(4) YA Authors Teens Love series. Each of these biographies opens with a childhood anecdote before focusing on the subject's life and writings. Captioned photographs and sidebars (printed in hard-to-read type) add information. Tolkien covers the Middle-earth phenomenon as well as the author and his work. Nixon is disturbingly referred to in both past and present tenses. Bradbury and Nixon include interviews. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Authors Teens Love titles: Ray Bradbury, Joan Lowery Nixon, and J. R. R. Tolkien.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) YA Joan Lowery Nixon, who began writing at an early age, recalls experiences from her childhood and young-adult years that influenced her craft. For example, performing puppet shows taught her about the importance of dramatic action, while investigating a new house instilled the elements of creating a mystery. Illustrated with black-and-white photos, the plainspoken book provides insight into Nixon's life and career.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta