Brad Meltzer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Brad Meltzer
Meltzer at a signing for The Escape Artist at Barnes & Noble in Union Square, Manhattan
Born	(1970-04-01) April 1, 1970 (age 55)
Occupation	Novelist screenwriter comic 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)
Spouse	Cori Flam ​ (m. 1995)​
Children	3

Brad Meltzer (born April 1, 1970) is an American author who writes exciting novels, non-fiction books, TV shows, and comic books. His novels are often political thrillers, which are fast-paced stories involving government and spies. He has also written popular superhero stories for DC Comics and Marvel Comics. For younger readers, he created a series of books about important historical figures.

Early Life and Education

In 1993, Meltzer lived in Boston, Massachusetts, with his roommate Judd Winick, who also became a famous comic book writer. During the day, Meltzer worked in sales for a magazine. At night, he worked on writing his first novel.

Later, he went to Columbia Law School to study law. He did so well that he was chosen to be on the Columbia Law Review, a special journal for top law students.

An Amazing Career in Writing

Meltzer in a 2003 publicity photo

Brad Meltzer is a very successful writer. His books have been bestsellers in many categories, including fiction, non-fiction, advice books, and children's books. His comic book Justice League of America even won a special prize called an Eisner Award.

Finding a Lost Piece of History

One of Meltzer's most amazing achievements was helping find the American flag that firefighters raised at Ground Zero after the September 11th attacks. The flag went missing for many years.

On his TV show, Brad Meltzer's Lost History, he told the story of the flag and asked for the public's help. Just four days later, a man in Everett, Washington, returned the flag to a local fire station. He said he saw the show and wanted to do the right thing. The flag is now displayed at the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City.

Working with Presidents and Heroes

Meltzer is known for doing a lot of research for his books. He has even gotten help from former U.S. Presidents like Bill Clinton and George H. W. Bush. President Bush once shared a secret letter he wrote to President Clinton.

Meltzer has also used his fame to help people. When his 11th-grade history teacher needed a new kidney, he asked his thousands of Facebook fans for help. Because of his post, a donor was found, and his teacher's life was saved.

He also helped save the house in Cleveland, Ohio, where Superman was created. He helped start a group that raised over $100,000 to preserve the historic home.

Meltzer's Thrilling Novels

Meltzer's first novel was rejected 24 times, but he didn't give up. His second novel, The Tenth Justice, was a success. Since then, all of his thrillers have become New York Times bestsellers.

Many of his books, like The President's Shadow, are about a secret spy ring called the "Culper Ring." This was a real group started by George Washington, but in Meltzer's books, the group still exists today. His 2018 novel, The Escape Artist, was so popular that it started at #1 on the bestseller list.

Books for All Ages

Inspiring Non-Fiction

In 2010, Meltzer published Heroes For My Son. It's a collection of stories about 52 amazing people, like Jim Henson (the creator of the Muppets) and Rosa Parks. He wrote the book to inspire his own son. He later wrote a similar book called Heroes for My Daughter. Both books became bestsellers.

Ordinary People Change the World

In 2014, Meltzer started a series of picture books for kids called Ordinary People Change the World. These books tell the stories of famous people like Amelia Earhart, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King, Jr. in a fun and simple way.

The series became so popular that it was turned into an animated TV show on PBS called Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum.

Uncovering Secret Plots

Meltzer has also co-written non-fiction books about real-life secret plots. These books include The First Conspiracy: The Secret Plot to Kill George Washington and The Lincoln Conspiracy, which is about a plan to harm Abraham Lincoln before he became president.

Writing for Comic Books

Meltzer speaks in 2019

Meltzer has written for many famous comic book characters. He wrote a popular story for Green Arrow and a famous miniseries called Identity Crisis for DC Comics. Identity Crisis was a huge seller and is often listed as one of DC's best stories. However, some fans and critics disliked it for changing the history of some beloved heroes.

He also wrote for the Justice League of America comic book series. For his work on issue #11, he won an Eisner Award, which is like an Oscar for comic books. He has also written stories for Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Batman, and Superman.

In 2023, Meltzer helped start a new comic book company called Ghost Machine. This company allows writers and artists to own the characters they create.

Work in Television

Meltzer co-created the TV show Jack & Bobby, which was about two brothers, one of whom would grow up to be president.

He has also hosted TV shows for the History channel. These include Brad Meltzer's Decoded, where he investigated historical mysteries, and Brad Meltzer's Lost History, which helped find missing historical items like the 9/11 flag.

Personal Life

Meltzer lives in Florida with his wife, who is a lawyer. They have three children: two sons and a daughter.

Awards

See also

In Spanish: Brad Meltzer para niños