Maura Shaw

Maura Shaw tells of ten amazing individuals who through their conviction and determination made this world a better place. Some are individuals that readers might have heard of such as Mother Teresa or Martin Luther King, Jr. And others are individuals that seldom have heard such as Dorothy Day and Janusz Korczak, but all led amazing lives of standing up for those who had no voice. The title for each leader shows a glimpse into the leaders conviction, and there is a brief explanation that draws the reader into finding out more. The book has topical structure showing the greater purpose of each leader. The narrative structure shows how the individual overcame obstacles in his or her pursuit for the goal. There is also a fascinating fact for each person. The book has a narrative structure. For example: Shaw explains how Albert Schweitzer would gaze at a sculpture by Fredric Barthholdi and then the reader would find out he was the creator of the Statue of Liberty. This draws the reader in by connecting the known with the unknown. It gives information about terms that are in the story. For example: Harlem, Mecca and Temple are explained in the story of Malcom X. The tone is partisan as Shaw shows the reader the importance each leader played in making a difference. Each leader has an illustration that depicts different aspects of his/her life and towards the end the illustrations are explained in detail. In the beginning of the book there is a world map showing where the ten leaders lived and where different events occurred. At the end of the book Shaw merges the accomplishments of these ten amazing people with related world events and interesting facts. It makes history personal. There isn't a bibliography but it does give websites and books if the reader is wanting to learn more about different areas such as: individuals committed to service, protection of all living creatures or teaching tolerance. This book helps readers see how a single individual can make an amazing difference in make this world a better place.… (meer)