(4) YA People in the News series. These series entries provide a portrait of each subject's childhood, career, and influences. The texts, though superficial, are informative. Sidebars touch on related topics (e.g., Tibet in Dalai Lama, diabetes in Jonas Brothers), controversies (e.g., Fey's portrayal of Sarah Palin, DeGeneres's coming out), and trivia. There are five other spring 2010 books in this series. Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind. Review covers these People in the News titles: Tyra Banks, Hillary Clinton, Tina Fey, The Dalai Lama, Jonas Brothers, and Ellen DeGeneres.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(4) 4-6 Gateway Biography series. The forty-fourth U.S. president, the longtime Massachusetts senator, and the supermodel-turned-entrepreneur are all given cursory biographical treatments. These books effectively describe the subjects' political or business successes and philanthropic work. However, anything negative is often oversimplified or omitted, especially in Kennedy. Banks includes a glossary and bibliography; Kennedy lists "Fun Facts" and other notable Kennedys. Obama has been updated through 2008. Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind. Review covers these Gateway Biography titles: Barack Obama, Tyra Banks, and Ted Kennedy.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(4) YA Modern Role Models series. These biographies chronicle the subjects' rise to fame, major setbacks and accomplishments, and efforts toward helping others; a few of the celebrities featured are odd choices as "role models," though all have teen appeal. The busy design includes photographs, bolded quotations, and many different-color fonts. There are eight other fall 2008 books in this series. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Modern Role Models titles: Raven-Symoné, Tobey Maguire, Soulja Boy Tell 'Em, Tyra Banks, and Criss Angel.

Reviewer: Marika Jeffrey

(3) 4-6 Black Americans of Achievement series. Five notable figures in American popular culture, whose talents crisscross the fields of acting, singing, dancing, and modeling, are profiled in clearly written volumes illustrated with black-and-white photographs. Although personal lives are somewhat sanitized to emphasize positive traits, the books' main focus is on the professional careers of each individual and the determination and talent that have led to their achievements. Time lines are included. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta