Jay-Z

March 15, 2012
Grades 5-7 These new volumes in the American Graphic series look at two of the most influential African American performing artists of the past few decades. Because each book features a different pairing of writer and illustrator, they need to be judged separately, though the overall bar of the series tends to be fairly high. Jay-Z: Hip-Hop Icon sets itself apart by spending very little time on stage or amid fawning crowds. Instead, using the framing conceit of an interview, Gunderson sets most of the scenes in the banal backgrounds of offices and living rooms, as Jay-Z makes deals, founds various business ventures, boycotts the Grammys, and more. The result has a unique insider feel. Kinsella's work is a bit muddy, but his likeness of Jay-Z is strong. (Beyonce, not so much.) Both titles hit all the important historical points, setting up reluctant researchers for further inquiry(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)