Historic Heroes for Children

Society is saturated with celebrities, some of whom don’t deserve emulation. As a result, it can be difficult for parents to find inspirational heroes for their children to look up to. Two new children’s books may be the answer. Spencer Johnson, the New York Times best-selling author of Who Moved My Cheese?, has written A ValueTales Treasury: Stories for Growing Good People. The book contains five short stories about famous people from the past. The tales focuses on the values each of them embodied: Will Rogers and the Value of Humor, Harriet Tubman and the Value of Helping, Confucius and the Value of Honesty, Helen Keller and the Value of Determination and Louis Pasteur and the Value of Believing in Yourself.

Though the narratives deal with real people and actual events, the author presents them in an imaginative way that allows young readers to understand the characters from a child’s perspective. Illustrated by Dan Andreasen, the book is an engaging introduction to these historical figures.

Andy Andrews, also a New York Times best-selling author, has penned The Boy Who Changed the World. His story emphasizes the importance of decisions and the impact one person can have on the lives of others. He follows the accomplishments of Nobel laureate Norman Borlaug who helped developed high yield, drought resistant corn and wheat that could be grown in arid climates.

But the story doesn’t stop there. Going back in time, Andrews introduces the chain of people who influenced Borlaug and contributed to that life-saving scientific development. Borlaug was encouraged in his efforts by U.S. Vice President Henry Wallace who as a child had been mentored on his father’s farm by George Washington Carver. Philip Hurst provides the book’s colorful illustrations.

In addition to his children’s book, Andrews has written an inspirational volume for adults titled The Butterfly Effect: How Your Life Matters. The easy-to-read publication introduces relatively unknown characters whose decisions changed the course of historical events and contributed to our present day lives.

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