Usborne Publishing - 1996
Purchase at Amazon.com
Reading Level: 8+ Number of Pages: 63 Genre: Informational
Summary: In what is essentially a collection of historical events, this book details episodes of history where real heroism was demonstrated. The events depicted include heroic acts performed by firefighters at Chernobyl, a surgeon in Beirut named Pauline Cutting, the first cosmonaut, and the soldiers who eventually overthrew Blackbeard. Many of the stories depict people who overcame exceptional odds to accomplish an impressive feat. Others describe people who were brave or bold, or who showed great charity to others. The following quote is an excerpt from an account of firefighters at the Chernobyl power station in 1968.
"His blood ran cold, and Perevozchenko was seized by panic. He knew that his body was absorbing lethal doses of radiation, but instead of fleeing he steeled himself to stay and search for his colleague. . . By now he had absorbed so much radiation he felt his whole body was on fire. But then he remembered that there were several other men near to the explosion who might also be trapped."
My Impressions: This is a remarkably fascinating book. The events contained here are all true, and they all demonstrate an individual who challenged surprising odds to achieve something great. Those who read should be inspired by these true stories and try to achieve greatness on their own. I liked the book, even though it is very historical. The information is detailed, but not too complicated.
Parent's Guide: Several historical events. Some fighting and battles, but all in historical context.
Recommendations:I think this book would be a challenge for younger kids, but maybe a challenge is what they need. The writing is not geared to very young kids, but I believe slightly older kids would benefit from some real-life role models.
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