and presents a new a superhero invention to his class.

The charmingly oblivious elephant Little Jumbo “saves the day” in a superhero story that’s perfect for fans of Ian Falconer’s Olivia Being a superhero isn’t easy. All Little Jumbo wants to do is fight crime and defend the weak, by doing things like halting traffic for snails to cross the street and stopping Dad from sneaking cookies. It’s not his fault grown-ups don’t appreciate his heroic deeds! Luckily, Little Jumbo doesn’t give up easily. He even powerfully resists cake (his greatest weakness!) to help a new friend in need! Super Jumbo is the hilariously sweet companion to Fred Koehler’s standout debut, How to Cheer Up Dad, which received three starred reviews.

Friends and imagination save the day Goose’s friends love the stories he makes up when they’re playing. Except one thing – Goose is always the hero. And when they ask to take turns leading the fun, Goose doesn’t agree. While they argue about it, no one notices the hungry wolf sneaking up on them until he shouts, “Hello, Lunch!” This real-life danger shows Goose how silly he’s been and that his friends make terrific heroes! Always a surefire hit on laps or at storytime, Keiko Kasza’s latest shows how imagination can come in handy in an unexpected way.