Montage book program to inspire young travellers
Montage Hotels & Resorts’ new literary ambassador, New York Times bestselling mystery and thriller writer Brad Meltzer (bradmeltzer.com), is the creative force behind a new offer for the hotel’s Paintbox program, which features his children’s series, Ordinary People Change the World.
Families travelling with children receive a stuffed animal or book from the series at check-in, along with corresponding colouring and activity sheets developed by Paintbox, the activities program at every Montage (montagehotels.com) designed for kids ages 5 to 12.
“We want to inspire kids,” says Meltzer from his home in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
“In this world right now, we’re all starving for heroes and this is our way to give real heroes to children.”
Meltzer and the hotel’s executives discussed the simple concept of making sure kids had access to books while travelling.
“We said, wouldn’t it be cool if we could get kids reading?” he recalls. “That instead of checking in and immediately flipping on the TV, they opened a book?”
Montage is a California-based hotel and resort management company with properties in Utah, Hawaii, California, South Carolina and Mexico.
Meltzer will also pen Brad’s Book of the Month, recommending his favourite literary finds for both children and adults on the hotel’s website and social channels.
He has written several political thrillers, including The Fifth Assassin and The President’s Shadow, the Ordinary People Change the World children’s book series, and a variety of comic books and non-fiction works. We chatted with him to learn more about the program and, of course, find out which book is on his nightstand.
What is this program all about?
We’re trying to inspire kids by giving them free books. When kids check into a Montage property, they can select one of the titles from my series, including I am Abraham Lincoln; I am Amelia Earhart; I am Lucille Ball; and I am Jackie Robinson. So, instead of staring at a screen or a phone, kids can now spend time with Abraham Lincoln, Amelia Earhart and other heroes. The goal is to remind kids of the power within them.
What has been your inspiration?
This series was born because I was tired of my daughter thinking realityTV stars and loud-mouthed sports players were heroes. I tell my kids all the time: That’s fame. Fame is differ- ent than being a hero. I wanted my kids to see real heroes . . . and real people no different than themselves. For that reason, each book tells the story of the hero when they were a kid. We see them as children. So it’s not just Amelia Earhart and Abraham Lincoln being famous — it’s them being just like us. Kids need that reminder every day. Why do you think kids like this program? Free books. Free heroes. Free proof that anything is possible.
What are you reading?
I read tons of comics, non-fiction, and young adult titles. Right now, I’m reading Empress by Mark Millar.
What is your next pick of the month?
Well, if I told you, that would ruin the mystery. Denise Dias is a Toronto writer. Denisediasto@gmail.com