(4) K-3 Zoom In on Stars of Music series. These templated early-reader biographies cursorily describe each entertainer's early life, rise to fame, "superstar" status, and recent accomplishments. The texts are clear but choppy: "In 2014 Williams released a solo album. He also became a singing coach for The Voice. It is a reality TV show." The design features many photos of the stars, including childhood yearbook photos. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Zoom In on Stars of Music titles: Beyoncé, Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake, Katy Perry, Pharrell Williams, and Taylor Swift.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(4) YA African-American Icons series. These biographies highlight contemporary African American singers and actors. The texts don't sugarcoat their subjects' lives (e.g., Jay-Z's drug dealing past is fair game, along with Oprah's criticism of his songs' use of the N-word). Many of the sound-bite-ish quotes come from pop-culture interviews ("According to People magazine..."; "...he later told Playboy magazine..."). Oddly, no photos or illustrations are included. Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind. Review covers these African-American Icons titles: Jay-Z, Chris Rock, Tyler Perry, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Jennifer Hudson, and Beyoncé.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) YA Contemporary Lives series. Each of these shallow volumes traces its subject from childhood along his or her path to music stardom. The tone is mostly adulatory, with a few references to the subjects' missteps, such as Beyoncé's public falling-out with Destiny's Child. Heavily illustrated with stock photographs, each book also includes numerous sidebars about its subject's personal life, fashion choices, collaborations, and more. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Contemporary Lives titles: Beyoncé, Drake, Adele, and Cee Lo Green.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(4) 4-6 Pop Culture Bios: Super Singers series. These middle-grade biographies provide easy-to-read overviews but little new insight on their pop-singer subjects. The icons' childhood roots, roads to stardom, and current career details are all addressed, while sidebars contain extra facts and definitions (demo; screen test). The gushing slang ("fav"; "adorbs") grows tiresome, though some tweens may disagree; the abundant photos will likely be pored over. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Pop Culture Bios: Super Singers titles: Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Beyoncé, One Direction, Selena Gomez, and Taylor Swift.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee