Book Review: The Boy Who Changed the World

The Boy Who Changed the World, written by Andy Andrew, is a fascinating look at how the choices of one affect the choices of others. The book details historical events related to the lives of four boys, Norman Borlaug, Henry Wallace, George Washington Carver, and Moses Carver, who became men and changed the world. By the end of the book, the reader will see how each of these individual stories is weaved together to create one larger story. The account of their actions is shared in an easily read story form that illustrates how the choices the boys made affected not only the immediacy of their lives, but the lives of millions. The accounts involve a rescue, farming, and feeding the hungry. The illustrations, created by Philip Hurst, are fabulous and intriguing. Younger children will enjoy finding the butterfly on the pages. It is a great picture book that elementary aged children will enjoy, too—mine did. It provides a practical, life application example of the Butterfly Effect. It would make a great basis for a series of literature lessons for the classroom.

I reviewed this book at part of the Book Sneeze program and they provided a copy for me. All opinions are my own.