(3) K-3 This picture book inspired by Ella Fitzgerald's friendship with Marilyn Monroe centers on an instance in the 1950s when Monroe's influence supposedly helped black Fitzgerald be allowed to perform at a popular NYC venue. Evoking the nightclub's glitz and glamour, the bright-colored, graphic illustrations on thick pages are the draw here. Short bios of both women and a photo conclude the book.

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(4) YA Lives Cut Short series. These standard-issue biographies, accompanied by numerous stock photos, introduce readers to celebrities who died young, relating their superstardom, troubled last years, and continuing legacies without adoration or sensationalism. Serious issues such as substance abuse, public-image struggles, and marriage problems are covered directly and honestly. Plentiful sidebars break up the text but sometimes distract from the main narrative. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Lives Cut Short titles: Whitney Houston, Kurt Cobain, Diana, and Marilyn Monroe.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith