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Hero for the Hungry: The Life and Work of Norman Borlaug
A moving and informative biography of the 20th-century American agriculture scientist whose innovations in crop varieties founded the Green Revolution and fed hundreds of millions of people around the world - with full-color chapter illustrations and STEM - and history-themed text features throughout.
Can a quiet Iowa farm boy grow up to change the world? Norman Ernest Borlaug did.
Born in 1914, raised on a small farm, and educated in a one-room schoolhouse, Norman Borlaug learned to work hard and excelled in sports, and later studied forestry in college, eventually becoming a plant scientist.
Readers will discover how even from a young age Norman Borlaug dedicated his life’s work to ending world hunger. Working in obscurity in the wheat fields of Mexico in the 50s and 60s, Norm and his team developed disease-resistant plants, and when widespread famine threatened India and Pakistan, Norm worked alongside poor farmers, battled bureaucracy, and fearlessly stood up to heads of state to save millions of lives from mass starvation.
Often called the “Father of the Green Revolution,” Norm helped lay the groundwork for agricultural technological advances that alleviated world hunger, and he went on to win the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1970. He was a true hero for the hungry.
Text features throughout the book include:
Sidebars on the science of plant hybridization and pathology Norman was using to produce new and better wheat varieties
Information on a range of agriculture and plant life concepts, including agronomy, wheat genes, photoperiodism, stem rust, nutrients and more
Back matter including a timeline of events and discoveries, and a call to action for readers to think about how they can use science to solve problems and how they can do small things to help with hunger and food waste
Hero for the Hungry is excellent for a science class learning about genetics, an agriculture class studying agronomy, or a history or English class looking for a well-written biography on a hero scientist.
Can a quiet Iowa farm boy grow up to change the world? Norman Ernest Borlaug did.
Born in 1914, raised on a small farm, and educated in a one-room schoolhouse, Norman Borlaug learned to work hard and excelled in sports, and later studied forestry in college, eventually becoming a plant scientist.
Readers will discover how even from a young age Norman Borlaug dedicated his life’s work to ending world hunger. Working in obscurity in the wheat fields of Mexico in the 50s and 60s, Norm and his team developed disease-resistant plants, and when widespread famine threatened India and Pakistan, Norm worked alongside poor farmers, battled bureaucracy, and fearlessly stood up to heads of state to save millions of lives from mass starvation.
Often called the “Father of the Green Revolution,” Norm helped lay the groundwork for agricultural technological advances that alleviated world hunger, and he went on to win the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1970. He was a true hero for the hungry.
Text features throughout the book include:
Sidebars on the science of plant hybridization and pathology Norman was using to produce new and better wheat varieties
Information on a range of agriculture and plant life concepts, including agronomy, wheat genes, photoperiodism, stem rust, nutrients and more
Back matter including a timeline of events and discoveries, and a call to action for readers to think about how they can use science to solve problems and how they can do small things to help with hunger and food waste
Hero for the Hungry is excellent for a science class learning about genetics, an agriculture class studying agronomy, or a history or English class looking for a well-written biography on a hero scientist.
160 pages, Paperback
Published September 1, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 1, 2022
Norman Borlaug grew up near the small Iowa farm I grew up on. He worked hard on his family farm just like my dad did. Unlike my dad, Norman was able to finish high school (which was rare for poor Iowa farm families) and even go on to college where he studied agriculture. Reading about the communities I spent lots of time in as a child and learning their importance to Borlaug’s life was especially interesting to me.
Norman Borlaug was not a man to ever give up. If something didn’t work out the way he thought it would, he would try again and again. A job at DuPont led him to help the military during WWII. But a new offer from the Rockefeller Foundation was an offer he couldn’t refuse. Borlaug was tasked with helping to solve the hunger crisis in Mexico. He spent thousands of hours and drove many miles to test various methods of growing wheat in Mexico, spending twelve years developing the best type of wheat for the conditions there.
