Jennifer!: Film Star Jennifer Lawrence.

Burlingame, Jeff.  Jennifer!: Film Star Jennifer Lawrence.  Enslow      2014  48p  $21.54  ISBN 978-0-7660-4170-7  elem/ms  series: Sizzling Celebrities Biography  VG     

Upper-level elementary students who enjoy pop and movie stars will appreciate this new title on actress Jennifer Lawrence.  Students will gain a better understanding of Jennifer’s upbringing in Louisville, Kentucky, as she developed her acting talent.  From Louisville to New York, Jennifer showed determination and confidence to make it as an actress.  The author touches upon Jennifer’s rise to stardom through a television role on The Bill Engvall Show to movie roles in films including Garden Party, The Poker House, The Burning Plain, Winter’s Bone, Like Crazy, The Beaver, X-Men: First Class, The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, House at the End of the Street, and Silver Linings Playbook.

The author includes color photographs, a list of recommended books and Internet addresses, and an index. 

For schools that use Accelerated Reader, an existing test is available for students to take (AR Quiz #162386).  Each title in this series of seven books (as of the time of this review) is written in a magazine-like style, offering an in-depth look at the celebrity's early life, career, and achievements.  Celebrities include Adele, Demi Lovato, Drake, Emma Stone, Jennifer Lawrence, and Josh H.

Summary: “Read about Jennifer's early life, how she got started in acting, and her future plans.”    

Lawrence, Jennifer                                    --Charleen Forba-Mayer

Burlingame, Jeff. Demi! Latina Star Demi Lovato.

Burlingame, Jeff.  Demi! Latina Star Demi Lovato.     Enslow  2013  48p   ISBN 978-0-7660-4169-1  elem      E-BNS  Biography     

Surprisingly informative and easy to read, this unassuming biography will more than adequately fulfill the need for information about this young star for any interested student.  The large font and bright photographs present many of the highlights of this young woman’s rise to stardom, from her early childhood and interest in singing and acting, through her first big break, the Disney years, and what she is doing today.  Her life presents many lessons, exposing readers to experiences from which they can possibly learn -– that success requires training and hard work, bullying needs to be addressed, and it is important to love oneself.  The book concludes with a list of print and web resources and a complete index.     

This series gives young readers access to valid information about the young stars that they idolize.  The life of each star is covered from childhood to the current day.  Text is large and photographs are bright and full-color. There is much in this series that readers will enjoy.           

Summary: Demi Lovato is the subject of this brief but informative biography.

Demi Lovato                                                 -- Lynn Fisher

Burlingame, Jeff. The Lost Boy of Sudan.

Burlingame, Jeff.     The Lost Boy of Sudan.       Marshall Cavendish/Benchmark, 2012.  80p. $23.95

ISBN 978-1-60870-475-0       ms/hs   E-BN 

This book presents a concise retelling of the horrors experienced by children caught in the civil wars in Sudan.  Photographs, some very grim, bring their plight into sharp focus. The Americanization of some of the refugees met with mixed success.  The first chapter tells the history of Sudan from early times through the start of the civil wars. Each time civil war broke out, the looting and raids on villages caused families to flee, with many children losing track of their families. The boys who survived faced forced marches, relief efforts that were never enough, and finally a hope that they could emigrate to America. The harsh conditions in which they survived in their native land are heartbreaking to read.  Many personal narratives are interwoven to give a sense of immediacy to the writing.  The refugee effort to assimilate the Lost Boys who emigrated into life in the United States had its shortcomings, as the older teens were not provided the support necessary to be successful in a strange land.  Those who were of school age faired much better.  A timeline, glossary, list of resources for further reading, and an index complete the book.  The series Great Escapes provides an up-close and personal look at the conditions under which survivors have lived and managed to start a new life after escaping conditions of horror. The books are well illustrated and include personal quotations embedded in the narrative.           

Subject: Refugees -- Sudan                                                                                          Lois McNicol

Burlingame, Jeff. Prisons.

