Death of a Dreamer

July 1, 2012

Gr 9 Up-Fascination with Lennon remains high even 30 years after his assassination. Behnke gives equal attention to both Lennon and his killer, Mark David Chapman, presenting a biographical profile of the celebrity as well as a look at Chapman's troubled early life. Although the book is fairly brief, the text is substantial enough to provide a solid overview for those unfamiliar with the Beatles phenomenon and Lennon's personal achievements and newsworthy exploits. The latter three chapters examine Chapman's early home life, offering varying accounts of the physical abuse of his mother by his father and his father's emotional distance. A detailed account of Chapman's obsession with killing Lennon and how he actually carried out his deadly plan is offered, with various black-and-white photos giving support to the story. The final chapter describes the worldwide response to Lennon's death and various memorials that were organized and gives an update on his family. This well-documented title should find a home in libraries with deep music and biography collections.-Carol Fazioli, Barth Elementary School, Pottstown, PA

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2012
Grades 6-9 Though Elizabeth Partridge's John Lennon: All I Want Is the Truth (2005) remains the most complete and perceptive profile of Lennon for young readers, this study offers not only a detailed account of the events surrounding Lennon's murder but also a lucidif, as it must be, puzzling and inconclusivepicture of his killer's life and conflicting, enigmatic motives. Punctuated with photos and topical asides in garish red boxes, Behnke's account is also filled out by coveringwith broad strokesthe Beatles' career and the troubled history of the 1960s and 1970s, as well as sidelights such as the odd role played by Catcher in the Rye in the whole episode. After a final mix of platitudinous quotes and public tributes to Lennon, the text closes with a selective Who's Who of the Beatles family and a well-chosen set of multimedia resources. Equally useful for its particular focus and as an updated alternative to the plethora of older assignment titles.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)