(3) YA Hip-Hop Artists series. Each standalone biography highlights a (male) hip-hop artist's artistic influences, childhood experiences, and professional challenges and successes, all supported by healthy source notes; narratives touch on (but don't delve deeply into) controversial aspects. Attractive layouts include colorful sidebars, bolded quotes, and plentiful photos. Though the content will date quickly, this is a well-curated and visually appealing series. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Hip-Hop Artists titles: Kendrick Lamar, Chance the Rapper, Drake, Future, J. Cole, and Kanye West.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(4) K-3 Big Buddy Pop Biographies series. In each standard-issue biography, readers are introduced to the celebrity's early life and family, career, achievements, business ventures, and charitable works. The cheerful, adulatory texts are peppered with gratuitous exclamation points ("Fans love to buy goods Rihanna helped create!") and are accompanied by stock photos and "Did You Know?" boxes. Glos., ind. Review covers these Big Buddy Pop Biographies titles: Adele, Carrie Underwood, Drake, and Rihanna.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(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