cover image Groundbreaking Guys: 40 Men Who Became Great by Doing Good

Groundbreaking Guys: 40 Men Who Became Great by Doing Good

Stephanie True Peters, illus. by Shamel Washington. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, $16.99 (96p) ISBN 978-0-316-52941-9

Peters celebrates 40 men from across the globe who have strived to make the world a better place. Presented in chronological order, the subjects include figures of substantial fame and with significant presence on the public stage—President Barack Obama, Lin-Manuel Miranda—alongside individuals whose influence is of a more reserved nature (Bob Ross, host of The Joy of Painting). Others work to fight oppression, including Chinese diplomat Feng-Shan Ho, who helped Jewish people escape to Shanghai during WWII. Longtime pals Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen, the late Anthony Bourdain, and Kendrick Lamar are among the famed figures of the media and entertainment worlds. Success isn’t measured by status or dollar signs, Peters notes. Instead, being “groundbreaking” is about the choices one makes to better the world. Ages 8–12. [em](June) [/em]