The Boy Who Changed the World by Andy Andrews, illustrated by Philip Hurst

I would love to recommend Andy Andrews’ children’s book, but I cannot. “The Boy Who Changed the World” has the best intentions, but misses the mark with its intended audience by telling a time-shifting story of complex relationships that caused even your fifty year old blogger to re-read pages just to get the story straight.

As an elementary media specialist who has selected and presented dozens of storytime books, I recognize the importance of a concrete-sequential story for younger readers. By choosing to go forward and backward in history at will, Andrews presents a challenge that I feel the typical 7-year old would find complex. A more direct approach – starting from the past and proceeding to the present – would make the book much more accessible. For example, George Washington Carver is presented as (1) a college student, (2) a young boy, (3) an older adult, (4) a college student, and (5) a toddler – in that order. Most characters are presented similarly. A young child would probably not be able to follow that plot.

One line in the book has Moses Carver – George’s adoptive father – saying “Good night, little George Washington Carver.” The Carver biography that I read states that Carver took the middle name Washington as an adult as a way to differentiate himself from another George Carver in town. And he likely was known simply as “George” or “Carver’s George” until leaving home to attend elementary school. The book also describes George’s parents as “workers,” when of course they were Moses Carver’s slaves. Was the manuscript subjected to historical review, or were the stories presented just convenient to the theme?

The book ends with a page describing Andrews’ famous Butterfly Effect, which is oddly out-of-place and disconnected with the story. Philip Hurst’s illustrations are excellent throughout, but he can’t save the out-of-sequence plot.

Adults will probably love the heart-warming concepts presented in this book, and they should. The book speaks to the importance of mentoring, and the value of pouring into a child’s life. Just don’t expect the local elementary child to understand the plot or reminisce with the grown-ups about a life he has yet to live.

(two stars out of five)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their 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.”