• Reading age: 11 to 18

"Within hours of his arrival, Norman was taken to meet Chairman Mao Zedong. The smiling man grabbed Norman's hands in welcome....The two men talked for hours." This book will be especially fascinating for all readers interested in: history or biography. One of the world's top surgeons, an advocate of democratic medical services, and an international humanitarian, Norman Bethune risked his life to deliver blood to the front lines. He is revered in China as a hero, where he was a personal friend of Chairman Mao Zedong, and his unceasing and inventive work established a lasting bond between his adopted people and this heroic Canadian.

Frances Hern (1951–2015) was born in Birmingham, England, near Tolkien territory. An avid reader and writer, she moved to Canada in 1973 and lived most of her life in Golden, BC. She wrote poetry, non-fiction, and children's fiction, including Engraved: Canadian Stories of World War One; Yip Sang and the First Chinese Canadians; Arctic Explorers: In Search of the Northwest Passage; and Norman Bethune: The Incredible Life and Tragic Death of a Revered Canadian Doctor. Although she didn't enjoy high school history, she came to realize how strongly the past influences the present and aimed to share her knowlege in entertaining works of historical fiction and non-fiction.

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