After success in Mexico, he was then sent to India to accomplish the same overwhelming task. Through years of trial and error, Borlaug had successfully found wheat that could withstand the harsh growing conditions in Mexico, Pakistan, and India. He called it a semi-dwarf seed. He was met with conflict, refusal, doubt, and sabotage, but through it all, he finally prevailed.
“Plants will talk to you if you listen. But they won’t shout. You’ll never hear them if you stay in an air-conditioned office.”
Norman Borlaug
Winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 was a huge shock to Borlaug and he accepted the honor humbly and for all those farmers who worked alongside him. A high school classmate wrote in their yearbook that he expected Norman to win the Congressional Award for Valor. There isn’t such an award, but Borlaug is one of five people to receive all three of the highest honors: the Nobel Peace Prize, the Congressional Gold Medal, and the Medal of Freedom. He shares this honor with Martin Luther King, Jr., Mother Teresa, Elie Weisel, and Nelson Mandela. In 1986, Borlaug created the World Food Prize to honor those who have “advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity, or availability of food in the world”.
Norman Borlaug passed away at the age of 95 in 2009. Millions of lives were saved thanks to Norman Borlaug and his army of farmers. He wasn’t afraid to try something new or to try again. He was always willing to get his hands dirty. He sacrificed time with his family as well as sleep. He never quit and persevered through whatever barriers landed in his path. He was a doer, a teacher, an encourager, and a fighter.
Sprinkled throughout the book are really lovely illustrations that feature Borlaug working in the fields. The end of the book offers ideas for how kids can “be like Norm”. Simple ideas like eating that slightly bruised apple rather than throwing it away, getting produce from local farmers or markets, and donating to food pantries are simple ways to honor Norman Borlaug’s legacy.
“Hunger still exists in places Norm couldn’t reach, and we all owe it to him to remove the threat of famine once and for all.”
U.S. President Jimmy Carter
This middle-grade chapter book is perfect for kids who love learning about people who have made a difference in our world or love farming and agriculture. Anytime I can promote great things from the state of Iowa, I’m thrilled to do it. If you are a teacher or parent in Iowa, get this book for your local school or community library to share the great things about Iowan Norman Borlaug.
Norman Borlaug was not a man to ever give up. If something didn’t work out the way he thought it would, he would try again and again. A job at DuPont led him to help the military during WWII. But a new offer from the Rockefeller Foundation was an offer he couldn’t refuse. Borlaug was tasked with helping to solve the hunger crisis in Mexico. He spent thousands of hours and drove many miles to test various methods of growing wheat in Mexico, spending twelve years developing the best type of wheat for the conditions there.
After success in Mexico, he was then sent to India to accomplish the same overwhelming task. Through years of trial and error, Borlaug had successfully found wheat that could withstand the harsh growing conditions in Mexico, Pakistan, and India. He called it a semi-dwarf seed. He was met with conflict, refusal, doubt, and sabotage, but through it all, he finally prevailed.
“Plants will talk to you if you listen. But they won’t shout. You’ll never hear them if you stay in an air-conditioned office.”
Norman Borlaug
Winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 was a huge shock to Borlaug and he accepted the honor humbly and for all those farmers who worked alongside him. A high school classmate wrote in their yearbook that he expected Norman to win the Congressional Award for Valor. There isn’t such an award, but Borlaug is one of five people to receive all three of the highest honors: the Nobel Peace Prize, the Congressional Gold Medal, and the Medal of Freedom. He shares this honor with Martin Luther King, Jr., Mother Teresa, Elie Weisel, and Nelson Mandela. In 1986, Borlaug created the World Food Prize to honor those who have “advanced human development by improving the quality, quantity, or availability of food in the world”.
Norman Borlaug passed away at the age of 95 in 2009. Millions of lives were saved thanks to Norman Borlaug and his army of farmers. He wasn’t afraid to try something new or to try again. He was always willing to get his hands dirty. He sacrificed time with his family as well as sleep. He never quit and persevered through whatever barriers landed in his path. He was a doer, a teacher, an encourager, and a fighter.
