The Book of Rock Stars: 24 Musical Icons That Shine Through History [Hardcover]

Kathleen Krull (Author), Stephen Alcorn (Author), Alessandra Balzer (Author), Stephen Alcom (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2, 2003 | Grade Level: P and up

Twenty-four of the greatest figures of rock 'n' roll are celebrated with in-depth mini-biographies and colorful accompanying block prints. Noted non-fiction writer Kathleen Krull has distilled the essence of each musician or band and brought them to life with behind-the-scenes stories, facts, and entertaining anecdotes. Acclaimed printmaker Stephen Alcorn takes up where words leave off with bold and graphic images that keep you turning the pages.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8--Concise, single-page entries chronicle the accomplishments of 24 icons of the rock stage. Krull has chosen the most influential of subjects--entertainers who added elements of rhythm and harmony, innovators of instrumentation, and commentators on contemporary life. Biographical sketches, from Elvis (b. 1935) to Kurt Cobain (b. 1967), include the controversies of public and private lives without sensationalizing. Each entry is paired with one of Alcorn's inspired, eye-catching illustrations. Startling pop-art portraits in polychrome relief-block prints with folk and religious motifs face text in varying colors and fonts, while a thumbnail representation of each portrait decorates the cover. Krull's work recognizes the impact of the art without judging the sometimes antisocial actions of the artists. This slim volume will rock the research of younger music enthusiasts.--Mary Elam, Forman Elementary School, Plano, TX
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-6. In prose lit with unabashed hero worship, Krull profiles 24 rock stars, from Elvis to Curt Cobain. In investigating their legends, she's occasionally evasive: Was Dylan actually hooted off the stage for going electric? Did Jim Morrison really expose himself? Still, for encapsulating rock's archetypal tales of rags to riches, spectacular flameouts, and primal music making, Krull's hard to top for energy and passion. Alcorn's full-page polychrome relief prints hark back to the psychedelic posters of the '60s, presenting Elvis as a god; Bono as, at least, a saint; Bowie as an alien (of course); and the faces of Janis and Bob Marley glowing like elementals within writhing masses of hair. Readers will not only be caught up in the swirl of one of the past century's central cultural currents but also find this an irresistible gateway to the music. Krull closes her encomium with systematic lists of recommended books, recordings, and Web sites, so readers can find out more. John Peters
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion (October 2, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786819502
• ISBN-13: 978-0786819508
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,122,842 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

KATHLEEN KRULL is well known for her innovative, award-winning nonfiction for young readers, which includes the successful Lives of... series. Kathleen Krull lives in San Diego, CA. Visit her at www.kathleenkrull.com AND http://facebook.com/kathleen.krull

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Book of Rock Stars, May 18, 2006

By 

Peanutbudder (Vancouver, BC, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Book of Rock Stars: 24 Musical Icons That Shine Through History (Hardcover)

As a fan of Krull's phenomenal mini-biography series, I was delighted when I discovered she had written a book about rock stars. I sought the book from my local library immediately, and was disappointed.

For starters, the book's illustrations are a different style. They are funky, but don't represent the singers very well. I miss the caricatures that filled Krull's "Lives of the..." series. These pictures are more of an abstract mosaic of relevant (or irrelevant) images.

Secondly, I noticed several simple errors in the book's spelling and language structure.

The last annoyance is the fact that the book is just so darn short. Each biography- excluding that of the Beatles- is only a page long and sticks to the most basic facts about the singers', their bands, and most famous songs.

This book is a good introduction to rock music for younger children. If you're looking for a comprehensive rock history, I highly recommend "Rock & Roll Year by Year" by Luke Crampton and Dafydd Rees.

4.0 out of 5 stars Great gift for my 14 year old grandson who plays guitar, April 27, 2009

By 

J. Ciboch "Butterfly" (St. Joseph, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Book of Rock Stars: 24 Musical Icons That Shine Through History (Hardcover)

It is very difficult to buy a gift for my grandson who just turned 14 this month....of course, money is always the perfect gift with a gift certificate to Best Buy or somewhere similar being right up there. But, I do like to come up with something to add to that so he'll have something to actually keep. I felt this book was perfect for him. His Dad plays the bass guitar and I thought he would enjoy reading it as well and the two could discuss it together. I actually read a couple of the rock star "bios" myself and thought it was something he would enjoy at his age...not too long, just right and he could read through quickly and even re-read and learn something about them he may have not known before.