---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I loved the idea of making history…"
description: "\"I loved the idea of making history interesting for kids! When Scholastic approached me about 'The 39 Clues', I immediately started going through the 'g..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c03/rick-riordan-27_about_i-loved-the-idea-of-making-history-inter_1242331.jpg"
---

#  I loved the idea of making history interesting for kids!…

![“I loved the idea of making history interesting for kids! When Scholastic approached me about 'The 39 Clues', I immediately started going through the 'greatest hits' from my years as a social studies teacher, and picked the historical characters and eras that most appealed to my students.” quote by Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c03/rick-riordan-27_about_i-loved-the-idea-of-making-history-inter_1242331.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c03/rick-riordan-27_about_i-loved-the-idea-of-making-history-inter_1242331.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c03/rick-riordan-27_about_i-loved-the-idea-of-making-history-inter_1242331.jpg)

> “I loved the idea of making history interesting for kids! When Scholastic approached me about 'The 39 Clues', I immediately started going through the 'greatest hits' from my years as a social studies teacher, and picked the historical characters and eras that most appealed to my students.”

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He chose historical figures that would captivate young readers, linking education with adventure.

**In simple terms:** He made history fun for kids.

Key Takeaway

Use engaging stories to teach history.

Themes

education engagement history children storytelling

Mood

enthusiastic inspired

Type

educational motivational

When to use this quote

- classroom lessons
- children's books
- museum tours
- after‑school programs

Key Concepts

curriculum design motivation cultural relevance

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we balance accuracy with excitement?
- What stories resonate most with today’s youth?

A Different Perspective

May oversimplify complex events for entertainment.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Appealed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appealed/) [Characters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/characters/) [Clues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clues/) [Eras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eras/) [Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going/) [Greatest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest/) [Greatest hits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-hits/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Hits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hits/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Immediately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immediately/) [Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting/) [Interesting Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting-kids-2173500/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Kids Scholastic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids-scholastic-3883190/) [Loved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loved/) [Making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making/) [Making history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-history/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Most](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/most/) [Picked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/picked/) [Picked Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/picked-historical-3883191/) [Scholastic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scholastic-905076/) [Scholastic Approached](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scholastic-approached-3883189/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social studies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-studies/) [Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started/) [Students](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/students/) [Studies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/studies/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Through](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/through/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/)

## Related quotes

> [The interesting part is that most of the kids I speak to have grown up watching 'Full House,' so they feel like they know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-interesting-part-is-that-most-of-the-kids-i-speak-to-have-grown/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I was something of a problem kid. I was emotional, wild, rebellious at school. I'm very touched by kids who don't have advantages; they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-ellen-mark/i-was-something-of-a-problem-kid-i-was-emotional-wild-rebellious-at/)

[Mary Ellen Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-ellen-mark/)

> [“In 1994, the College Board changed the test’s name from Scholastic Aptitude Test to the Scholastic Assessment Test. Now according to the College Board,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-robbins/in-1994-the-college-board-changed-the-test-s-name-from-scholastic/)

[Alexandra Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-robbins/)

> [Schools are, indeed, one important method of the transmission which forms the dispositions of the immature; but it is only one means, and, compared…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dewey/schools-are-indeed-one-important-method-of-the-transmission-which/)

[John Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dewey/)

> [All my friends can probably only name one publishing house, and that is Scholastic; they are everywhere. Scholastic is the perfect partner for spreading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marley-dias/all-my-friends-can-probably-only-name-one-publishing-house-and-that/)

[Marley Dias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marley-dias/)

> [The fact was that I had always been considered a leader in my scholastic career. It just never dawned on me that this was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-stutz/the-fact-was-that-i-had-always-been-considered-a-leader-in-my/)

[Geraldine Stutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-stutz/)

> [I have been in the scholastic profession long enough to know that nobody enters it unless he has some very good reason that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/i-have-been-in-the-scholastic-profession-long-enough-to-know-that/)

[Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/)

> [Whether the flower looks better in the nosegay than in the meadow where it grew and we had to wet our feet to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/whether-the-flower-looks-better-in-the-nosegay-than-in-the-meadow/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [My father had a brilliant scholastic record in high school and was awarded a college scholarship. Unfortunately he had to turn it down so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-visconti/my-father-had-a-brilliant-scholastic-record-in-high-school-and-was/)

[Tony Visconti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-visconti/)

> [Our scholastic system isn't structured to make sure that kids in the fifth or sixth grades absolutely know how to read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albert/our-scholastic-system-isn-t-structured-to-make-sure-that-kids-in-the/)

[Edward Albert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albert/)

> [I spent as little time as I possibly could there. That's kinda what I was like in high school. I wasn't a big scholastic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-monteith/i-spent-as-little-time-as-i-possibly-could-there-that-s-kinda-what-i/)

[Cory Monteith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-monteith/)

> [I went to Performing Arts because that was the only school that would accept me. My scholastic level was not very high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/i-went-to-performing-arts-because-that-was-the-only-school-that-would/)

[Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/)

> [The only way I thought I could do a greatest hits album is to do it in a prison where they have no f\*\*king…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-stanhope/the-only-way-i-thought-i-could-do-a-greatest-hits-album-is-to-do-it/)

