By
– December 16, 2011
A simply written but comprehensive biography of Steven Spielberg and the film industry with colorful graphics and a pop look. Beginning with Spielberg’s childhood and his “nerdy” adolescence, it progresses through his film career. Young Spielberg was always interested and talented in shooting film, first with a simple 8 mm camera and later with more advanced equipment. The respect his movie projects garnered him — even from a bully who was making his life miserable until he gave him the starring role in his first teenage epic, convinced Spielberg where his future lay. As his grades weren’t good enough to gain him entrance to a fine film college, he simply crashed Hollywood studios, learning techniques and quitting college before graduation once one of his brief films impressed an impresario who became his mentor. Appearing to belong to readers from ages 8 – 12, some of the book’s contents simply weren’t appropriate for children under 12. A call to the publicist confirmed that although it is at a fourth grade reading level, with brief sentences and mostly simple words, its interest level was from 10 – 18 years old (fourth to twelfth grades); however it is doubtful that a youth of 16 – 18 would pick up this childlike appearing book. An attractive book with much information, best for grades 6 – 9.
Marcia W. Posner, Ph.D., of the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County, is the library and program director. An author and playwright herself, she loves reviewing for JBW and reading all the other reviews and articles in this marvelous periodical.