In recent years I’ve adapted some fascinating and important books into versions for young readers. I’ve had the privilege of working on two books by Charles C. Mann, whose articles and best-selling books on science and history have given us new ways to look at the events of hundreds of years ago. Seven Stories Press has just released my YA adaptation of his book 1493, which explores what happened to crops, climate, wildlife, and people when the first worldwide network of trade and travel got started in the sixteenth century. From Chinese pirates to South American freedom fighters to the man who convinced the king and queen of France to wear potato flowers, Mann’s book is filled with the stories of individuals who shaped and were shaped by history.