Gloria Estefan

KLIATT

This is a short, agreeable biography of the singer who has become a pop music "diva" for American and Hispanic audiences. There is very little about her childhood; the book mostly concentrates on Estefan's career, highlighting her numerous accomplishments and the 1990 bus accident when her back was broken. Her recovery, a year later, was nothing sort of miraculous. The singer seems to have everything, including a supportive, loving husband and two children; Nayib, born in 1980, and Emily, born in 1994. She owns successful restaurants, one in Miami and one in Disney World. She is an actress, a diplomat, and an active humanitarian who has won numerous accolades. If she could remove Castro's hold over Cuba, Gloria would indeed have accomplished everything. The author portrays her life in a well-organized, positive manner. KLIATT Codes: JS—Recommended for junior and senior high school students. 2000, Lerner Biography, 112p, 22cm, 99-36262, $7.95. Ages 13 to 18. Reviewer: Sherri Forgash Ginsberg; Duke School for Children, Chapel Hill, NC, September 2000 (Vol. 34 No. 5)

Children's Literature - Children's Literature

Lerner Publications and A&E (Arts and Entertainment Television) have collaborated to create a series of biographies about famous contemporary and historical personalities. If this one about the Cuban singer and her band (Gloria Estefan and The Miami Sound Machine) is any indication of the quality, then the series is highly recommended. Gloria's adult life is featured in this 100-page biography, though her roots and her childhood are given enough coverage that readers will understand who Gloria Estefan really is. Her successes, failures, triumphs, and tragedies are richly detailed and more interesting than voyeuristic to read. The appended discography and videography, along with the facts about this talented and innovative musician will more than satisfy fans. They and other readers will come away from this book with an appreciation for the musician's political commitment to free her homeland and the social consciousness that has helped her translate fame into works of charity and unity. 2000, Lerner Publications Company, Ages 9 up, $25.26 and $7.95. Reviewer: Judy Katsh