It is impossible not to be impressed by the children whose lives are celebrated in this book. As the Introduction say “there are dreamers and fighters, thinkers and makers, achievers and believers. ….from around the world and across history.”
Some are well-known like Greta Thunberg Blaise Pascal, Stevie Wonder and Wolgang Amadeus Mozart. Others are less familiar such as Nkosi Johnson, the South African activist who gave a voice to children with AIDS, or Momčilo Gavrić, the youngest soldier in the First World War. or Mohamad Al Jounde, a Syrian refugee who built a school to call his own,
The pages are attractively presented with a good balance of text and illustration. There are interesting acts, colourful illustrations and photographs. I particularly like the quotations from the children themselves , such as Hannah Taylor “Somebody has to Make A difference in people’s lives. Somebody needs to be a leader.” Or Jade Hameister “You realise what you once thought were your limits aren’t your limits – and then you realise there really aren’t any limits.” Or Bethany Meilani Hamilton “Courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid. Courage means you don’t let fear stop you.” Or Pelé “Success isn’t determined by how many times you win, but by how you play the week after you lose.”
We meet trailblazers who have changed our world with their drive and conviction.
Uplifting and inspirational, this book is ideal for sharing, and perfect for assemblies.
Brenda Marshall
History’s Youngest Heroes: 50 Children and Young People Who Shook the World by Tom Adams
Illustrated by Sarah Walsh
Nosy Crow
ISBN 9781807081683
£12.99
Published 2026
First published 2020