Sprinkled throughout the book are really lovely illustrations that feature Borlaug working in the fields. The end of the book offers ideas for how kids can “be like Norm”. Simple ideas like eating that slightly bruised apple rather than throwing it away, getting produce from local farmers or markets, and donating to food pantries are simple ways to honor Norman Borlaug’s legacy.
“Hunger still exists in places Norm couldn’t reach, and we all owe it to him to remove the threat of famine once and for all.”
U.S. President Jimmy Carter
This middle-grade chapter book is perfect for kids who love learning about people who have made a difference in our world or love farming and agriculture. Anytime I can promote great things from the state of Iowa, I’m thrilled to do it. If you are a teacher or parent in Iowa, get this book for your local school or community library to share the great things about Iowan Norman Borlaug.
November 12, 2022
Copy provided by the publisher
Born in 1914 in Iowa to Norwegian parents, educational opportunities were not a sure thing for Borlaug. At the time, most children (including many of my relatives!) only went through the 8th grade, since help was needed on the farm. Because the Borlaugs weathered the crash of 1929 better than many of their neighbors, he was able to stay in school, and even took courses in agriculture. He played sports, and a coach suggested that he apply to Iowa State Teachers' College; he would even help the young man find a job. Borlaug saved up money and dreamed of going to college, but a chance trip to Minnesota with a friend lead to him applying to the University of Minnesota! He got in, even though his courses were a bit lacking, and supported himself by working at a diner in exchange for food. There, he met his future wife, and learned how important not being hungry is to getting on in life. He studied food science, which led to him being hired by Dupont (at the impressive salary of $2,800 a year in 1941-- in 1960, my mother was earning $3,000 as a teacher!) This eventually lead to work on the war effort, which was considered essential and kept him out of the service. When the war was over, he worked on solving the problems with wheat crops in Mexico. They were plagued by rust, and Borlaug fought to have test crops that he cross pollinated, and even had crops in two different areas of the country, a practice that wasn't much used but which worked to his advantage. While he was able to produce plants that would not fall victim to rust, the plants were top heavy. He tried many things, but it was a chance encounter with a dwarf Japanese wheat that enabled him to engineer a plant that was rust resistant, sturdy, and yielded more wheat. It was difficult to get farmers to use this new variety, but once he did, the wheat crops produced enough wheat to solve some of the problems with food production in Mexico. Not one to rest on his laurels, Borlaug turned his attention to food production in India and Pakistan, winning the Nobel Prize in 1970 for his efforts.
https://www.aoc.gov/explore-capitol-c...
I learned several different things from this book, which is always a good thing! I hadn't been aware of the fact that there was a potato famine in Norway similar to the Irish one, and that was why there were so many farmers of Norwegian descent who moved to Iowa, and I hadn't realized how devastating the agricultural problems were in Mexico and India.
The highest compliment I can pay any children's biography is that it reminds me of the Childhood of Famous Americans books I was addicted to in elementary school, and Hero for the Hungry is readable in this same way. Kalda's illustrations are a great accompaniment to a 20th century success story similar to that of Philo T. Farnsworth.
Young readers won't pick up on the interesting Joy in the Morning (Betty Smith) vibe of Borlaug's college career, but that's what this made me think of. Life was certainly very different in the first half of the 20th century, and I love any book that shows this to my students.
When I was done reading this, my first thought was "I wonder is Iowa has a statue of Borlaug in the Capitol. And they do! Image: https://www.aoc.gov/explore-capitol-c...
