Stevie Wonder

VOYA

This is a multi-book review of two volumes in the "Rock and Roll Hall of Famers" series. Easily digestible and a quick grab of fan fluff, the six books in this series will appeal to young teens looking for a one-hundred-page biography. Identical in format, each entry is jam-packed with black-and-white and color photos. The pages are cluttered, with graphics occasionally obscuring the text. White text on pastel pages is scattered throughout. Superficial snippets and exclamation points abound. Fun Facts disrupt the flow of the text. Biographical information in each volume is sketchy at best, leaving gaping holes for readers to puzzle out on their own. Drugs and sex are just touched upon, never fully addressed. Each book has a disconcerting color theme throughout. Elvis Presley is pastel pink and orange, and the biography on Stevie Wonder is yellow and orange. Although the question is asked in the introduction, "Who was Elvis Presley and why do we continue to worship him as the king of rock and roll?" readers are never given the answer. His impoverished beginnings and the unusual relationships with his mother, Gladys, and his all-powerful manager, Colonel Tom Parker, are barely discussed. In Stevie Wonder, the talented musician from Detroit is lauded as a musical genius but little is mentioned of his musical and technical innovations. Other stars included in this series are David Bowie, the Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, and the Supremes. Although sure to be popular with the young teen reader, all information and pictures could be found easily in fan magazines. Glossary. Index. Photos. Biblio. Source Notes. Further Reading. VOYA CODES: 2Q 4P M (Better editing or work by the author might havewarranted a 3Q; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8). 2002, Rosen, 112p. PLB
— Marian Rafal