Kendrick Lamar/Travis Scott

April 1, 2020

Gr 7 Up-The similarities and differences in the lives of popular music artists are explored in this new biographical series. The early lives and musical careers of different musicians, typically of a similar age and genre, are examined. Grittier details of artists' backstories, such as exposure to gang violence and mental health issues, are addressed, though personal details outside of familial relationships are avoided. Each title works in earnest to show the intersections between each pair, punctuated by page layouts full of photographs that compare an aspect of the artists' lives back-to-back. While on the longer side for hi-lo books, the text offers a single paragraph per page written at a third grade reading level. Time lines, Venn diagrams, and infographics help bring each musician's career to life, though there is a noticeable lack of text features beyond a table of contents. VERDICT Jam-packed with information, these titles provide a fascinating look at the music industry for middle and high school music fans.

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