“The Boy Who Changed the World” written by author and corporate speaker Andy Andrews and illustrated by British illustrator Philip Hurst, is a recently released children’s inspirational & motivational book.

“The Boy Who Changed the World“  uses an interesting, yet easy to understand, method of weaving together several lives to tell how each of the characters roles in the lives of the other characters helped to make a difference in our world.  The story is based on the story of Norman Borlaug, whose research with seeds and plants eventually led to a succesful way to grow ”super plants” which is said to have saved two billion people.  But in the method of interweaving lives, author Andrews tells how Borlaug could not have done what he did without the influence that people in past generations had on their next generation, leading up to the influence that former U.S. Vice President Henry Wallace had on Borlaug.

With beautiful fully illustrated pages, by artist Philip Hurst, Andy Andrews makes an important point to the children (and adults) reading the book that “what you did yesterday, what you do today, and what you do tomorrow” really matters.  “God made your life so important that every move you make, every action you take, matters…”.  How is it that everything you do can really matter, or make a difference?  The author calls this ”the butterfly effect.”  Quoting from the book… “When a butterfly flaps its wings, it moves tiny pieces of air…that move other tiny pieces of air…that move other tiny pieces of air.  In fact, on the other side of the world, they might be feeling a big whoosh of wind — all because a butterfly flapped its wings here just a few minutes ago!”

Whether your child (or student) reads the book to himself or you read it to him, discuss with the child how their decisions, the things that they do, can influence others.  It is possible that our choices can make a good or bad influence on others.  Obviously, it is so important that we all realize that we should be make decisions, and choices, that will be make a positive difference.  Be “the boy who changed the world.”

This children’s book is based on the author’s popular book, “The Butterfly Effect“.  When I got my copy of “The Boy Who Changed the World“, I immediately read it and enjoyed it.  But the true test came when my 8 year old son picked it up and read it.  He told me he really liked it.  But I knew he liked it when the next day he reread it and said he would really like to try to get his friends to act out the different parts in his school’s talent show.  He later changed his mind about the skit, but has said he definitely wants to share the book with his class.

On a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being GREAT) columbiabookseller (and my son) give “The Boy Who Changed the World” a 5.

(quotations taken directly from the book, “The Boy Who Changed the World“, by Andy Andrews).

“The Boy Who Changed the World”

Andy Andrews, author

Philip Hurst, illustrator

Tommy Nelson (A Division of Thomas Nelson Publishers)

ISBN:  978-1-4003-1605-2

Tags: , , , ,