Akira to Zoltán: Twenty-six Men Who Changed the World

by: Cynthia Lee-Chin; Illustrated by Megan Halsey and Sean Addy

Published by: Charlesbridge Publishing

Following the success of Cynthia Chin-Lee’s book on women, Amelia to Zora: Twenty-six Women Who Changed the World, her husband requested that she do a similar children’s book on important men. While she initially felt that there were probably enough books on famous men, she began to think about contemporary men who have had a profound impact – men of the arts and sciences and also particularly peacemakers.

Like she did in her earlier book, Chin-Lee uses the men’s first names in alphabetical order. Thus A is for Akira Kurosawa, a Japanese film director and screenwriter and Z is for Zoltán Kodály, a Hungarian composer and music teacher. Many of the names a quite well known – Tiger Woods, Steven Spielberg, but others such as Hawaiian senator, Hiram Leong Fong may not be known to many readers.

This book is an excellent companion to Lee-Chin’s book on women and I am truly impressed with both. Again the artwork is stunning and the quotes from the men involved such as this one from Steven Spielberg are fascinating:

“I don’t dream that much at night because I dream all day.
I dream for a living.”

I would recommend this book for elementary and middle school classrooms and libraries. It would also make for interesting, yet short bedtime reading at home.

Armchair Interviews agrees.