(2) 4-6 Illustrated by A. G. Ford. Free-verse poems and expansive large-format oil paintings tell the life story of the legendary country singer. In Cash's early days, his family "was close to ruin." Too young to work the cotton fields, J. R. listened to the radio and felt the music calling him. The appealing biography tells an information-packed story; readers will feel they know the "Man in Black" by book's end.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2015

(4) YA American Rebels series. These biographies introduce iconoclastic, boundary-pushing individuals, from Elvis and his dangerous-seeming sensuality to Malcolm X's militant approach to civil rights. Each volume begins with a scene from a turning point in the subject's life, then details his rise to fame, personal and professional hardships, and legacy. Photographs, sidebars, and pull-quotes help break up the dense texts. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these American Rebels titles: John Lennon, Malcolm X, Elvis Presley, and Johnny Cash.

Reviewer: Lana Barnes

(2) YA Not your average biographies, these are meaty fare, sure to satisfy readers (even reluctant ones) looking for something more than a hero portrait. Most riveting is Cash; least accessible is Carson. Honest and engaging, all four volumes include forewords explaining what drew each author to the subject, black-and-white photographs, and source notes. Websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these titles: Up Close: Robert F. Kennedy, Up Close: Oprah Winfrey, Up Close: Rachel Carson, and Up Close: Johnny Cash.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2007