It's a commonly known fact that Henry Ford invented the Model T, an affordable automobile that made transportation by car more readily available. However, it's probably less well known that Ford was interested in sustainability and farming in addition to his tinkering with machinery. And he was obsessed with one thing in particular -- soybeans. So much so that his favorite snack was a soybean biscuit, his suits were made of soy thread, and the dinner he served in the Ford Exhibit at the World's Fair in Chicago contained soy in every item presented, including beverages and desserts. TIME Magazine even declared him "a bean's best friend" in 1936.

This picture book biography focuses on Ford's efforts to build a soybean car rather than the more known parts of his history. I know absolutely nothing about this facet of Ford and was therefore enthralled by this book. The text is simple and straightforward but completely informative. Occasional direct quotes from Ford are peppered throughout the story. The illustrations are bright and lively; for some reason, the pages are infused with a jaunty yellow, which I loved since yellow is one of my favorite colors. Extensive back matter includes a timeline, recipes, black-and-white archival photographs, a bibliography, etc. ( )