Right about now, the world could use a good hero story… something to rescue us from all the chaos and lift our spirits. Luckily, heroes never go out of style and this most unlikely champ, from Florence Parry Heide’s How To Be A Hero, is sure to put a smile on your face.
True of today’s Gen Z and their obsession with fame, self-assured Gideon is keen to figure out what it takes to become a hero and have his moment in the sun. He reckons any good hero must be strong, brave and clever. Right? But after thumbing his way through a few classic fairytales, Gideon soon discovers that all those heroes had to do was wind up in the right place at the right time. So that’s it! Gideon just needs to “pay attention” and he too could become a hero. Sorted.
This clever story was in fact published posthumously, after Heide died in 2011, aged 92. A prolific American author, Heide wrote more than 100 books for children. Her obituary in the New York Times describes her storytelling as reflecting “the curiosity of the very young…” And it’s true, Heide’s knack for writing “boy” is really entertaining, with Gideon’s stream of consciousness very droll. And he ultimately achieves his coveted fame in the most unexpected way, cleverly captured by Groenink’s vintage-like illustrations, which let you in on a whole other story unfolding right underneath Gideon’s nose. We thought he was supposed to be paying attention!
How To Be A Hero, is masterfully done – a great twist and fizzing with humour.
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