This season sees no shortage of celebrity biographies, but no one can accuse the publishers of frivolity. Most of these series place heavy emphasis on the necessary ingredients for basic biography report writing. And, for those seeking more serious topics, there are updates on well-known figures like Cotton Mather and John Smith and a clever look at overlooked yet fascinating princesses of the world.

Preschool - Grade 4

BRIDGES, Shirin Yim. Artemisia of Caria. map. ISBN 978-0-9845098-1-2. LC 2010903614. ————. Hatshepsut of Egypt. chart. map. ISBN 978-0-9845098-0-5. LC 2010903613. ————. Isabella of Castile. map. ISBN 978-0-9845098-5-0. LC 2010903714. ————. Nur Jahan of India. map. ISBN 978-0-9845098-5-0. LC 2010903715. ————. Qutlugh Terkan Khatun of Kirman. map. ISBN 978-0-9845098-3-6. LC 2010903713. ————. Sorghaghtani of Mongolia. chart. maps. ISBN 978-0-9845098-2-9. LC 2010903615. ea vol: illus. by Nguyen, Albert. 24p. (The Thinking Girl's Treasury of Real Princesses Series). illus. photos. reprods. chron. Goosebottom Books. 2010. PLB $18.95. Gr 3-6—These large-format picture-book biographies introduce real princesses who had remarkable achievements. Artemisia of Caria, for example, led warships against the Greeks and served as an advisor to Persian King Xerxes. Qutlugh Terkan Khatun, on the other hand, was renowned for her compassion for the poor. Each book tells the woman's story and discusses why she is remembered today (or, in Hatshepsut's case, why she was almost erased from the records). Special sections describe what she would have eaten and the clothes she would have worn. Each title makes reference to others in the series. Illustrations abound, both Nguyen's colorful comic book-style line drawings and photographs of relevant locations and cultural artifacts. The scrapbook-style design of the series lends itself to easy browsing, but these titles will serve well for reports, too, and are sure to interest readers who are looking for something a little different for their research.

GAGNE, Tammy. Beyoncé. ISBN 978-1-5841-5859-2. LC 2010008957. ————. LeBron James. diag. ISBN 978-1-5841-5858-5. LC 2010008960. LEAVITT, Amie Jane. Miley Cyrus. ISBN 978-1-5841-5856-1. LC 2010006528. REUSSER, Kayleen. Taylor Swift. map. ISBN 978-1-5841-5857-8. LC 2010006534. ea vol: 32p. (Day by Day With... Series). photos. further reading. index. Web sites. Mitchell Lane. 2010. PLB $25.70. Gr 2-4—Although these titles suggest that readers will get an unusual look at the daily lives of their subjects, the content covers the typical celebrity activities of concerts, sports events, talking to fans, and charitable work. Most of the photographs show the subjects performing or posing with celebrity friends. There are no section titles to help organize the information, and photo captions are almost pointless: "Beyoncé wears unique shoes," reads one. The further reading consists largely of Internet sites and magazine articles. The bright, fun design, reminiscent of tween magazines, makes these titles suitable for browsing and leisure reading rather than for reports; Windmill's "Fan Club" series (see below) is a better purchase for early-grade celebrity biographies.