Born in 1914 in Iowa to Norwegian parents, educational opportunities were not a sure thing for Borlaug. At the time, most children (including many of my relatives!) only went through the 8th grade, since help was needed on the farm. Because the Borlaugs weathered the crash of 1929 better than many of their neighbors, he was able to stay in school, and even took courses in agriculture. He played sports, and a coach suggested that he apply to Iowa State Teachers' College; he would even help the young man find a job. Borlaug saved up money and dreamed of going to college, but a chance trip to Minnesota with a friend lead to him applying to the University of Minnesota! He got in, even though his courses were a bit lacking, and supported himself by working at a diner in exchange for food. There, he met his future wife, and learned how important not being hungry is to getting on in life. He studied food science, which led to him being hired by Dupont (at the impressive salary of $2,800 a year in 1941-- in 1960, my mother was earning $3,000 as a teacher!) This eventually lead to work on the war effort, which was considered essential and kept him out of the service. When the war was over, he worked on solving the problems with wheat crops in Mexico. They were plagued by rust, and Borlaug fought to have test crops that he cross pollinated, and even had crops in two different areas of the country, a practice that wasn't much used but which worked to his advantage. While he was able to produce plants that would not fall victim to rust, the plants were top heavy. He tried many things, but it was a chance encounter with a dwarf Japanese wheat that enabled him to engineer a plant that was rust resistant, sturdy, and yielded more wheat. It was difficult to get farmers to use this new variety, but once he did, the wheat crops produced enough wheat to solve some of the problems with food production in Mexico. Not one to rest on his laurels, Borlaug turned his attention to food production in India and Pakistan, winning the Nobel Prize in 1970 for his efforts.
https://www.aoc.gov/explore-capitol-c...
I learned several different things from this book, which is always a good thing! I hadn't been aware of the fact that there was a potato famine in Norway similar to the Irish one, and that was why there were so many farmers of Norwegian descent who moved to Iowa, and I hadn't realized how devastating the agricultural problems were in Mexico and India.
The highest compliment I can pay any children's biography is that it reminds me of the Childhood of Famous Americans books I was addicted to in elementary school, and Hero for the Hungry is readable in this same way. Kalda's illustrations are a great accompaniment to a 20th century success story similar to that of Philo T. Farnsworth.
Young readers won't pick up on the interesting Joy in the Morning (Betty Smith) vibe of Borlaug's college career, but that's what this made me think of. Life was certainly very different in the first half of the 20th century, and I love any book that shows this to my students.
When I was done reading this, my first thought was "I wonder is Iowa has a statue of Borlaug in the Capitol. And they do! Image: https://www.aoc.gov/explore-capitol-c...
December 14, 2022
Hero for the Hungry presented to me a story of humanity and hard work that I was wholly unfamiliar with. Norman Borlaug is among some of the greatest names in history as far as worldwide influence: Martin Luther King, Jr., Mother Teresa, Elie Wiesel and Nelson Mandela (as one of only five who received these top honors: the Nobel Peace Prize, Congressional Gold Medal, and the Medal of Freedom). Most Americans can tell you quite a bit about any of these individuals, but I'd wager most anyone would respond to the list with, "Who was Norman Borlaug?"
I was immediately drawn to the personality of perseverance, goodness, and hard work depicted by Peggy Thomas in the character and nature of Norman Borlaug. (I feel I must see in him a good deal of the hard work and love of the land I always witnessed in my farming, depression-era Grandfather). Thomas does a wonderful job of presenting background stories about Norman's earlier years that impacted his desire to feed the world. He was a man of strong character who used what he had to learn more, do more, and ensure others could successfully feed themselves and their families.
Many of the stories shared about Norman Borlaug's life are overshadowed in the idea that agriculture is boring, but our need for food is such a crucial part of human existence, it's hard to argue that any of our other rights can be met when our right to food is not. I was fascinated to see how many thousands of seeds or wheat varieties this solid man was willing to plant, monitor, and cross-breed. The diligence is dizzying and the set-backs felt endless. He worked with and trained remarkable farmers, boys who would grow up to lead innovation and continue his work. He had very, very slow success with his efforts to help farmers try his methods, but didn't stop doing the day-to-day work of slowly teaching, proving, and improving his methods. His family sacrificed to be at his side, help him do his work, and to do it at a pace that proved he understood the importance of feeding more people as quickly as possible.
I think it's time for more people to know and understand the importance of Norman Borlaug's work. As we become more and more distant from the land and the food supply that sustains us, his work may not feel crucial. But we cannot do all the other wonderful and hopeful endeavors in the world without the groundwork of agriculture that holds us all together. I'd love to see additional picture books and adult literature about this fascinating and inspiring man. While his efforts may not appear as glamorous as many of our "heroes", I find myself vastly drawn to his goodness and upright efforts to aid humanity.
Read as a nomination in the nonfiction book award category as a panelist for Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils Awards).
While the production quality of this text is lower than it may have been with a larger publisher, I find the story itself was so impressive, I didn't have great difficulty overlooking the basic layout or print quality.
I was immediately drawn to the personality of perseverance, goodness, and hard work depicted by Peggy Thomas in the character and nature of Norman Borlaug. (I feel I must see in him a good deal of the hard work and love of the land I always witnessed in my farming, depression-era Grandfather). Thomas does a wonderful job of presenting background stories about Norman's earlier years that impacted his desire to feed the world. He was a man of strong character who used what he had to learn more, do more, and ensure others could successfully feed themselves and their families.
Many of the stories shared about Norman Borlaug's life are overshadowed in the idea that agriculture is boring, but our need for food is such a crucial part of human existence, it's hard to argue that any of our other rights can be met when our right to food is not. I was fascinated to see how many thousands of seeds or wheat varieties this solid man was willing to plant, monitor, and cross-breed. The diligence is dizzying and the set-backs felt endless. He worked with and trained remarkable farmers, boys who would grow up to lead innovation and continue his work. He had very, very slow success with his efforts to help farmers try his methods, but didn't stop doing the day-to-day work of slowly teaching, proving, and improving his methods. His family sacrificed to be at his side, help him do his work, and to do it at a pace that proved he understood the importance of feeding more people as quickly as possible.
I think it's time for more people to know and understand the importance of Norman Borlaug's work. As we become more and more distant from the land and the food supply that sustains us, his work may not feel crucial. But we cannot do all the other wonderful and hopeful endeavors in the world without the groundwork of agriculture that holds us all together. I'd love to see additional picture books and adult literature about this fascinating and inspiring man. While his efforts may not appear as glamorous as many of our "heroes", I find myself vastly drawn to his goodness and upright efforts to aid humanity.
Read as a nomination in the nonfiction book award category as a panelist for Children's and Young Adult Bloggers' Literary Awards (Cybils Awards).
While the production quality of this text is lower than it may have been with a larger publisher, I find the story itself was so impressive, I didn't have great difficulty overlooking the basic layout or print quality.
November 3, 2022
Hero for the Hungry is the eminently readable biography of a man who ranks up theree with Mother Teresa and Nelson Mandela on the world stage. Given that only a handful of people worldwide have won the humanitarian awards he has (does Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s name sound familiar?), it is stunning that Norman Borlaug is relatively unknown. This engaging and accessible biography remedies that and introduces the "Father of the Green Revolution" to a new generation - and their parents.
Through short chapters with high-interest vignettes (young Norm almost died in a snowstorm and adult Norm had to sleep in a research center where rats crawled on him!), readers become deeply enmeshed in Norm's life. From his childhood on a farm through his tenure as a student and through his developing research and ultimate botanical and agricultural expertise, Norm's life is rendered not just interesting, but relevant and relatable to children. The chapters are broken into smaller subsections, making this biography digestible to you readers, while the writing style and accompanying illustrations weave a story that sweeps the reader into the past. Readers will come away with a better understanding of the Great Depression, famine, cross pollination, agriculture, and how Norm's research into varieties of wheat has saved millions of lives. Sidebars explaining agricultural jargon aide understanding and back matter includes a timeline and glossary. Educational resources are available from the publisher.
I read this first to myself, and am eager to reread it with T, who is flying through Who Was bios right now. It is a privilege to review books like Hero for the Hungry, which I can wholeheartedly recommend.
Through short chapters with high-interest vignettes (young Norm almost died in a snowstorm and adult Norm had to sleep in a research center where rats crawled on him!), readers become deeply enmeshed in Norm's life. From his childhood on a farm through his tenure as a student and through his developing research and ultimate botanical and agricultural expertise, Norm's life is rendered not just interesting, but relevant and relatable to children. The chapters are broken into smaller subsections, making this biography digestible to you readers, while the writing style and accompanying illustrations weave a story that sweeps the reader into the past. Readers will come away with a better understanding of the Great Depression, famine, cross pollination, agriculture, and how Norm's research into varieties of wheat has saved millions of lives. Sidebars explaining agricultural jargon aide understanding and back matter includes a timeline and glossary. Educational resources are available from the publisher.
I read this first to myself, and am eager to reread it with T, who is flying through Who Was bios right now. It is a privilege to review books like Hero for the Hungry, which I can wholeheartedly recommend.
November 10, 2025
4 1/2 stars
Five stars for the importance of the subject and the lack of other titles on the topic.
4 1/2 stars for a handsome, solid, well researched book that will more than satisfy any reader remotely interested in agriculture, hybridization and feeding the world's hungry.
A well illustrated, handsomely organized and compelling biography of one of the most important, and least know figures of the 20th century. Only five people have earned the three highest international honors - MLK Jr, Mother Theresa, Elie Wiesel, Nelson Mandela and...Norman Borlaug. Norman never stopped asking why things are the way they are. His grandparents had been chased from their home country by famine. Growing up in a farming family he knew that hunger destroyed humanity and that an empty stomach was always just one bad harvest away. Norman devoted his life to hard work and innovative science-determined to help some of the worlds poorest people find the tools to feed both their own families and their countries.
Handsome colored illustrations reminiscent of old time prints illustrate most pages. Side bars provide context or deepen focus. Well explained science clues readers into both the difficulty of hybridization (wheat has five times more genetic material than humans have) and the political, foundation related and practical challenges Borlaug faced as he fought to bring first Mexican and then Asian farmers crops that could transform their agriculture. Extensive back matter includes a call to action, timeline, bibliography, additional reading and endnotes.
Five stars for the importance of the subject and the lack of other titles on the topic.
4 1/2 stars for a handsome, solid, well researched book that will more than satisfy any reader remotely interested in agriculture, hybridization and feeding the world's hungry.
A well illustrated, handsomely organized and compelling biography of one of the most important, and least know figures of the 20th century. Only five people have earned the three highest international honors - MLK Jr, Mother Theresa, Elie Wiesel, Nelson Mandela and...Norman Borlaug. Norman never stopped asking why things are the way they are. His grandparents had been chased from their home country by famine. Growing up in a farming family he knew that hunger destroyed humanity and that an empty stomach was always just one bad harvest away. Norman devoted his life to hard work and innovative science-determined to help some of the worlds poorest people find the tools to feed both their own families and their countries.
Handsome colored illustrations reminiscent of old time prints illustrate most pages. Side bars provide context or deepen focus. Well explained science clues readers into both the difficulty of hybridization (wheat has five times more genetic material than humans have) and the political, foundation related and practical challenges Borlaug faced as he fought to bring first Mexican and then Asian farmers crops that could transform their agriculture. Extensive back matter includes a call to action, timeline, bibliography, additional reading and endnotes.
November 19, 2022
Peggy Thomas pays tribute to Norman Borlaug (winner of the 1970 Peace Prize) with this biography. The first few chapters pay a lot of attention to details of his parentage, youth, and education. I had trouble focusing on those chapters, but in fairness, a lot of great public figures have as much detail dedicated to their pre-famous years as this biography. And perhaps young people read about those years since the readers themselves are young.
