(4) K-3 Zoom In on Technology Pioneers series. These early-reader biographies give the most general facts about each figure's early life, career accomplishments, and legacy. Choppy texts are adequately illustrated with archival and stock photos on cleanly designed pages. Among the modern-day (male) tech entrepreneurs profiled, the volumes on nineteenth-century chemist and physicist Curie and early-twentieth-century nuclear physicist Wu feel pro forma; contemporary female technology pioneers are out there. Timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Zoom In on Technology Pioneers titles: Bill Gates, Chien-Shiung Wu, Jeff Bezos, Jerry Yang, Marie Curie, Steve Jobs.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(2) YA Through her jam-packed, roughhewn, kitchen-sink visual style, Hartland provides readers with a plethora of information, both personal and professional, about a complex, driven, sometimes difficult individual. Beginning with his birth in 1955 and ending with his death in 2011, a mostly chronological retelling of well-known events in Jobs's career unfolds. The book delivers a depiction of Jobs that is well balanced and accessible. Bib.

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2016

(4) 4-6 Newsmakers series. This accessibly written series is notable for its clean layout, including color photographs, sidebars, and charts. The mostly complimentary narratives are solid overviews of their subjects' early lives, successes, and failures. A "Stop and Think" feature offers discussion questions that can be used for assignments. For the living subjects, the content will soon become outdated. Reading list, timeline. Glos., ind. Review covers these Newsmakers titles: Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Vladimir Putin, Malala Yousafzai, Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Nelson Mandela, and Pope Francis.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(3) 4-6 Real-Life Story series. These well-researched biographies (accompanied by black-and-white photo inserts) detail the subjects' lives, starting with early childhood and moving thoughtfully through career highs and lows. Engaging, accessible descriptions of complicated issues in Bush and Obama balance the mostly complementary tone and provide a compelling introduction to the political process. Jobs respectfully traces the evolution of a sometimes challenging but visionary personality. Timeline. Bib., ind. Review covers these Real-Life Story titles: Barack Obama, George W. Bush, and Steve Jobs.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(4) YA Business Leaders series. Corrigan's focus in this balanced biography is, of course, Jobs's founding of Apple Computer and his revolutionary contributions to information technology. The dense narrative also documents how Jobs's invasive micromanaging led to spectacular successes and equally spectacular failures. The dull page design is off-putting, but stock photos and publicity shots help break up the text. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(2) YA Blumenthal's journalistic style suits the subject, and she uses the words of Jobs and his closest associates to paint an engaging and intimate portrait. Few biographies for young adults feel as relevant and current as this one does. Black-and-white photographs are interspersed throughout the narrative, and some interesting tangents are unobtrusively placed in sidebars. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2012

(4) 4-6 Gateway Biographies series. This formulaic narrative describes Jobs's mercurial personality and the larger-than-life impact his technological innovations and imagination had on our culture. Written after his tragic death last year from pancreatic cancer, this book still serves as a valuable introduction to his life and legacy. Color and black-and-white photos illustrate the text. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) YA Essential Lives series. Thorough and detailed, though dry, this biography tells the story of Jobs's life and the company and products he created. Although it acknowledges Jobs's genius, the narrative also includes his failures, his problems with Apple's management, and his often prickly personality. Jobs's marriage and health issues are not covered in-depth. Color photos are included in the unattractive layout. Reading list. Timeline. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) 4-6 This well-written biography introduces computer genius and Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. From the mischievous boy and free-spirited college dropout to the outspoken, often emotional businessman and entrepreneur, Lakin's narrative relies heavily on Jobs's own words, business and news articles, and the recent Walter Isaacson adult biography. The absence of supplemental photographs and back matter weakens an otherwise thorough portrayal. Source notes.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(4) YA Technology Pioneers series. This book covers familiar territory: the partnership of Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, early successes and failures, Jobs's genius and perfectionism, and the resurgence of Apple after launching the iPod and iPad. The blandly written text is accompanied by lots of photos of Jobs and Apple products. Sidebars offer additional information. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) YA Business Leaders series. These books detail the lives of three entrepreneurs: Buffett, investor and one of the world's richest men; Jobs, founder and CEO of Apple computers; and Simmons, promoter and producer of hip-hop music. Each man's rise to fame and wealth is told in straightforward, accessible text. Photographs and sidebars add interest to these not particularly inspired but readable biographies. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Business Leaders titles: Russell Simmons, Steve Jobs, and Warren Buffett.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) YA Essential Lives series. This series offers serviceable if bland biographies of people famous in a variety of arenas. The writing is straightforward, and frequent sidebars help with historical context. Some photographs and archival materials also break up the pages. The volume on the one contemporary subject in this group (Jobs) is less assured than the others. There are six other new books in this series. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Essential Lives titles: Laura Ingalls Wilder, Steve Jobs, Eleanor Roosevelt, Lucretia Mott, and Zora Neale Hurston.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) YA Internet Biographies series. Six visionaries responsible for landmark contributions to computer-technology history are profiled in this series. Their successful businesses follow a similar trajectory, through persistence and optimism, obstacles overcome, philanthropy, and future goals. Though the financial details will be difficult for the intended audience to grasp, familiarity with Pixar, AOL, Amazon.com, and Microsoft products will fuel interest in the books. Bib., glos., ind. [Review covers these Internet Biographies titles: Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, Esther Dyson, Bill Gates, Larry Ellison, and Steve Case.]

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) 4-6 Techies series. These run-of-the mill biographies trace the personal and professional lives of three leaders in the computer technology revolution: Jobs of Apple Computer, Andreessen of Netscape, and Bezos of Amazon.com. Jobs is the best of the three with its balanced description of the visionary taskmaster; Bezos is the weakest, due to choppy writing. Bland stock photos add little to the volumes. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(4) YA People to Know series. The books in this series profile an individual in texts that include career achievements and some personal information. The coverage is generally discreet, and there is very little analysis in these flatly written biographies, which are accompanied by black-and-white photos. They will probably be sufficient for report-writing students and those needing basic factual information. A time line is included. Bib., ind. [Review covers these People to Know titles: Anne McCaffrey, Steve Jobs, Billy Graham.]

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta