The Boy Who Changed the World

a fascinating connected story

Have you ever heard of Norman Borlaug? Do you know what he did to earn a Nobel Prize in 1970 and the U. S. Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1977? Norman grew up on a farm in Iowa and loved to play in his father's cornfields. When his father reminded him of how lucky they were to have the corn, as many people in the world don't have enough to eat, Norman wondered what it would like to be hungry all the time and if there might be a way to use the corn to feed hungry people. Right then, he decided to change the world. When he was older, he worked for a man named Henry Wallace, who hired him to make special seeds that would feed more people than ordinary plants, especially in arid climates. This resulted in saving more than two billion people from starving.
But Henry Wallace had also grown up in Iowa, where his father was a college professor. One of his father's students was named George Washington Carver, and he used to take Henry on expeditions in the countryside to teach him about plants. He told Henry, "God made you to make a difference. And I believe you will." Of course, George Washington Carver was a famous scientist who, as a young man, learned that little things can make a big difference and, in addition to encouraging Henry Wallace, invented 266 things from the peanut and 88 things from the sweet potato. And don't forget Moses and Susan Carver, who saved George from Quantrill's Raiders and adopted him. Which of these people actually changed the world? Or was it perhaps all of them?
Andy Andrews was hailed by a New York Times writer as someone who has quietly become "one of the most influential people in America." The Boy Who Changed the World is a children's version of his motivational book The Butterfly Effect; it is designed to teach children how important they really are and how the decisions that they make today, big and small, can truly change the world. The superb, lush illustrations by Philip Hurst range from green Iowa cornfields, to the blazing Carver barn at night, to butterflies against a blue sky. Several free PDF file downloads are available at the author's website, including a one-page Reader's Guide with fifteen discussion questions for parents and teachers to help expand their children's learning of the key lessons in the book, and a 54 page Teacher's Curriculum Guide for schools and homeschoolers. Andrews tells kids, "That means every little thing YOU do matters: what you did yesterday, what you do today, and what you do tomorrow. God made your life so important that every move you make, every action you take, matters.and not only for you or the people around you. Everything you do matters for everyone and for all time." This is an important message for all of us remember, and this book conveys it in a fascinating connected story.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great Children's Book

I bought this book for my 10-year old grandson, but I read it before giving it to him. What a great book! I learned history that I had never heard before, which is sad, in and of itself. I liked how it built backward upon itself. I asked my grandson if he liked it, and he said he did, and I emphasized to him that HE can change the world. BTW, I've read 4 books by this author now, with another one on the way (from B & N), and I highly recommend his books.

Great moral

Genre: Children's Book
Rating: 5/5 Stars

Summary: The book takes the reader back in time one person at a time, revealing how each person made a small difference that eventually changed the world.

Review: This is a great children's book. It has beautiful illustrations, and it teaches a good moral that every person can make a huge difference, even if they don't realize the small things they do are making that difference.

Kids Book on the Butterfly Effect

This book is a great book for kids about the butterfly effect. Andy Andrews wrote another book called "The Butterfly Effect: How Your Life Matters" and this book is just that book for kids. It's a good book because it really shows kids the value of their life. It also shows the value of one decision made. We sometimes never think of what one decision that we make might one day lead to a massive change in the world. This book takes that concept to the kids level and is very easy to understand for kids. I know that this is a short review, but I can't say much more about this book without saying too much.

great kids book

Tuesday, September 7, 2010
The Boy Who Changed the World by Andy Andwers




"The Boy Who Changed the World reveals the incredible truth that everything
YOU do matters, what you did yesterday, what you do today, and what you
will do tomorrow. Every choice you make, good or bad, can make a difference!
In this engaging tale, best-selling author Andy Andrews shows children that
every action, however big or small, can have a ripple effect around the world."


This book is pretty much exactly like The Butterfly Effect. It is just written in a way that young children ca understand. It shows little kids that they too can change the world, no matter their age. I would also recommend this book to all little children and parents, so they to can be inspired and know that they matter too!

Great choice!

Andy Andrew's book entitled The Boy Who Changed the World was a fun and encouraging read! This is a great, heart warming story for all ages to enjoy- especially elementary ages. I loved the illustrations- they were vibrant and beautiful.

The Boy Who Changed the World is actually three different little boys and how they lived their childhood dreams out into adulthood. Each of the little boys needed the others to make their dream come true. I enjoyed the fictional-look to a real-life story! A great addition to an American history lesson!

Andrew's other popular book, The Butterfly Effect is paraphrased at the end of The Boy Who Changed the World- so for the cost of one book, you get two lessons!

The publisher provided a free copy of this book for me in exchange for an honest review.

