Required reading from the week in books and comics.

Brad Meltzer Heroes for My SonWhen his son was born, best-selling novelist Brad Meltzer ("The Book of Fate") started compiling a list of heroes and role models for his kid to look up to. The result is "Heroes for My Son," a book that examines the nature of heroes and celebrates everyone from Rosa Parks to Jim Henson. Cheesy to be sure, but any book that gives props to upstanding Americans, like Henson and Mr. Rogers, is enough to warm our cold, bitter hearts.

Also in stores:
-- "War" chronicles the period author Sebastian Junger ("The Perfect Storm") spent with the 173rd Airborne brigade in Afghanistan battling giant waves. Okay, that last part about the waves isn't true. It's actually a thrilling saga of a war-torn region in Afghanistan. Really. There's no Mark Wahlberg in sight.
-- The DC/Vertigo series "Sweet Tooth" is one of the creepiest comics published right now. Zombies and vampires ain't got nothing on a kid with antlers being hunted in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.