Selena (Real-Life Reader Biography)

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Barbara Marvis has been a writer for twenty years. She is the author of several books for young adults including the Contemporary American Success Stories series and Tommy Nunez: NBA Referee/Taking My Best Shot. She holds a B.S. degree in English and Communications from West Chester State University and an M.Ed. in remedial reading from the University of Delaware. She specializes in writing books for children that can be read on several levels. She lives with her husband, Bob, and their five children in northern Maryland.

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From the time she was nine years old, Selena sang with the family band. They played at weddings, dances, and festivals. They did not make much money. But after years of hard work, Selena was becoming well known. In 1987, she won the Tejano Music Awards. In 1989, the band signed a contract with EMI Latin. In 1994, the album Selena Live! won a Grammy for the best Mexican-American performance.

Selena was a millionaire by the time she was nineteen. She was on her way to national stardom. She was making an English-language album. She had her own boutique.

But not all success stories have happy endings... This is the story of Selena.

Rezensionen

Grade 5 Up?Popular subjects, large-print format, and ample white space make these titles natural selections for new adult and reluctant teen readers. The biographies follow a formula to describe the artists' childhood years and the trials and tribulations that they endured before achieving success. Large, full-color photos grace the covers and average-to-poor quality black-and-white snapshots appear throughout. Carey includes the singer's recent separation from her husband. It is a bit simplistic and repetitive, but there is enough story to sustain interest. However, readers may be distracted by the shift from strict chronological order. The profile of Rodriguez is based on personal interviews with the filmmaker and is the strongest of the three entries. Fortunately, it is as much about growing up in a large family and following your dreams as it is about filmmaking, since his big screen hits are rated "R." A strong sense of family is also evident in Selena's story. Marvis discusses the singer's tragic death and touches on her many visits to schools, but sadly there is no mention of the "stay in school" message she delivered so often. There is also nothing said about the icon status that she has achieved since her death. One sentence is repeated verbatim three times. Still, all three titles provide examples of people with humble beginnings who worked hard and were able to achieve their goals.?Linda L. Plevak, Alamo Area Library System, San Antonio, TX
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