Brad Pitt

School Library Journal

Gr 6-8-Two easy-to-read biographies about current teen idols that are lacking in substance. Both have average-quality, full-color photos throughout. However, there are some stark differences in the portrayal of the two subjects. In Brad Pitt, the message is conveyed that through hard work and taking all the opportunities that come along, one may be able to reach one's dreams. Secondary sources come mostly from magazines such as People and US. Hawes talks mainly of her subject's relationships with her many boyfriends, quoting Lee as saying about one of them, "He was very young and wet behind the ears. I taught him how to love." When the book discusses her career, it attributes her success to her physique rather than to her talent. For example, wearing a T-shirt with a beer logo across the chest, "she began to jump up and down enthusiastically and to shake her very evident assets for all they were worth." Needless to say, she was hired to advertise for the beer company. Brad Pitt is mediocre but does have some strengths; forget Pamela Anderson Lee.-Katherine Borchert, Arlington Central Library, VA