Steve Jobs

April 1, 2012

Gr 4-6-Joining a cascade of biographies celebrating the achievements of the chief spokesperson of the technological revolution, this relatively short profile offers a clear account of Jobs's early successes, occasional failures, quirky personal habits and relationships, and spectacular late-career comeback. Though Doeden arguably misses the boat in assigning Jobs "near godlike" status among "technology buffs" (marketing and design buffs, yes-but except in its early days, Apple has seldom if ever been on the technological cutting edge)-he does lay out with unusual clarity the formula that catapulted Jobs and Apple to brand-name stardom: relentless focus on the end-user experience; seamless hardware/software functionality; and addictively elegant design. A closing multimedia resource list and plenty of slightly fuzzy but well-chosen photos of significant people and products enhance a perceptive portrait of an iconic entrepreneur.-John Peters, Children's Literature Consultant, New York City

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2012
Grades 4-7 Steve Jobs' death in 2011 left the world with one less creative genius. His adopted parents knew he was bright and encouraged his inquisitiveness. However, success at school was another thing, and soon his boredom led to problems. Dropping out of college to pursue his interest in electronics, Jobs met Steve Wozniak, and in 1976, the two set out to build a computer: the Apple I. Success came the following year when they unveiled the Apple II. Jobs' temperament led to his demotion and separation from Apple in 1985, but his creativity didn't end. He bought and developed Pixar and then, in 1996, sold the company and later rejoined Apple as CEO. From the iMac and iTunes to the iPod and iPad, almost to his death, Jobs was relentless in his tinkering. Insertion of documented photographs adds interest to the text, which includes at the end a satisfying time line. Part of the Gateway Biographies series, this is a good addition to middle-grade library collections.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2012
This formulaic narrative describes Jobs's mercurial personality and the larger-than-life impact his technological innovations and imagination had on our culture. Written after his tragic death last year from pancreatic cancer, this book still serves as a valuable introduction to his life and legacy. Color and black-and-white photos illustrate the text. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)