GOLDSWORTHY, Steve. Edward Kennedy: "Lion of the Senate". reprods. ISBN 978-1-61690-169-1; ISBN 978-1-61690-170-7. LC 2010006162. ————. Sarah Palin: "Political Dynamo". ISBN 978-1-61690-166-0; ISBN 978-1-61690-167-7. LC 2010006161. ROSE, Simon. Nelson Mandela: "Champion of Freedom". reprods. ISBN 978-1-61690-172-1; ISBN 978-1-61690-173-8. LC 2010006160. WISEMAN, Blaine. Shaun White: "One of the World's Greatest Extreme Athletes". ISBN 978-1-60596-997-8; ISBN 978-1-60596-998-5. LC 2010011930. YASUDA, Anita. James Cameron: "Master Filmmaker". ISBN 978-1-61690-175-2; ISBN 978-1-61690-167-7. LC 2010006158. ————. Kristen Stewart: "The Belle of Hollywood". ISBN 978-1-61690-163-9; ISBN 978-1-61690-164-6. LC 2010006159. ————. Robert Pattinson: "Superstar in the Making". ISBN 978-1-61690-154-7; ISBN 978-1-61690-155-4. LC number unavailable. ————. Taylor Lautner: "Breakout Movie Star". ISBN 978-1-61690-160-8; ISBN 978-1-61690-161-5. LC 2010007830. ————. Taylor Swift: "Global Singing Sensation". ISBN 978-1-61690-157-8; ISBN 978-1-61690-158-5. LC 2010006163. ea vol: 24p. (Remarkable People Series). map. photos. chron. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Weigl. 2010. PLB $27.13; pap. $11.95; ebook free with print purchase. Gr 3-5—This series follows a similar format to that of Weigl's "My Life" series (see below), with spreads on "Key Events," "Influences," "Thoughts from…" the subject, and more. Some definitions are unnecessary for the age group (Swift explains that "a musician is a person who can play an instrument, sing, or write music") and examples of figures in the same field as the subject focus on contemporary people. Concluding "Write a Biography" sections offer a useful chart with suggestions for questions that report writers should address. Each book contains a code that allows readers to access extra content at the publisher's website, where they can also hear the book being read aloud in a slow, clearly enunciated voice. The books' spreads are reproduced in miniature at the site and accompanied by videos, worksheets to help readers collect facts for biography reports, quizzes, and pages from other websites. Material that supplements Nelson Mandela, for example, includes short videos on the leader's life and his struggle to end apartheid, as well as worksheets. Since much of the material is from commercial sites, it is accompanied or sometimes preceded by advertisements. A video for Taylor Lautner has poor sound quality and frequent buffering. This series lends itself well to basic report writing, but the emphasis is on facts and structure at the expense of storytelling, and the accompanying online material is sometimes problematic.

LEE, Sally. Eleanor Roosevelt. ISBN 978-1-4296-5010-6. LC 2009053406. ————. Martha Washington. ISBN 978-1-4296-5011-3. LC 2009053409. RAATMA, Lucia. Jacqueline Kennedy. ISBN 978-1-4296-5009-0. LC 2009050355. ————. Michelle Obama. ISBN 978-1-4296-5008-3. LC 2009050393. ea vol: 24p. (Pebble Plus: First Ladies Series). photos. reprods. chron. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Capstone. 2010. PLB $23.99. Gr 2-3—These large-format depictions balance spare text with full-page illustrations. Each page covers a period in the subject's life, such as "Growing Up" and "First Lady," also represented in a running time line at the bottom of the page. A "Read More" section offers more early reader biographies on the subject, and the website section references Facthound.com. The glossaries are of questionable use to the intended age group. For example, in Michelle Obama, "campaign" is defined as "an organized effort to win political office," which will bring up more questions for young readers than it answers. Still, this series is a good choice for most collections, though it won't replace comparable holdings.

MILLER, Kat. I Love Daniel Radcliffe. ISBN 978-1-61533-054-6. LC 2010007045. ————. I Love Kristen Stewart. ISBN 978-1-61533-060-7. LC 2010008388. ————. I Love Miley Cyrus. ISBN 978-1-61533-045-4. LC 2010006168. ————. I Love Robert Pattinson. ISBN 978-1-61533-055-7. LC 2010007629. ————. I Love Taylor Swift. ISBN 978-1-61533-051-5. LC 2010006827. ————. I Love The Jonas Brothers. map. ISBN 978-1-61533-048-5. LC 2010006169. ea vol: 24p. (Fan Club Series). photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Windmill. 2010. PLB $21.35. Gr 2-4—In this well-designed series, each spread has a section title ("Becoming Harry Potter," "Learning on the Set," in Radcliffe, for example), and several inset photographs with explanatory captions in addition to the main text. The books provide brief introductions to the subjects' childhoods, their early careers and the roles or events that made them famous, and a look toward their futures. A final page, titled "Just Like Me," humanizes the stars with facts about their pets, favorite foods, and other interests.