Burlingame, Jeff. Prisons.  Marshall Cavendish/Benchmark,   2011. 143p  $25.95

sISBN 978-1-60870-493-4 ms/hs VG-BNS           

     Rehabilitation or punishment?  From the earliest times to the present, the prison system has been viewed in many ways.  The pros and cons of each argument about the penal system are highlighted in this informative volume.

As with other titles in the Controversy series, this volume brings the debate over various aspects of the current prison system and current legislation into the spotlight.  Beginning with a historical overview of the purpose and character of the prison system from its earliest days to the present, the author then goes on to highlight multiple views on the role of the prison system today, with personal narratives and profiles.  What is most cost effective?  Is rehabilitation a better solution than punishment?  Social activists, the parole system, different types of prisons, and release programs are all covered. 
     Photos and text boxes are used effectively to highlight interesting supplemental information.  The only problem is that the text boxes are placed in the middle of the narration in every chapter, interrupting the flow of the text. 
     A timeline, extensive chapter notes, and bibliographical resources, plus an extensive index, supplement the textual material in this volume for middle and high-school readers. 

     This book is part of the Controversy series, set 3.  There are six books in the series at this time.  The purpose of the series is to help students make informed choices, by presenting both sides of controversial issues.    

Subject: Prisons 

Pat Naismith

 

Burlingame, Jeff. Government Entitlements.

Burlingame, Jeff.   Government Entitlements.    Marshall Cavendish/Benchmark, 2012.  143 pages. $25.95  ISBN 978-1-60870-491-0 ms/hs VG         

     This book traces the history, funding, and features of the most popular government entitlement programs, such as Social Security, welfare programs, unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation and veterans’ benefits, for students in grades 7-12.  It is colorfully illustrated and provides two-page inserts that interrupt the flow of the text with further information about events and people mentioned in each chapter. The history of government entitlements starts in ancient times and continues to the present-day United States. The last chapter looks at smaller programs such as block grants, foster-care assistance, housing assistance, farm subsidies, earned income-tax credits, CHIP, and Head Start programs available in the United States. For students unfamiliar with these programs, the book presents background information and current concerns about the viability of each one. This book provides a good first place to start research on current-events topics, debate topics,and persuasive papers.  The book concludes with chapter notes, references for further reading,and an index.  The series, Controversy, includes six titles that reflect current events in the news. Each book provides a historical background on the topic as well as current concerns related to it. Each book is colorfully illustrated, and has an index, chapter notes, and references for further research.

Subject: Public Welfare Programs

Lois McNicol

 

Burlingame, Jeff The Titanic Trajedy.

Burlingame, Jeff  The Titanic Trajedy.    

 Marshall Cavendish/Benchmark  2012  111p  27.95 978-1-60870-450-7 

 ms/hs E-BNS        

     Causes and effects of the sinking of the Titanic are thoroughly discussed in this unbiased examination of one of the most famous ships of all time.      Jeff Burlingame’s nonfiction writing style is impeccable.  He is able to organize his extensive research into six chapters which explain, with fascinating detail, the evolution of the construction of this ship, the companies involved in a powerful competition for control of the high seas, the sinking after Titanic hit an iceberg of mammoth proportions and the short term and long term effects of this tragedy.  There are many firsthand accounts of the sinking as well as drawings of the ship and pictures of people boarding the ship.  There is also a ticket stub and a photograph of a near calamitous crash as Titanic left its first loading area in Southamption on its way to Cherbourg, France.  The sinking’s impact on the Gilded Age and on the world were monumental!  In Southampton, six hundred shippers’ families alone were ruined both emotionally and financially when their loved ones were killed, and many famous people such as John Jacob Astor and Benjamin Guggenheim lost their lives as well.  The controversies are numerous, and the subsequent laws have attempted to rectify the human errors that caused the death of more than 1500 people.  Extra information about a variety of topics is ideally located, printed in black and surrounded by blue as if the ocean were pressing in.  The timeline, notes and index are thorough, and the design is appropriately serious.  Perspectives On(MC)     

     “Perspectives On” examines Pearl Harbor, Chernobyl, Columbine, Kristallnacht, women’s right to vote and the Montgomery bus boycott, to name a few.  The chapters explain the topic, provide causes and effects, and contain authentic, where possible, accounts of each pivotal moment in world history.      Titanic, causes & effects of devastating event  Martha Squaresky

 

Burlingame, Jeff. Taylor Swift.