The Boy Who Changed the World by Andy Andrews: added to my must-gift list

The Boy Who Changed the World by Andy Andrews is an inspirational childrens book explaining the extraordinary impact of individual lives. Packed full of adventure and optimism, this book delights the eyes with pages of excellent watercolor illustrations while delivering a strong moral and motivational message - earning a place on my must-gift list.

I enjoyed this childrens version of this book much more than the adult counterpart (The Butterfly Effect also by Andy Andrews). This childrens version conveys well a truth missed in the adult book: beyond realizing that our actions and choices are impactful, it's important to realize that the inherent morality of those choices matters. For example, the mother in one story tells her son, "I'm proud of you for making a good choice today" - highlighting the truth that it's important not just to take action, but to choose good actions over bad.

Note: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Must Read to See Your Potential

For those of you who enjoy reading and interacting with your children, The Boy Who Changed the World by Andy Andrews would be a great addition to your library. Setting children up at an early age to understand their importance and that little things do matter are the foundation of Andrews book. A delightful review of history from some well known figures to some less than well known figures, but an overwhelming interconnectedness amongst all people is written in a way to captivate audiences from young to old. I appreciated the manner in which the book was crafted and illustrated. A nice conversational tone created an environment that even the youngest of children will enjoy. In our ever changing hyper competitive world, Andrews book sets forth a simple example that one deed can literally change the world. Think not? You have to read The Boy Who Changed the World to see the power of one small task, one small deed, one passing comment-they can be game changers.

I received an EBook version of The Boy Who Changed the World from BookSneeze.com. I am under no obligation to write a positive review and as such, the review is one hundred percent my thoughts and opinions on Andy Andrews book.

Thought-provoking for kids!

The Boy Who Changed The World by Andy Andrews
Published by Thomas Nelson

I was initially inspired to request this book by the illustrations as much as by the author and the subject matter, and when the book arrived, I was definitely not disappointed ! My children and I absolutely loved the truly wonderful attractive pictures, which complement each page of thoughtful text.

The basic premise is very simple; each person's actions, no matter how trivial, will have an impact on other people and their lives, in an enormous chain which Andy Andrews calls "The Butterfly Effect". Even the actions of children are important, and this delightful book focuses on the lives and actions of four people.

Even though my children and I were unfamiliar with the lives of the people mentioned, they really enjoyed the stories, although my 8 year old did get a little confused initially with the technique of reverse sequencing in the narrative.

My 12 year old thought the book was superb, and as well as relishing the story, she really enjoyed noticing and picking out the different techniques used to provide emphasis to certain points in the storyline: spacing, font type and sizing, repetition of key words and phrases etc as well as identifying key themes.

This is definitely a book we will read again and again as a family.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Historical, spiritual, or fun?

How about all three! This is a very clever book that shows how God can use even the smallest of us to make a huge difference in the world. I really enjoyed how the author did the research to go back through history to show how God had played a part in changing the lives of four of history's important men, and how it affects us today.

The boys were Norman Borlaug, Moses Carver, George Washington Carver, and Henry Wallace. How did they change the world? You'll have to buy this fun book and find out for yourself. It's amazing that I learned so much from a children's book what I was never taught in the public school system. It's stories like this that make american history fascinating and I think your kids will love these too.

The illustrations are spot on, and capture the feeling of the moment. From a boy playing hide and seek in a cornfield, to the tears of a boy watching a fire burn down a barn, Philip Hurst did a great job bringing this book to life for me.

I recommend this book for children and adults. The spiritual side of history is never shown that much today and it was a breath of fresh air to read this book.

The book is available from Tommy Nelson press.

Review by Mick McArt
author, Tales of Wordishure
www.wordishure.com

Book Review of "The Boy Who Changed the World" By Andy Andrews

The Boy Who Changed the World is a great book for children and for adults to read to children. It is an inspiring story of how one person can really make a difference in the world and how one person can influence another person and so on and so on to lead to an ultimate outcome for good. It is known as the "butterfly effect" where one thing you do has consequences you may never imagine for everyone on Earth. This is a great story to show that we are all connected and that everything we do does matter because not only does it affect you personally but it affects everyone else in the world personally too. This is a great way to get children to understand cause and effect and to let them know there is a reason why they are here and they have a purpose even if they don't know what that purpose is yet. It can also teach children that the decisions they make today and tomorrow are very important, not only for their own life but for the lives of others too. Thinking about others and how a decision or action could affect another person helps children and adults both think about and put others ahead of themselves and help you become less selfish. This is a great book I would recommend to especially for children and parents. It's a great and true story which makes it even better. I am book review blogger for Thomas Nelson Booksneeze and received this book free of charge to write a review. All opinions are my own.

Good for all ages!

