Famous car-maker and businessman Henry Ford loved beans. And he showed
great innovation with his determination to build his most inventive
car--one completely made of soybeans.
With a mind for ingenuity, Henry Ford looked to improve life for others.
After the Great Depression struck, Ford especially wanted to support
ailing farmers. For two years, Ford and his team researched ways to use
farmers' crops in his Ford Motor Company. They discovered that the
soybean was the perfect answer. Soon, Ford's cars contained many soybean
plastic parts, and Ford incorporated soybeans into every part of his
life. He ate soybeans, he wore clothes made of soybean fabric, and he
wanted to drive soybeans, too. Award-winning author Peggy Thomas and
illustrator Edwin Fotheringham explore this American icon's little-known
quest.