Queen Latifah
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Overview
When Dana Owens was eight years old, she took the name "Latifah," meaning "kind." As a teenage rapper, she added "Queen" to show strength and pride. She grew up to be a musician, TV actor, and movie star. This easy biography tells the exciting story of this inspiring African American.
About the Author:
Stephen Feinstein is a writer of educational materials, specializing in social studies and language arts
Synopsis
When Dana Owens was eight years old, she took the name "Latifah," meaning "kind." As a teenage rapper, she added "Queen" to show strength and pride. She grew up to be a musician, TV actor, and movie star. This easy biography tells the exciting story of this inspiring African American.
About the Author:
Stephen Feinstein is a writer of educational materials, specializing in social studies and language arts
Children's Literature
This book is part of the "African-American Heroes" series. It is an exciting and interesting story about the life of Queen Latifah. The book details Queen Latifah's life from early childhood to her recent movie role in Hairspray. Queen Latifah, born Dana Elaine Owens, had a difficult childhood. She renamed herself Latifah, which means "kind" in Arabic, when she was eight. When her parents divorced, she moved to a rough neighborhood in a housing project, but she did not allow circumstances to bring her down. She sang in church, made good grades in school, played basketball, and acted in plays. She loved singing more than anything else she did, and when rapping became popular, she and two friends formed a group called Ladies Fresh. In 1987, a friend gave Latifah $700 to make a demo recording, and in 1988, she was signed by Tommy Boy Records. At that time, she added "Queen" to her name because she felt she needed a strong, proud name. She found success as a singer and an actor. She has won a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance and was nominated for an Academy Award for her role in the movie, Chicago. This is an inspirational and educational read that is a must-have for any classroom, home or library. Reviewer: Jennifer Mitchell