The son of a teacher himself, the world's #1 bestselling author James Patterson blows the lid off what is happening in today's schools with firsthand stories, highlighting the heroic efforts of the world's teachers.

Teachers are the heroes we too often forget to thank. And we need heroes more than ever. From across the country, from kindergarten to high school, from public, private, religious, or military schools, teachers tell us:

• What it takes to teach kids day in and day out
• What it takes to improve kids' lives
• What it takes to foster a lifelong readers and lifelong learners

If you can read this, someone cared about you. If you can read this, you want a brighter future for our kids. If you can read this, thank a teacher.