Heroes: Great Men Through the Ages - Hardcover

Grade 5-8. In this companion volume to Heroines (Abbeville, 1996), Hazell focuses on 12 men who shared an ability to affect change, whether through leadership, art, or invention. Included are well-known individuals such as Mohandas Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as well as men who are less famous, such as Prince Taishi Shotoku, a ruler of Japan in the 6th and 7th centuries; and Mansa Kankan Musa, a Muslim emperor who ruled in West Africa during the 1300s. Creators such as Leonardo da Vinci, William Shakespeare, and Jorge Luis Borges are also included. Each six-page biography contains a short overview of the figure's life, a portrait, and a map showing the major cities and countries mentioned. Another useful section focuses on the society in which the individual lived and the changes caused by his influence. Highlighting the individual's world in this way helps readers understand just what made the man great in his own time and why he is someone to respect and admire today. Each biography is accompanied by attractive artwork done in the style of the subject's era. An informative book that should prove useful to report writers and browsers alike.?Melissa Hudak, North Suburban District Library, Roscoe, IL
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Gr. 4^-6. A companion volume to the author's Heroines (1996), this eclectic collective biography introduces young people to the lives of 12 famous men. Chosen from a variety of places and periods in world history, Hazell's heroes are Socrates, Prince Taishi Shotoku, Mansa Kankan Musa, Leonardo da Vinci, William Shakespeare, Benjamin Franklin, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sequoya, Mohandas Gandhi, Albert Einstein, Jorge Luis Borges, and Martin Luther King Jr. Each six-page entry includes information, a map, and several colorful illustrations reflecting the biographee's culture. The text presents some ideas not usually introduced to children at this level, such as Socrates' saying "the unexamined life is not worth living," but the generalized, cursory portrayals of the subjects lead to a gloss of sameness, despite their individual and cultural differences. Recommended for larger collections. Carolyn Phelan