PEOPLE WHO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

by Brent Ashabranner ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 1989

A team that has collaborated on several books on contemporary social history celebrates 14 ""everyday heroes,"" all extraordinary in their degree of commitment and Success. These dedicated people are grouped into four areas. Those helping where the need is greatest include a nurse who runs a hospice for AIDS patients and a researcher who trains monkeys to help quadriplegics. The ""Turtle Lady,"" an octogenarian who champions endangered sea turtles, and a researcher who has persuaded cows to flock with sheep (thus fending off coyotes that prey on lambs), each do their bit to better the environment. Community service is the sphere for a policeman/Vietnam vet who has facilitated help for Asian immigrants in Texas, and for an ex-convict who started a home that serves as a prison alternative for Oregon women. The final group is made up of teen-agers who serve by example--including a girl who accepts her cancer as another activity, like cheerleading. These are 'all uplifting stories about valorous people, well told and documented in Conklin's excellent b&w photos. It's not a surprise when Bush's ""thousand points of light"" are mentioned in conclusion; ironically, however, many of these examples demonstrate the inadequacy of even the most heroic efforts in the absence of adequate funding to meet such basic needs as health care, education, or access to programs leading to self-sufficiency.

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1989

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 135

Publisher: Cobblehill/Dutton

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 1989

Categories: CHILDREN'S