From Booker T. Washington to Maria Montessori, Head Start creator Edmund Gordon, and Savitribai Phule, who is fighting for girls in India, this book profiles 12 leading educators from around the world.

Maria Montessori: Giving children independence -- Howard Gardner: Many ways to be smart -- Margaret Bancroft: Every child deserves to learn -- Booker T. Washington: Helping African Americans succeed -- Savitribai Phule: Fighting for girls in India -- Geoffrey Canada: Rebuilding communities block by block -- Phalla Neang: Changing life for students who are blind -- Edmund Gordon: Giving poor children a head start -- Wendy Kopp: Teaching for the world -- Friedrich Froebel: The father of kindergarten -- Kakenya Ntaiya: Empowering girls in Kenya -- Jean Piaget: Understanding how a child's mind works -- More educators to know.