Bono

Children's Literature - Carol Raker Collins

The "Remarkable People" series includes biographies of famous people who have overcome great obstacles, have achieved remarkable success, and/or have done noteworthy things to help others. Paul David Hewson, nicknamed "Bono Vox," used his "good voice" to great advantage both as a singer and a social activist. Born in Dublin in 1960, he joined a rock band in high school in 1976 called "Feedback" as the lead singer and later played the guitar too. The band was successful and regrouped as U2 when one of their members left. The remaining four ended up selling more than 150 million copies of their albums and are now one of the most successful bands in the world. Bono's success was in spite of personal obstacles. His mother died suddenly when he was fourteen and his father discouraged Bono's pursuit of a singing career. The son's twenty Grammy Awards, membership in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and celebrity status ensued despite these odds. Married with children of his own, the performer spotlights African poverty and disease during U2 concerts, promotes charity campaigns, makes public speeches, and helped start an educational organization called Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa. This book is aimed at the middle reader with its catchy chapters, photos, and celebrity activist facts. It provides the challenge to write a biography by researching in the library and using a concept web for notes. A timeline puts Bono's life in the context of other world events. A glossary and an index are included. Reviewer: Carol Raker Collins, Ph.D.