[Doug Stanhope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-stanhope/)

> [It's a trip to have a Greatest Hits record. It's a trip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-kravitz/it-s-a-trip-to-have-a-greatest-hits-record-it-s-a-trip/)

[Lenny Kravitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-kravitz/)

> [“Our entire lives we witness individuals, the ones who break some of the most culturally sensitive moral codes, ruined permanently by the media -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/our-entire-lives-we-witness-individuals-the-ones-who-break-some-of/)

[Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/)

## More by Rick Riordan

> [“It made sense, and I felt kind of stupid. I’d been hanging around dryads”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/it-made-sense-and-i-felt-kind-of-stupid-i-d-been-hanging-around-dryads/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [“That awkward moment when you jump out a window because your friend jumped out a window, then you remember that your other friend can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/that-awkward-moment-when-you-jump-out-a-window-because-your-friend/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [Oh, dear Hazel.” Aphrodite folded her fan. “Such optimism, yet you have heartrending days ahead of you. Of course war is coming. Love and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/oh-dear-hazel-aphrodite-folded-her-fan-such-optimism-yet-you-have/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [Kids, if anything, are harder to write for because they are a more discerning audience. They will not stay with you if you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/kids-if-anything-are-harder-to-write-for-because-they-are-a-more/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [“He started toward the entrance. Seriously, how could he not? He stopped when he noticed the girl. She was kneeling in her vegetable garden,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/he-started-toward-the-entrance-seriously-how-could-he-not-he-stopped/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [Hercules used noise! Brass bells! He scared them away with the most horrible sound he could-" said Percy "Percy... Chiron's collection!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/hercules-used-noise-brass-bells-he-scared-them-away-with-the-most/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [“When you take someone’s hand and lead them to Valhalla, you get a glimpse into their soul.” “Did that happen when you took me?”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/when-you-take-someone-s-hand-and-lead-them-to-valhalla-you-get-a/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [“he didn’t look as good as Piper had last night after she’d suddenly been transformed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/he-didn-t-look-as-good-as-piper-had-last-night-after-she-d-suddenly/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [There’s my baby!” I cried, quite carried away. “There’s my Poochiekins!” Ammit ran at me and leaped into my arms, nuzzling me with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/there-s-my-baby-i-cried-quite-carried-away-there-s-my-poochiekins/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [“Leo plunked the cheese wheel in front of me. "Cut me a wedge of this, my good ma. Chop-chop!" I scowled at him. "Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/leo-plunked-the-cheese-wheel-in-front-of-me-cut-me-a-wedge-of-this-my/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [It's all still about having a good story. You have to have a good story as your anchor, as your main focus. So for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/it-s-all-still-about-having-a-good-story-you-have-to-have-a-good/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [I disobeyed Ra's wishes, and so he ordered my onw father, Shu-" "Hang on," I said. "Shoe?" "S-h-u," she said. "The god of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-disobeyed-ra-s-wishes-and-so-he-ordered-my-onw-father-shu-hang-on-i/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [“Nico knelt and picked it up. He regarded Jason, as if waiting for an attack. "If the others found out-" "If the others found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/nico-knelt-and-picked-it-up-he-regarded-jason-as-if-waiting-for-an/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [Wouldn't that put a twist in your toga?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/wouldn-t-that-put-a-twist-in-your-toga/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

> [ \[Hazel\] hissed in frustration. 'I hate eidolons. I thought Piper made them promise to stay away.' 'Oh...' Frank said, like he'd just had his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/hazel-hissed-in-frustration-i-hate-eidolons-i-thought-piper-made-them/)

[Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

[Explore all 2,993 Rick Riordan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/)

## More About quotes

> [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/)

[Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/)

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/)

[Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/)

> [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/)

[Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/)

> [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/)

[Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/)

> [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/)

[Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/)

> [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/)

[Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/)

> [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/)

[Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/)

> [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/)

[Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/)

> [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/)

[Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/)

> [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/)

[Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/)

> [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/)

[Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/)

> [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/)

[Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/)

> [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/)

[John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/)

> [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/)

[Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/)

[Browse all 26,122 About quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I loved the idea of making history interesting for kids! When Scholastic approached me about 'The 39 Clues', I immediately started going through the 'greatest hits' from my years as a social studies teacher, and picked the historical characters and eras that most appealed to my students.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Rick Riordan"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-loved-the-idea-of-making-history-interesting-for-kids-when/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "About"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-loved-the-idea-of-making-history-interesting-for-kids-when/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c03/rick-riordan-27_about_i-loved-the-idea-of-making-history-inter_1242331.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c03/rick-riordan-27_about_i-loved-the-idea-of-making-history-inter_1242331.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c03/rick-riordan-27_about_i-loved-the-idea-of-making-history-inter_1242331.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I loved the idea of making history interesting for kids! When Scholastic approached me about 'The 39 Clues'…” — Rick Riordan",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Rick Riordan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I loved the idea of making...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-loved-the-idea-of-making-history-interesting-for-kids-when/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-loved-the-idea-of-making-history-interesting-for-kids-when/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