From NY times bestseller, Andy Andrews, The Boy Who Changed the World, is a heartwarming story of how even the smallest of decisions can alter the course of one's life. This beautifully illustrated children's book tells the story of Nobel laureate, Norman Borlaug, whose desire to feed the hungry was influenced by a chain reaction of historical figures including Vice President Henry Wallace, George Washington Carver and Moses Carver. The premise of the book is that one decision, no matter how small, can have a lasting impact. This story is good for children and adults alike and echoes the idea that when you put your mind to something, you can accomplish anything.

Based on Andrew's famous book, The Butterfly Effect, The Boy Who Changed the World, gives children a charge to go out and change their world. Andrew's story shows children that with God, all things are possible and to never place limits on the influence they have to change the world. Andrews and Hurst (illustrator) team up to present a lovely story for all...big or small.

Interesting storyline

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are purely my own.

Have you ever wonder whether anything you do make a changes to the world? Well, this children book The Boy who Changed the World tells you that it does. This is a children book so don't expect details but reading it really make me realise that every decision I made is actually important as it does not only affect me but everyone in fact.

This short story tells you of what one people decision could led to another people decision in life and in the end save billions of hungry people. The story begins with how young Norman decision to indulge in his interest of plants and leads to Henry who learns a lot about plants that he grows up to become vice president of USA who later hire Norman (yup the Norman who I mentioned earlier) to develop seeds that grows into plant to fed billions hungry people. However, it was George who teaches Henry his interest in plants who in turn who nurture by his dad, Moses.

I like the storyline of this book. Before reading it, I never realised that all the people are connected. But they are. It's like revealing a mystery. A mystery of how 1 person is connected with another and so on. It make me realised that if Norman did not study plant, Henry would never hired him and there would be no invention of seeds for good plants to fed people. One small decision had decide the world fate. How important are our decision? Haha..

Anyway, eventhough I agree that this is a good story with a good morale behind it, I wouldn't exactly suggest it to children under 8 or those without a good understanding of English. The language used here isn't bombastic but the storyline is a bit confusing. For example, it is like telling a child that the most important alphabet is 'A' and then change your mind and telling him is 'B'. Before going off, you turn your head and tell him, no.. the most important alphabet is 'C'.. and the next day telling him it is 'D'. That's how the story goes on. If I am a child I wouldn't be able to link them together as it is not following the time sequence.

Oh, and I love the illustrating done by Philip Hurst. The colours are attractive and I am sure children would love them. But if you expect pretty faces or cute faces you would be disappointed as the faces there doesn't look cute nor pretty. Haha..

Pretty recommended for children aged between 8-10years as the morale is very strong behind it. However, I would recommend parents to read with your child to explain to them as well as letting them understand the whole story. Besides enhancing your child vocabulary you would also be enhancing your imagination and bonds with your child. Haha..

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great inspiration for children from ages 5-100

Best selling author, Andy Andrews, does a wonderful job illustrating with the art of words exactly what the butterfly effect is in his children's book "The Boy Who Changed the World." Philip Hurst does his job well in the wonderful illustrations that add to the story. The story starts with how a boy named Norman changed the world, and throughout his story a butterfly follows along. Once you finish reading about Norman you find out that really a boy named Henry changed the world and there you see a new butterfly following him along. Then you find out that Henry really didn't change the world but in fact it was...you get the picture. Not only do you find out how 4 different boys changed the world, but you may actually recognize some historical figures. This is a great book for any child who is old enough to sit and listen to a story that has more than one sentence on the page. In fact, I think the adult reading it to them will enjoy the story and learn something from it as well. Not only does the lesson ring loud and clear that every good choice you make, no matter how small can change the world, but I think the challenge will be heard by the children who read it and confidence to make those choices instilled within them.

Amazing Book....

The Boy Who Changed the World does an excellent job of illustrating for young children how God weaves our lives together and uses us to influence each other like "Butterfly Effect". The illustrations are gorgeous, the amount of text on each page is just right. The book flows very well from start to finish and leaves you feeling like you have just journeyed through history. Oh, and the artwork was lovely throughout the entire book. All in all, I would recommend this book to anyone with kids or without. I enjoyed learning about history through this book. It is the true story of four individuals who impacted each others lives and resulted in a great event that changed the world. It is a story that points out the fact that everything we do no matter how small can have a positive impact on someone else. Another important aspect of this story is that it includes God. It is not a religious book, but it remembers our lives only have purpose because God created them. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with kids, or anyone looking to buy a present for a child.

Must read for kids

Does anything we do in this world matter? This Children's /Gift book tells us how small gestures and seemingly innocuous daily deeds can cause a ripple effect, leading to much greater things in the future. Every small choice we make in our life can lead to a life changing event for somebody else. A must read book for school going children and adolescents who are the future of this world!!