TURNER, Carolyn. Sam Houston. illus. ISBN 978-1-61690-065-6; ISBN 978-1-61690-066-3. LC 2010005478. WEARING, Judy. Abraham Lincoln. ISBN 978-1-61690-056-4; ISBN 978-1-61690-057-1. LC 2010005472. ————. Amelia Earhart. ISBN 978-1-61690-059-5; ISBN 978-1-61690-060-1. LC 2010005473. YASUDA, Anita. Lady Bird Johnson. ISBN 978-1-61690-062-5; ISBN 978-1-61690-063-2. LC 2010005476. ea vol: 24p. (My Life Series). photos. reprods. chron. glossary. index. Web sites. Weigl. 2010. PLB $25.70; pap. $9.95. Gr 2-4—The volumes in this series include chapter titles such as "Practice Makes Perfect," "Key Events," and "Achievements and Successes." The result is that while the books are fine for browsing, they don't follow the subjects' lives chronologically. In Abraham Lincoln, for example, the man's run for the presidency is mentioned under "Key Events," ahead of his run for the Senate in 1858, which is mentioned later in "Overcoming Obstacles." Designed for writing reports, each title also has a page about the subject's home state and examples of other people who have held similar positions. "Write a Biography" offers simple suggestions for researching and writing reports. This is an attractive series with plenty of illustrations, both full-page and inset, as well as brief time lines, short indexes, and lists of resources. There is little to unify the subjects, but individual titles will make worthwhile updates.

WILLIAMS, Zella. America Ferrera: Award-Winning Actress. ISBN 978-1-4488-1473-2. LC 2010003465. ————. Mark Sanchez: Quarterback on the Rise. ISBN 978-1-4488-1459-6. LC 2010010502. ————. Selena Gomez: Actress and Singer. ISBN 978-1-4488-1458-9. LC 2010005306. ————. Shakira: Star Singer. ISBN 978-1-4488-1457-2. LC 2010003459. ————. Sonia Sotomayor: Supreme Court Justice. ISBN 978-1-4488-1455-8. LC 2010000243. ————. Tony Romo: Star Quarterback. ISBN 978-1-4488-1456-9. LC 2010001389. ea vol: 24p. (Hispanic Headliners Series). photos. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Rosen/PowerKids Pr. 2010. PLB $21.25. Gr 2-4—Similar to Windmill's "Fan Club" books, although with slightly shorter texts and a larger font, this series presents brief facts about the subjects' childhoods and careers, and ends with a short statement that great things surely lie ahead. Williams also peppers the texts with subject-specific comments. Shakira mentions that the singer honors her dual Arab and Hispanic heritage in her work, for example, while Sotomayor states, "We can hope that she judges cases fairly and upholds the U.S. Constitution." Back matter includes a brief glossary with some questionable pronunciations ("professional" is written as "pruh-FESH-nul" in Mark Sanchez), and a referral to the publisher's website for updated web links. The diverse selection of subjects makes this an unusual collection of titles, but individual books will stand alone as worthwhile selections.

Grades 5 and Up

ABRAMS, Dennis. Cotton Mather. photos. further reading. 2010. ISBN 978-1-60413-736-1; ISBN 978-1-4831-3620-2. LC 2010010715. CODY, Matt W. Peter Stuyvesant. maps. photos. further reading. Web sites. 2010. ISBN 978-1-60413-740-8; ISBN 978-1-4831-3511-3. LC 2010010714. DAVIS, Daniel K. Miles Standish. map. photos. Web sites. 2010. ISBN 978-1-60413-739-2; ISBN 978-1-4831-3510-6. LC 2010010333. LACE, William W. Benjamin Franklin. photos. further reading. Web sites. 2010. ISBN 978-1-60413-737-8; ISBN 978-1-4831-3508-3. LC 2010010205. MCNEESE, Tim. John Smith. map. further reading. Web sites. 2010. ISBN 978-1-60413-742-2; ISBN 978-1-4831-3509-0. LC 2010010334. MATTERN, Joanne. William Penn. map. photos. further reading. Web sites. Jan. 2011. ISBN 978-1-60413-735-4; ISBN 978-1-60413-735-4. LC 2010026366. MILLS, Clifford W. Lord Baltimore. photos. further reading. Web sites. 2010. ISBN 978-1-60413-738-5; ISBN 978-1-4381-3621-9. LC 2010010709. SLAVICEK, Louise Shipley. Anne Hutchinson. map. photos. further reading. Web sites. Dec. 2010. ISBN 978-1-60413-741-5; ISBN 978-1-4381-3506-9. LC 2010009991. WAGNER, Heather Lehr. Benjamin Banneker. map. photos. further reading. Web sites. 2010. ISBN 978-1-60413-744-6; ISBN 978-1-4381-3507-6. LC 2010009992. ————. William Bradford. photos. further reading. Web sites. 2010. ISBN 978-1-60413-743-9; ISBN 978-1-4831-3512-0. LC 2010010335. ea vol: 120p. (Leaders of the Colonial Era Series). reprods. bibliog. chron. index. CIP. Chelsea House. PLB $30; ebook $30. Gr 10 Up—The titles in this informative and well-laid-out series comprise a survey of colonial history from the time of John Smith to the Revolutionary War. Although not strictly a leader, Banneker owes his inclusion to his impressive scientific accomplishments, which Wagner places in the context of colonial society. Abrams, leading up to the Salem witchcraft trials, includes a well-phrased admonition to consider colonial America not through modern eyes but with a historical viewpoint. McNeese points out John Smith's questionable reliability about his own exploits, noting the similarity between his story and that of David and Goliath. Reproductions, generally two to a chapter, are mainly portraits or scenic prints though one depicts a saint with his face scratched out by disapproving Puritans. Each title has an extensive bibliography (Miles Standish is particularly noteworthy in this regard). Reliable updates.

