(4) 4-6 People to Know Today series. Hill chronicles Armstrong's battle with cancer and seven Tour de France wins. Containing basic information about Armstrong's life and the world of professional cycling, this book will appeal to his fans but may also find an audience in those curious about the sport or looking for a story about overcoming adversity. Stock photos accompany the generally positive but dry text. Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind.

Reviewer:

(3) YA African-American Biographies series. Competently written and illustrated with adequate black-and-white photos and reproductions, the books in this series pay tribute to five African Americans who received acclaim in various fields, while simultaneously advancing the cause of civil rights. The biographies of activists Hamer and Lewis are particularly welcome, filling a need for book-length profiles of these individuals. Timelines are included. Bib., ind. [Review covers these African-American Biographies titles: John Lewis, George Washington, Fannie Lou Hamer, Frederick Douglass,and Richard Wright.]

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) YA Collective Biographies series. Each volume profiles ten notable figures, some famous (Martin Luther King, Jr., Jesse Jackson, Judy Blume) and some less well known, such as activist Fannie Lou Hamer and author Bharati Mukherjee. The rushed entries, accompanied by standard black-and-white photographs, are too glib for the subjects' personalities to emerge, though the profiles may serve as good starting points for report writers. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) YA People to Know series. Illustrated with unexceptional black-and-white photographs, these biographies are clearly written but superficial in their coverage of the subjects' lives. Career highlights are documented, though personal flaws are either ignored or glossed over. Nevertheless, the books will be helpful for school reports. Time lines are included, and Ballard contains a glossary. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta