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Overview
Kellie Pickler's parents lived in an abusive relationship, forcing them to leave her in the care of her grandparents. Kellie found love in the home of her grandmother who taught her to sing. By the time she was a high school student, Kellie was winning beauty pageants, cheerleading, and acting in school plays. After graduation, she was unsure of what to do with her life and found a job as a roller-skating waitress.
And then she heard about American Idol. Kellie auditioned and was picked to compete on the show in Hollywood. Kellie enchanted the judges and audience with her Southern charm, small-town values, and humorous flubs. She didn't win, but music producers recognized her enormous talent and audience appeal. Since leaving Idol, Kellie has released two hit albums and maintains a busy tour schedule earning her a place among America's country stars.
Synopsis
Kellie Pickler's parents lived in an abusive relationship, forcing them to leave her in the care of her grandparents. Kellie found love in the home of her grandmother who taught her to sing. By the time she was a high school student, Kellie was winning beauty pageants, cheerleading, and acting in school plays. After graduation, she was unsure of what to do with her life and found a job as a roller-skating waitress.
And then she heard about American Idol. Kellie auditioned and was picked to compete on the show in Hollywood. Kellie enchanted the judges and audience with her Southern charm, small-town values, and humorous flubs. She didn't win, but music producers recognized her enormous talent and audience appeal. Since leaving Idol, Kellie has released two hit albums and maintains a busy tour schedule earning her a place among America's country stars.
Children's Literature
The "Dream Big: American Idol Superstars" series profiles top contestants from each of the seven seasons. Here, readers get an inside look at the life of country singer Kellie Pickler, the sixth place finisher in the fifth season of American Idol. Pickler grew up in a small town in North Carolina. Her father, a violent alcoholic and drug addict, eventually landed in jail and Pickler's mother abandoned her young daughter, leaving her to be raised by her grandparents. Pickler used to sing with her grandmother and eventually decided to audition for American Idol. Her sincerity and naivete, combined with her strong singing voice, won over both viewers and the judges. After the season finished, Pickler went on to tour with her cast mates and record two albums. She has toured extensively and been nominated for many awards. The multihued book contains full-color pictures on nearly every page. Unfortunately, the information presented in the captions is simply repeating facts from the main text, often on the same page. Unnecessary and awkwardly placed sidebars offer information only loosely related to the main text, interrupting the flow of the chapter. Each book in the series includes an American Idol time line, myriad quotes from the artist, bold words later defined in a glossary, a chronology, further reading and websites to visit, as well as lists of albums, awards, and nominations. It is difficult to imagine a large audience for most of the books in this series, especially as many of the seasons premiered long before the intended audience would have been watching the show, and many of the seasons' top contestants have now fallen into near obscurity. Reviewer:Amanda MacGregor