Hopkins, MN -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/10/2011 -- Sandra McLeod Humphrey seeks to reinvigorate students' dreams for the future with her new book They Stood Alone!: 25 Men and Women Who Made a Difference (ISBN: 9781616144852). The book is a collection of brief biographies of 25 men and women who refused to conform to the societal beliefs and expectations of their time and, by stepping out and away from the crowd, they changed their world and ours as well.

While doing her school visits, Humphrey realized how many students had already given up their dreams and no longer had any personal aspirations. She wanted to restore their hopes and their dreams by showing them that one person can indeed make a difference. Each of the 25 men and women in her new book made a unique contribution which changed and shaped the course of history, and they were not afraid to take a risk even when it meant standing alone.

In the words of one reviewer, “This is a book of hope … and a deep belief in the difference that one person can make when an ability, an idea, or a goal is taken to its highest level.”

Humphrey's new book is now available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other major book retailers. She also hosts an inspiring blog called "Dare to Dream Big" with weekly stories featuring real life heroes.

About the Author:
Sandra McLeod Humphrey is a retired clinical psychologist, a character education consultant, and an award-winning author of eight middle-grade and young adult books. She’s also the recipient of the National Character Education Center’s Award for Exemplary Leadership in Ethics Education (2000) and the 2005 Helen Keating Ott Award for Outstanding Contribution to Children's Literature. You can learn more about her books by visiting her Character Building Website and her blog Dare to Dream Big!