I had not heard of Borlaug before reading this book, which is a travesty! He created a disease-resistant plants, which helped nations such as Mexico, India, and Pakistan provide more grains for their people. Stem rust fungus was a problem plaguing grain prior to Borlaug's variety of grains, particularly semi-dwarf wheat varieties.
The book has illustrations by Sam Kalda, which help pull readers through the narratives. The back matter includes the following: "A Call to Action," a timeline "95 Years of Norm," "Learn more about Norman Borlaung," "Source Notes," "Endnotes," and "About the Author and Illustrator."
I find this book appropriate for readers ages 8 to 14.
I had not heard of Borlaug before reading this book, which is a travesty! He created a disease-resistant plants, which helped nations such as Mexico, India, and Pakistan provide more grains for their people. Stem rust fungus was a problem plaguing grain prior to Borlaug's variety of grains, particularly semi-dwarf wheat varieties.
The book has illustrations by Sam Kalda, which help pull readers through the narratives. The back matter includes the following: "A Call to Action," a timeline "95 Years of Norm," "Learn more about Norman Borlaung," "Source Notes," "Endnotes," and "About the Author and Illustrator."
I find this book appropriate for readers ages 8 to 14.
November 19, 2022
Everyone has the human right to food.
No argument, right?
But when vast populations across many countries faced waves of starvation, norman Borlaug was willing to forgo high-paying and comfortable employment to do the hard (physically and mentally grueling) work of studying and generating disease resistant, weather adaptable, robust producing wheat that could chan ge lives around the world.
When someones says that's as boring as white bread (or tortillas, or naan, etc.) let them read this book. Civilizations rely on a sustainable staple crop as the foundation of feeding their populations, and also for establishing a reliable economic system with healthy workers and thriving citizens.
All that led to Borlaug's lifetime dedication to his work, and eventually being awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for his body of work against hunger. (That's no spoiler- the announcement launches the first pages). Highly inspiring, and highly recommended.
No argument, right?
But when vast populations across many countries faced waves of starvation, norman Borlaug was willing to forgo high-paying and comfortable employment to do the hard (physically and mentally grueling) work of studying and generating disease resistant, weather adaptable, robust producing wheat that could chan ge lives around the world.
When someones says that's as boring as white bread (or tortillas, or naan, etc.) let them read this book. Civilizations rely on a sustainable staple crop as the foundation of feeding their populations, and also for establishing a reliable economic system with healthy workers and thriving citizens.
All that led to Borlaug's lifetime dedication to his work, and eventually being awarded a Nobel Peace Prize for his body of work against hunger. (That's no spoiler- the announcement launches the first pages). Highly inspiring, and highly recommended.
September 26, 2022
Thank you Media Masters Publicity for sharing an ARC of this book with me and the LitReviewCrew. I was initially drawn to this book because it took place during the Great Depression. That is one of my favorite parts of American History to read about. I really enjoyed this book-the short chapters with illustrations kept me turning pages and reading about how Norman worked through problems and got to where he won the Nobel Peace Prize was really engaging. I also enjoyed the helpful tips and actions you can do at home.
September 2, 2022
This is a great educational book that is also enjoyable to read. It's an amazing story with educational blurps throughout that give more information to help the reader understand what was just said in the story.
February 25, 2024
A very readable story of one man's humanitarian and scientific efforts to create strains of grain vital enough to withstand disease, drought, poor soil, and climate variations. The last chapter is a call to action.
June 12, 2025
An amazing story about a man who tried to work himself out of a job by stopping food insecurity around the world. It can be a tad slowly paced, but worth every moment. Adult you must read, too. While ages 8 and up could read, I recommend for at least 10 and up.
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March 16, 2026Lol just trying to get some PD hours
Good story about Norman’s life! Interesting to learn about his research. Loved how humble he was.
Good story about Norman’s life! Interesting to learn about his research. Loved how humble he was.
April 13, 2026
Great for Agriculture learning,
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews