LEGO Heroes is about the Master Builder in all of us. This collection of twelve stories puts a spotlight on folks whose love for the colorful bricks has inspired them to rebuild the world, in ways both large and small. A few of the chapters were originally published as articles for “Blocks”, a monthly magazine dedicated to all things LEGO, while the rest is all new material written by “Blocks” editor Graham E. Hancock.

The stories feature a diverse assortment of people from various walks-of-life who all share one thing in common: ingenuity. You thought I was gonna say LEGO, right? I mean, that’s a given but these people have used their love of LEGO, along with their own creativity, to solve real-world problems. From the caring staff at a Maryland zoo who helped devise a makeshift wheelchair to rehabilitate an injured turtle to the Banksy-inspired artist who touches millions by sharing his reproductions of street art through social media, everyone here has an idea for how to conquer some of life’s challenges. They just happen to use LEGO bricks to bring those ideas to life!

In these pages are some of the sweetest and most inspirational stories I’ve had the pleasure of reading. From eight-year-old Dario, whose prosthetic arm is all the more versatile with the addition of LEGO attachments to Kitty, a former teacher who has introduced the fun of building to seniors in-need, everyone has a story to inspire, inform, or just tug on your heartstrings. I defy you not the shed a tear reading about Matthew Shifrin, a legally blind person whose friend Lilya devised a set of braille instructions that would eventually lead to the creation of an entirely new system of manuals and tools for the visually impaired!

When it comes to delivering stories that are both informational and inspirational, LEGO Heroes is incredibly effective. Every chapter includes a wealth of educational value, whether it’s learning about microtonal music and the mechanics of how a LEGO guitar could actually work or how instrumental bricks can be in helping grow and sustain coral. Hancock’s descriptive style may come off as monotonous at times, especially to younger readers, but he wisely lets the stories speak for themselves and deliver the emotional satisfaction that only this kind of content can do. That said, Hancock presents the material respectfully and provides expert descriptions of the various types of LEGO bricks and systems, while never talking down to the reader. And for those who are more visually-inclined, there are plenty of pictures included to showcase the many innovations and hopefully inspire the next group of LEGO Heroes.