BRANSCOMB, Leslie Wolf. Marc Jacobs. reprods. ISBN 978-1-59935-153-7. LC 2010022226. FREISTADT, Margo. Kate Spade. ISBN 978-1-59935-154-4. LC 2010022227. PETRILLO, Lisa. Isaac Mizrahi. reprods. ISBN 978-1-59935-152-0. LC 2010018312. ————. Vera Wang. reprods. ISBN 978-1-59935-150-6. LC 2010017978. SAPET, Kerrily. Jimmy Choo. reprods. ISBN 978-1-59935-151-3. LC 2010018813. ea vol: 112p. (Profiles in Fashion Series). photos. bibliog. chron. index. notes. Web sites. CIP. Morgan Reynolds. 2010. PLB $28.95. Gr 9 Up—These titles are somewhat lacking in photographs of the subjects' work. Marc Jacobs and Vera Wang include several photographs of runway shows, models, and, in Vera Wang, figure skating costumes, but Isaac Mizrahi has almost no photographs of the designer's creations. Each volume relies heavily on stock images of cityscapes, dress dummies, store windows, and the like, so that while readers might be interested in the lives of these designers as well as their creations, an opportunity has been missed. The texts are adequate, however, and the different backgrounds and business stories of the subjects are fascinating, especially concerning how they have broken with tradition or accepted styles to create the look for which they have become known. Additional.

BURLINGAME, Jeff. Avril Lavigne: Celebrity with Heart. ISBN 978-0-7660-3407-5. LC 2009023808. EDGE, Laura B. Hilary Duff: Celebrity with Heart. ISBN 978-0-7660-3404-4. LC 2009023810. JONES, Jen. Oprah Winfrey: Celebrity with Heart. ISBN 978-0-7660-3406-8. LC 2009023811. SCHUMAN, Michael A. Adam Sandler: Celebrity with Heart. ISBN 978-0-7660-3402-0. LC 2009023806. ————. Angelina Jolie: Celebrity with Heart. ISBN 978-0-7660-3403-7. LC 2009023807. WOOTEN, Sara McIntosh. Tim McGraw: Celebrity with Heart. ISBN 978-0-7660-3405-1. LC 2009023809. ea vol: 128p. (Celebrities with Heart Series). photos. reprods. chron. further reading. index. notes. Web sites. CIP. Enslow. 2010. PLB $34.60. Gr 5-8—This series purports to emphasize charity, but it does so with limited success. Lavigne, whose charitable work is largely through performances in fundraising concerts and auctions, is perhaps the biggest stretch. Duff has worked with USA Harvest and Blessings in a Backpack, but again the emphasis is on her career. Winfrey and Jolie are obvious candidates for this theme, and their biographies show their commitment to various social and governmental organizations within the context of their work as entertainers. Tim McGraw mentions the singer's work with Katrina relief briefly, but reads otherwise like a typical celebrity biography, including information on a run-in with police and a song that offended Native Americans. Sandler's work with 9/11 relief organizations, spinal cord injury groups, and the Chris Farley Foundation is covered, but the emphasis is on how much money his movies and comedy albums have made and on his appeal to fans versus critics. The standout title here is Oprah Winfrey.

