(4) 4-6 Gormley's admiring profile follows McCain through his childhood and the U.S. Naval Academy before detailing his resistance and resilience while imprisoned and tortured by the North Vietnamese during the Vietnam War. The remainder of the book, which ends too abruptly, deals with McCain's political career and terminal illness and how his strong character and erratic temperament affected his personal and political lives. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) YA Perritano's account of U.S. Senator John McCain's life until his brain cancer diagnosis focuses most thoroughly on his pre-politician years and draws liberally from McCain's own writings. The author extolls McCain's commitment to integrity, courage, and love of country throughout his naval career; Vietnam imprisonment; U.S. Congress tenure; and bid for the presidency. The readable text is enhanced with numerous photographs. Timeline. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) YA Military Heroes series. Filled with photographs and archival illustrations, this series presents a range of famous and lesser-known people involved in U.S. military history. In addition to standard biographical details, the texts also examine controversies and career flops as well as successes; sidebars provide historical context. Though the writing is on the bland side, the texts are useful for reports. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Military Heroes titles: Samuel Houston, Benjamin O. Davis Jr., George S. Patton, Clara Barton, John McCain, and Colin Powell.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Dan Andreasen. "There are a few things...to know about my dad, and one...is that he would make a great president." Despite gratingly repetitive text (we're told five times about how the senator doesn't give up), Meghan McCain's adulatory biography succeeds in communicating to readers why her father's life experiences are unique and interesting. Andreasen's realistic-looking digitally colored graphite illustrations lend appropriate gravitas.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(4) YA People in the News series. These series entries cover basic biographical facts; as evidenced by the McCain title, which ends with his nomination, the books quickly become out of date. Fans may enjoy the Timberlake bio, including its many color photos, and students could use the McCain book (with further research) for reports. Though the books are fairly superficial, they're fine starting points. Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind. Review covers these People in the News titles: Justin Timberlake and John McCain.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) YA Political Profiles series. These profiles of seven politicians currently in the spotlight are thorough, concentrating heavily on childhood, background, and the forces that shaped these leaders. The volumes will quickly be dated (especially in the four on presidential candidates); Gore ends before his Nobel Peace Prize award. Photographs help break up the dense pages. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Political Profiles titles: Al Gore, Barack Obama, Rudy Giuliani, Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(3) 4-6 Overcoming Adversity series. In the books in this series, each subject triumphed over hardships that ranged from physical disability to nationwide political oppression. The clearly written texts do not overplay this aspect of each subject's story but incorporate it into informative and cohesive biographical portraits. Illustrated with average-quality black-and-white photos, each volume contains a timeline; Twain and Wonder also feature discographies. Bib., ind. [Review covers these titles: Triumph of the Imagination, John McCain, Shania Twain, Mohandas K. Gandhi, Stevie Wonder.]

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(4) K-3 Gateway Biography series. Feinberg celebrates the life and accomplishments of Navy veteran and former presidential hopeful John McCain. Though the text often reads like a fan magazine, emphasizing the noble and glossing over the less-respectable, readers will nevertheless learn the important facts about this "American Hero." Black-and-white and color photos illustrate the book. Ind.

Reviewer: Mary R. Holt