Jeff Kinney

January 1, 2012

Gr 3-6-The lives of popular authors are briefly chronicled in a chatty style. The subjects all took different paths to becoming successful writers, but a common thread woven throughout the biographies is the importance of persistence. Four of the five titles stress the authors' early love of reading and libraries. All of them had supportive adults who helped them become confident and willing to take the risk of writing full time. Grimes, especially, emphasizes the importance of influential teachers and other role models in developing young literary talent. Each book contains the relevant information necessary for reports. Literary awards are documented throughout. However, a complete bibliography of the authors' works would have been useful. High-quality, full-color photos appear throughout these solid choices especially for reluctant readers.-Lisa Crandall, formerly at Capital Area District Library, Holt, MI

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2012
These accessible but dry biographies provide introductory overviews of the lives and works of popular children's authors. Many engaging photos of the writers (along with some stock images) are included. There are some interesting facts, but a tighter structure (along with lists of the authors' works) would have helped organize the information. Glos., ind.

(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)