CLAYBOURNE, Anna. Who Discovered Natural Selection? map. ISBN 978-1-84837-682-3. LC 2010011020. ————. Who Split the Atom? ISBN 978-1-84837-683-0. LC 2010011015. SAUNDERS, Nigel. Who Invented the Periodic Table? charts. ISBN 978-1-84837-680-9. LC 2010011016. SNEDDEN, Robert. Who Invented the Computer? chart. ISBN 978-1-84837-678-6. LC 2010011017. VAUGHAN, Jenny. Who Discovered DNA? ISBN 978-1-84837-679-3. LC 2010011021. WILLIAMS, Brian. Who Invented the Automobile? ISBN 978-1-84837-681-6. LC 2010011019. ea vol: 46p. (Breakthroughs in Science and Technology Series). diags. illus. photos. reprods. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Arcturus. 2010. PLB $32.80. Gr 5-8—Despite the titles, and although this series offers sidebars with biographical information on key players and interesting facts about them, it covers more science than biography. However, these are excellent books with a good balance of text and images, and they offer concise and clear presentations of sometimes-complex topics. Natural Selection, for example, discusses the workings of Darwin's theory and other related science, and ends with information on genes and DNA. Atom discusses the breakthroughs in physics and chemistry that led to the development of nuclear weapons and nuclear power and includes a photograph of Belarussian protestors in radiation masks on the Chernobyl anniversary. Purchase where new titles are needed on these topics.

CORRIGAN, Jim. John Marshall. ISBN 978-1-59935-159-9. LC 2010018801. SHICHTMAN, Sandra H. Earl Warren. further reading. ISBN 978-1-59935-158-2. LC 2010020403. ————. Sonia Sotomayor. further reading. ISBN 978-1-59935-156-8. LC 2010020737. WHITELAW, Nancy. Thurgood Marshall. further reading. ISBN 978-1-59935-157-5. LC 2010018334. ea vol: 128p. (Supreme Court Justices Series). map. photos. reprods. appendix. bibliog. chron. index. notes. Web sites. CIP. Morgan Reynolds. 2010. PLB $28.95. Gr 9 Up—These titles show how the subjects' early lives influenced their senses of justice. The first book is particularly successful, as Whitelaw relates Marshall's experiences with racism. Pictures of KKK rallies and lynchings are included. While the other three titles focus largely on their subjects' careers on the bench and the momentous decisions they faced, Sotomayor is of necessity concerned with the woman's career pre-Supreme Court and with the nomination process. All of the other titles show the year, plaintiff, defendant, arguments, and decision in the justice's major cases. Each book offers reproductions, mainly photographs and paintings, on every other spread. Back matter includes a useful bibliography. These excellent choices for civics collections will serve report writers well.

CROTON, Guy, ed. Captain Cook & His Exploration of the Pacific. map. ISBN 978-1-84898-303-8. LC 2010925457. ————. Columbus & The Renaissance Explorers. maps. ISBN 978-1-84898-305-2. LC 2010925458. ————. Drake & The Elizabethan Explorers. maps. ISBN 978-1-84898-304-5. LC 2010925459. ————. Exploration of Africa. maps. ISBN 978-1-84898-300-7. LC 2010925460. ————. Exploration of North America. maps. chron. ISBN 978-1-84898-301-4. LC 2010925461. ————. Exploration of Space. diags. map. chron. ISBN 978-1-84898-302-1. LC 2010925462. ————. Magellan & The Americas. diag. maps. ISBN 978-1-84898-299-4. LC 2010925463. ————. Pioneers of the Air. map. ISBN 978-1-84898-306-9. LC 2010925464. ea vol: 48p. (The History of Exploration Series). illus. photos. reprods. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. NewForest Press. 2010. PLB $22.95. Gr 4-7—These volumes are entertaining and easy to browse, featuring nuggets of information interspersed with illustrations and photographs, akin to the style of DK. Cook, Columbus, Drake, and Magellan contain the same spread on navigational tools. These books contain substantial print and online further-reading lists, glossaries, and indexes, and they serve the purpose of introducing readers to a wide scope of exploration-related topics and individuals—useful for report ideas and in simply spurring interest in the quest to go where no one has gone before.

