Norman Bethune is specifically written to meet the needs of adolescents and adults who are reluctant readers. The photographs, maps, and illustrations reflect the text, making the words easy to decode. This high-interest, low-vocabulary biography is ideal for English as a Second Language or adult basic education students.

Norman Bethune (1890-1939) was a doctor who devoted his life to helping others. Bethune's fame in Canada has resulted from his status as a hero in the People's Republic of China. While there, he worked with doctors and students of medicine in war zones passing on his knowledge and skills, while learning the ways of Communism, which interested him greatly. He had the opportunity to meet Mao Zedong before his life was cut short from a blood infection while working in China.