November 1, 2011
Gr 5-9-A useful resource for students, this set offers comprehensive (at times overly detailed) information about high-interest careers. Sometimes arid chapters introduce figures active in the featured fields, and then cover how to prepare for each job, a typical day, and what the future may hold in each industry. Variations in career categories are explored (such as an actor who earns her living by reading recorded books for the blind), and pragmatic advice such as "talent does not guarantee success" as well as statistics about expected income help set a realistic tone. Color photos of behind-the-scenes and famous figures are balanced by frequent lengthy sidebars. Motivated students doing research will find a wealth of information here; reluctant readers or browsers may be intimidated by the expansive blocks of text.
Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
October 1, 2011
Grades 4-7 A slew of hit TV shows has rekindled the nation's interest in dance, and that should make this entry in the Cool Arts Careers series a popular one. Illustrated with color photos of the famous, the young, and the fabulously festooned, this is a sturdy presentation of facts and case studies that will bring the process of professional choreography home to those students considering such a competitive and demanding career. Quotes enliven the text, and Marsico often speaks directly to the reader: Are you ready to discover how choreographers spend their days? The fields of TV, opera, film, and theater are all given due consideration. Keywords are in boldface and insets offer further advice. Short bios of famous choreographers kick off back matter that includes a glossary, a brief bibliography, and an index.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)