Alfred Nobel: The Man Behind the Peace Prize (True Stories)
Grade 3–6—Accompanied by large, captivating realistic paintings, this picture-book biography briefly depicts Nobel's life. According to the straightforward text, the inventor of dynamite hoped his discoveries "…would prevent war. He thought that if people were afraid of the harm that explosions could cause, perhaps they would settle things peacefully first." However, he eventually realized that he was perceived as "a man who earned his wealth by inventing ways to injure and kill," a fact that depressed him. While the text provides basic research information, it raises complicated questions in a sometimes oversimplified manner. Ultimately, it leaves readers yearning for more and wondering just who Alfred Nobel really was. A list of Nobel Peace Prize winners is appended.—Sarah O'Holla, Village Community School, New York CityCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.