Jennifer Lopez

Children's Literature

There she is—Jennifer Lopez, Latina singer and actress—in two full-color photos on the cover—one glamorous yet modest, smiling directly at the reader with a thumbs-up and another sultry and slightly disheveled, glancing furtively off the page. Ms. Lopez is included in this "Real-Life" biography series because of her determination, and the fact that she has "taken full advantage of every opportunity that has come her way." A New York-born Latina of Puerto Rican descent, Jennifer grew up studying dance, theatre and music and attending Catholic schools. By age 25 she was performing in major movies under such directors as Francis Ford Coppola and with actors like Jack Nicholson. She starred in Selena, the story of Mexican-American singer Selena Perez who was murdered by a fan, and earned a reputation for working hard. "She knows all her lines and is fearless about doing her own stunts," said Oliver Stone, who directed Lopez in the movie U-Turn. By the time this biography was written, Lopez had become the highest paid Latina actor in Hollywood, earning $9 million for her last movie. Lopez' popularity is likely to attract reluctant readers and they may actually finish the book, thanks to the large, easy-to-read type on pages broken up by photographs and significant quotes or comments. 2001, Mitchell Lane, $15.95. Ages 10 to 15. Reviewer: Karen Leggett