DAKERS, Diane. Calvin Klein: Fashion Design Superstar. ISBN 978-0-7787-2534-3; ISBN 978-0-7787-2543-5; ISBN 978-1-4271-9466-4. LC 2010018042. ————. Vera Wang: A Passion for Bridal and Lifestyle Design. ISBN 978-0-7787-2535-0; ISBN 978-0-7787-2544-2; ISBN 978-1-4271-9467-1. LC 2010018043. MORRISON, Jessica. Hank Aaron: Home Run Hero. ISBN 978-0-7787-2538-1; ISBN 978-0-7787-2547-3; ISBN 978-1-4271-9470-1. LC 2010018111. ————. Wayne Gretzky: Greatness on Ice. ISBN 978-0-7787-2539-8; ISBN 978-0-7787-2548-0; ISBN 978-1-4271-9471-8. LC 2010018112. RIDDOLLS, Tom. Sally Ride: The First American Woman in Space. ISBN 978-0-7787-2541-1; ISBN 978-0-7787-2550-3; ISBN 978-1-4271-9473-2. LC 2010018113. VAN TOL, Alex. Dolores Huerta: Voice for the Working Poor. ISBN 978-0-7787-2536-7; ISBN 978-0-7787-2545-9; ISBN 978-1-4271-9468-8. LC 2010018044. ————. Sonia Sotomayor: U.S. Supreme Court Justice. ISBN 978-0-7787-2537-4; ISBN 978-0-7787-2546-6; ISBN 978-1-4271-9469-5. LC 2010018045. WEARING, Judy. Roberta Bondar: Canada's First Woman in Space. ISBN 978-0-7787-2540-4; ISBN 978-0-7787-2549-7; ISBN 978-1-4271-9472-5. LC 2010018046. ea vol: 112p. (Crabtree Groundbreaker Biographies Series). photos. reprods. chron. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Crabtree. 2010. PLB $31.93; pap. $12.95; ebook $31.93. Gr 6-9—These largely adulatory profiles emphasize their subjects' accomplishments but don't entirely shy away from controversy. For example, Dolores Huerta portrays the woman's commitment and tireless work for farm workers while acknowledging that she was criticized for leaving her 11 children with relatives for long periods while she worked. Sidebars include extra information ("Minuteman Missiles" and "Space Stations" in Sally Ride), and inset quotes from the featured individuals emphasize their ideas. Photographs appear on almost every page. The time lines and glossaries are comprehensive, and the suggested-reading lists are worthwhile. Nothing makes these titles stand out against comparables, but they will find homes where updated titles are needed on these contemporary figures.

SPENCE, David. Cézanne. ISBN 978-1-84898-315-1. LC 2010925202. ————. Degas. map. ISBN 978-1-84898-318-2. LC 2010925208. ————. Gauguin. map. ISBN 978-1-84898-316-8. LC 2010925211. ————. Manet. ISBN 978-1-84898-313-7. LC 2010925213. ————. Michelangelo. ISBN 978-1-84898-309-0. LC 2010925210. ————. Monet. ISBN 978-1-84898-312-0. LC 2010925214. ————. Picasso. ISBN 978-1-84898-314-4. LC 2010925217. ————. Renoir. ISBN 978-1-84898-315-5. LC 2010925218. ————. Van Gogh. map. ISBN 978-1-84898-311-3. LC 2010925215. ea vol: 48p. (The Great Artists & Their World Series). photos. reprods. chron. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. NewForest Press. 2010. PLB $32.80. Gr 6 Up—This fine series offers biographical information interspersed with art history and criticism in an eye-catching format. The books are divided into sections on "The Artist & His Times," "The Artist's Life," "The Artist's Vision," and "The Artist's Influence." Spreads cover a topic each, such as "What Do the Paintings Say?" or, in Degas, "The Dancer in Focus," and include a long introductory paragraph and four-to-six images with shorter explanatory notes. Spence doesn't shy away from unpleasant facets of his subjects' characters, describing Cézanne as "withdrawn, moody, argumentative, and temperamental." He does a good job of explaining why art that might seem ordinary today was revolutionary at the time of its creation. Each title also has a "Did You Know?" spread with facts about the artist and his era, a time line covering the man and his contemporaries that helps put different movements into perspective, a page of quotes from the artist, and an examination of a single work in close up. The main drawback to these books is their small font and trim size. Otherwise, they are excellent purchases.

The Bottom Line The series worth considering for younger readers are Windmill's "Fan Club" (for celebrity biographies), Goosebottom's "The Thinking Girl's Treasury of Real Princesses," and Weigl's "Remarkable People," which emphasizes the elements of reports—but not Mitchell Lane's "Day By Day." The standouts for older readers are NewForest Press's "The Great Artists & Their World" and Chelsea House's "Leaders of the Colonial Era." Arcturus's "Breakthroughs in Science and Technology," while not strictly biography, is a solid choice. Morgan Reynolds's Thurgood Marshall and Enslow's Oprah Winfrey are good purchases on their own