I received this book in the mail a few days back with a request to review it and give my frank opinion about it. I was a little apprehensive about reading a children's book at first, however when I opened the pages, the illustrations jumped out at me and made a strong impact. Of course from the point of a child, these are the things that matter. Big, Colorful pictures that appeal to the eye always leave a better impression on the young mind, than the same described in a thousand words.


At the heart of this book is the simple premise of a ripple effect, when we throw something out in the world, the ripples it produces can grow and become something great. Whether it be the life changing discovery of disease resistant crops or holding a child's hand and guiding him/her along a difficult path, can have profound implications in the future. This illustrated story is based upon a book titled "The Butterfly Effect", by the same author and is pretty much a must read for kids of the present generation, brought up on the principle of take but never give back.

Book Sneeze eBook review

This book came as an e-book, which did disappoint me since I would have loved to see how the book would be in person. This book is about how even a child's actions can impact billions of people. Overall the art is good, the story is good, and the message is awesome. Again I wish that this book came in the mail, but even from a computer screen this book looks good. I would recommend this book for a child who still gets bed time stories, but is old enough to read some paragraphs on their own (since attention span might be an issue for the younger crowd).



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Good & entertaining!

This is the First book review i get from Booksneeze and i'm so honoured to review this book. The book called "The Boy Who Changed The World" by Andy Andrews and beautifully illustrated by Philip Hurst. My overall impression, the book was fantastic and it is suitable for all ages especially for children. In my opinion, the book has given me a difference meaning towards how i see life right now. I would describe this book has teach me in somehow to believe i can be "someone" that change the world. Andy Andrews done a splendid job in making the characters in the stories comes to life and this eventually encourage the children to do. The illustration by Philip Hurst was great and beautiful, it gave impact to readers especially children and it was done perfectly to grab their attention and message across.The content and the moral of the stories are understandable. The strengths of the book is: It contains moral of stories, which teaches children on How we can make difference and change the world. The cover of the book which impress the children. The color and illustration of the book capture the children's attention and grabs them longer. I personally gave the book 8 out of 10. i would definitely recommend the book and there are many moral of stories can be learned. Me myself realized how important somehow we human have done even in small or big matters it comes out and give a lot of difference throughout life. Info: If you are interested to purchased this book, you can buy it from Amazon.com Improvement, Good but i would like to see more from this Author himself in a follow-up book. Some children may not use or speak English as their first language and it is a bit difficult for them to understand words. I suggest there are books written to help and encourage children to use English more and help them communicate well. Quote from the book "That means every little thing you do matters". Special thanks to Booksneeze for giving me the opportunity to review this book. All review are honest. Your opinion or review maybe differ from mine and i suggested you to get information before purchasing. Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 : "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Great Kids book

Anything with Andy Andrews name on it I will pick up and read. He is very inspiring and always has a great message to tell. Just like his two new books "The Butterfly effect and "The Boy Who Changed the World" Both tell the same story but one is for adults and the other for kids.
I love the butterfly effect; I have heard that story many times watching video of Andy tell the story, but it nice to be able to have it in a nice gift book that can be shared with all. The story short and simple but the message is powerful. Everything we do can have an effect on other later in life.
The boy who changed the world is a great book that I can share with my children and with my oldest just starting school I can share the message that you can make a different in life and that your life matter to all. That God made you, and put you here on earth for a reason.
With the holiday season so coming upon us these two books will make perfect gifts. I highly recommended pick them up. Thank you to Thomas Nelson company for my two advance copy of Andy's book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255 "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Wonderful book!

Mom's review:
My son and I had a fun time tonight reading the children's book The Boy Who Changed the World by Andy Andrew. The artwork in the book is great and the story drew us both in.
Using the lives of Norman Borlaug, Henry Wallace, George Washington Carver, and Moses Carver, the book teaches the butterfly effect - how each of our actions affect not only us, but the world! I loved that the book taught history in such an engaging way. The story included tales of each of the men as young boys. Norman played with his sisters in the corn fields, Henry went on expeditions with George and teased about hippos in Iowa. George made a crutch for a friend and Moses had a rooster named Buzz. Each of these things made the book appealing to my son. I would imagine that girls would be just as engaged in the tale as he was. It states that the book is for children ages 4 - 8. I think even some older children would enjoy it. Each page has wonderful images of butterflies and ends with an abundance of butterflies and a reminder to the reader that "every little thing you do matters" and "you can be the kid who changes the world". I thoroughly enjoyed the book and am sure we will be reading it many more times!

8 year old Son's review:
The Boy Who Changed the World is a book about helping and sharing. Norman helped the world by growing special seeds that fed two billion people. Henry Wallace helped by telling Norman to make the seeds. Henry became the vice president of the United States! George Washington Carver helped Henry by teaching him about plants. But George couldn't have helped without Moses, his adopted father, who saved him.
This book was a very good book. It was about helping and about sharing food. It taught me that what we do is important and can help others.

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255