Burlingame, Jeff  Taylor Swift      

 Enslow      2011  48p   23.93 978-0-7660-3870-7 

ms/hs E-BN        

   Taylor Swift, originally from Pennsylvania, is a successful country/pop singer whose talent surfaced at an early age. This is an easy read biography for middle and high school students who want to read about current pop stars.   With colorful photographs, a timeline, glossary, index , further reading and discography, this book will please fans of Taylor Swift as well as those students who need to write reports on current teen pop stars.  Her rise to fame is credited to her innate talent to write music as well as perform and her parents’ willingness to support and promote her talent. In her short career she has achieved what most aspiring stars can only hope to achieve by winning awards, being true to her fan base, and offering a role model for a “clean life”. Numerous quotations from Swift pepper the narrative and show her to be a real person whether it is feeling on the outside of popularity during school, believing in herself, or working charitable causes. Also included are her reactions to the Kanye West remarks at the awards ceremony and her recent song “Mean” which takes on her critics. A refreshing biography that asks the question of whether she can continue her success into adulthood and how her music will change as she ages. Outstanding biography for middle and high school students who have grown up on her recordings.                                                         Hot Celebrity Biographies (Enslow)  Hot Celebrity Biographies contains biographies on youthful pop stars such as Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Selena Gomez and Taylor Lautner. Colorful photographs and numerous quotes support the well-written text.  Their path to success inspires readers.  Swift, Taylor - Biography    Lois McNicol

 

Burlingame,Jeff. Jesse Owens.

Burlingame,Jeff. Jesse Owens.
Enslow 2011 128p 31.93 978-0-7660-3497-6
ms/hs Sports-biography, Owens, Jesse VG-BNS African American Biographies(Enslow)*#7


Another excellent addition to the series of biographies of famous African-Americans, this book chronicles the personal and professional life of Jesse Owens, the African-American superstar sprinter and long jumper.
Born in Alabama, Owens and his family moved to Cleveland as part of the “Great Migration” of the African Americans from the South in search of a better life. An exceptional athlete in both high school and college, his sports career reached its peak at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. His life after the Olympics was very difficult as most of his financial offers were simply publicity stunts.
This book offers a fascinating look at Owens. The information is well organized and presented in a lively and entertaining manner. Each section is supported by quotations from contemporary writings and other primary source material and is enhanced by excellent black-and-white photographs and illustrations. There are additional sidebars located in the each chapter that add to the information presented in the text. The book contains an index, a chronology, chapter notes and a list for further reading. Ogintz, Susan

Burlingame, Jeff John Lennon

Burlingame, Jeff John Lennon
Enslow 2010 160p 34.60
978-0-7660-3675-8 jr/sr E-BN
American Rebels (Enslow)
The biography of John Lennon legendary Rock Musician from England that helped change the world of music. This biography on John Lennon is very well written and provides a view of a rock musician who as a young boy with a complex life enjoyed and found his calling in music. Born in England to very young parents, John Lennon was given over to an aunt and uncle who raised him. In this complicated life John Lennon grew to manhood and gravitated to music. Interestingly enough, both his parents had musical ability but it was his mother who taught him how to play the guitar. He convinced two of his friends to get together and set up a rock band. The history behind how the Beatles came to be is interesting.

The American rock and roll music was a great influence in his musical life and so they played many of the famous American songs. John Lennon and his group were in fact still in their teens when they began to gain fame but it wasn’t until they came to America that they really became superstars and the rest is history.
This biography chronicles his life as it spiraled into stardom until his death.
Includes: Pictures, Chronology, Discography, Glossary, Chapter Notes, Further Reading and Index.
Diaz(1), Magna
Lennon, John - Biography - Rock Musician - England