Ten Amazing People: And How They Changed the World

By Maura D. Shaw and Stephen Marchesi

Ten Amazing People shows kids that spiritual people can have an exciting impact on the world around them.



Ten Amazing People uses vibrant pictures, fascinating profiles, and a wealth of intriguing information to bring to life the passion and actions of some of the past century's greatest leaders.



Through thought, deed, and determined spiritual lives, these amazing people changed our world for the better. Coming from different backgrounds and faiths, representing different cultures and countries from around the globe, all of them had one thing in common: the belief that they had the power to make a difference by helping other people.



This important and inspiring book is for children, parents, teachers, and librarians who care about what these ten amazing people cared about―peace among nations, protecting the environment, helping the poor and disadvantaged, racial equality, and making the world a better place. Ideal for character education.



• Black Elk • Dorothy Day • Malcolm X • Mahatma Gandhi • Martin Luther King, Jr. • Janusz Korczak • Mother Teresa of Calcutta • Albert Schweitzer • Thich Nhat Hanh • Desmond Tutu

• Language: English
• Publisher: Turner Publishing Company
• Release date: Sep 1, 2002
• ISBN: 9781594733673

Maura D. Shaw

Maura D. Shaw is the author of several books for young readers, including the award-winning Ten Amazing People: And How They Changed the World, the historical novel Owl's Journey, and Gandhi: India's Great Soul. Her nondenominational handbook of Earth-honoring activities for parents and children, Celebrating the Great Mother, is popular with families and groups.

Book preview

Black Elk

Black Elk

One world, one family

When Black Elk was only nine years old, he had a spirit dream that showed him the sacred hoop of the world, where all living things dwell together, each hoop joined within one circle. An Oglala Lakota Sioux, Black Elk grew up in Wyoming in the late 1800s, a time when the American Indian way of life was in great danger of disappearing. Black Elk helped the world to understand the Plains Indians’ religion and culture by sharing his visions in a book called Black Elk Speaks.

Black Elk was an old man in the summer of 1930. He lived in the hills near Pine Ridge, South Dakota, in a one-room log cabin in such disrepair that weeds grew out of the roof, and he was nearly blind. Most of the time he sat in the sun and remembered his life as he had lived it.

He remembered the time of his childhood, when his people had traveled with their tipis to hunt bison and called the months of the year by their Indian names. He remembered the bad years when the white soldiers had come to take the land, which belonged to no one and to everyone. He remembered fighting in great battles between the soldiers and the Sioux, led by his cousin Crazy Horse. And he also remembered the other times when he was able to warn his people and keep them safe, because he saw the coming dangers in his dreams. When Black Elk was a boy, he had seen his greatest vision, in which he was given something very special to do. But in all the many years that had passed, Black Elk did not feel that he had done his work yet. He was still waiting.

A writer named John Neihardt came to visit Black Elk and to hear his stories of the Ghost Dance of long ago. Even though Neihardt had not told Black Elk ahead of time about his visit, the old man was waiting in front of his cabin when he arrived. After a time of silence, Black Elk said, "As I sit here, I can feel in this man beside me a strong desire to know the things of the Other World. He has been sent to learn what I know, and I will teach

Reviews for Ten Amazing People

[dscalia-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

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.