(4) YA USA Today Lifeline Biographies series. Each book contains background about social movements, fashion, and musical influences, plus excerpts from USA Today articles. Queen Latifah's childhood and family life, as well as Lady Gaga's development of her persona, are covered in detail, while topics such as drugs and sexual orientation are also discussed. Fans won't mind the crowded layout. Latifah has a glossary; Gaga has a timeline. Reading list, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these USA Today Lifeline Biographies titles: Queen Latifah and Lady Gaga.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) YA Contemporary Lives series. These standard-issue, easy-to-read pop biographies offer details about each star's life and career. Controversial behaviors and incidents, including early failures or bad reviews; drug use by Downey and Eminem; protests against Eminem's perceived homophobia, misogyny, and gun use; Lady Gaga's bisexuality; and Bieber's jealous fans' behavior are covered. Sidebars offer additional context to the unremarkable text. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Contemporary Lives titles: Eminem, Justin Bieber, Lady Gaga, and Robert Downey, Jr.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) YA People in the News series. Each title touches on the public figure's early years, later life, and achievements. Though the writing tends to be overly laudatory, difficult issues are occasionally addressed, especially in the Karzai volume (e.g., corruption allegations against him, his increasing criticism of the West). Sidebars cover more general topics, adding some context. Many photographs are included. There are eight other fall 2011 books in this series. Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind. Review covers these People in the News titles: Katy Perry, George Lopez, Sonia Sotomayor, Lady Gaga, and Hamid Karzai.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) K-3 Big Buddy Biographies series. This series offers very basic biographical information about popular stars and other people in the spotlight. The texts, though very light on content, are easy to read, and their subjects are of interest to children. Many photographs appear throughout; captions and brief "Did you know?" sidebars give additional information on the figures' lives. Glos., ind. Review covers these Big Buddy Biographies titles: Kate Middleton, Kyle Massey, Lady Gaga, and Miranda Lambert.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz