Showing titles in Performing Arts

Clue: A former journalist who became the beloved host of America's favorite game show and quiz competition. Answer: Who Was Alex Trebek?, the latest title in the #1 New York Times Best-Selling series. Born in Ontario, Canada, in 1940, Alex Trebek grew up listening to the radio and hoping to one...

Taylor Swift went from singing karaoke in a roadhouse to being a best-selling country star. Her love for her fans and her family keeps her grounded in a world of Hollywood A-listers. Learn how this young singer has become a powerhouse in the music industry.

When Aretha Franklin sang, she didn’t just sing...she sparked a movement. As a performer and a civil rights activist, the Queen of Soul used her voice to uplift freedom fighters and the Black community during the height of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. Her song “Respect” was an anthem of identity, survival, and joy. It gave hope to people trying to make change. And when Aretha sang, the world sang along. With Hanif Abdurraqib’s poetic voice, Sing, Aretha, Sing! demonstrates how one brave voice can give new power to a nation.

Dubai wunderkind Michelle Rasul was only a toddler when she first got behind the turntables. By the time she entered the 2021 DMC Global DJing Championship, she was on her way to becoming an international celebrity. Her inspiring autobiography is a testament to passion, talent, family, love, and perseverance—and above all, a celebration of Girl Power with some scratching and a beat.

In her debut picture book, adapted for audio, professional Indigenous dancer Ria Thundercloud tells the true story of her path to dance and how it helped her take pride in her Native American heritage. At four years old, Ria Thundercloud was brought into the powwow circle, ready to dance in the...

Was Johnny Cash always the rebellious "Man in Black" that we remember him as today? Find out in this biography from the #1 New York Times bestselling series that takes us from Cash's childhood on an Arkansas cotton farm to his first days in rockabilly through his most famous years as a country...

Lotte Reiniger (1899-1981) was a German film director and animator best known for The Adventures of Prince Achmed, which was released in 1926 and is the oldest surviving animated movie. (It came out a full 11 years before Disney’s Snow White!) As a little kid, Reiniger loved reading fairy tales and fell in love with puppetry. At school, she learned about paperschnitte, or papercuts, which helped her create her signature style of silhouettes. She grew up to make more than 40 films throughout her long career.

Before she was an international superstar and feminist icon, Beyoncé was a girl from Texas who loved to sing and dance. As a member of Destiny’s Child, she climbed the charts as part of one of the most famous girl groups in history. This launched her solo career, and since then, she’s become an unstoppable force in music and pop culture. Beyond music, she is a successful businesswoman and activist who helps bring issues of race and gender into the global conversation. 

How did a working-class girl from Cuba become a symbol of artistic freedom for Cuban Americans and the "Queen of Salsa"? Find out in this addition to the Who HQ library! Although her family and friends know her as Úrsula Hilaria Celia de la Caridad Cruz Alfonso, the world refers to her simply...

You may know that Katy Perry is a shining star of pop who has soared to number one on the charts again and again. But did you know that Katy: is a pastor's kid times two? Both her mom and dad are pastors who encouraged her to sing in church; was dropped by two recording labels before she finally got her big break with Capitol Records?; exercises by jumping rope before every single show? Want to know more about the life of this talented celebrity? Listen on to learn all about Katy's childhood, career, favorite things, love life, future goals, and more!

The 18th book in the New York Times bestselling series of biographies about heroes tells the story of Walt Disney, who made dreams come true. This friendly, fun biography series focuses on the traits that made our heroes great--the traits that kids can aspire to in order to live heroically...

It’s unbelievable but true! Born on the same day in the same small, German circus town, young Bram and his elephant, Modoc, had a lifelong friendship that spanned over eight decades. But it was never easy. From the breakup of the circus to the shipwreck in the Indian Ocean that nearly cost...

You want girl power? Meet Annie Oakley! Born in 1860, she became one of the best-loved and most famous women of her generation. She amazed audiences all over the world with her sharpshooting, horse-riding, action-packed performances. In an age when most women stayed home, she traveled the world...

Put on your blue suede shoes and get ready for another addition to the Who Was…? series! The King could not have come from humbler origins: Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, during the Depression, he grew up with the blues music of the rural South, the gospel music of local churches, and the...

We can all be heroes. That’s the inspiring message of this New York Times bestselling biography series from historian and author Brad Meltzer. This volume focuses on Jim Henson, the creator of the Muppets and Sesame Street. This friendly, fun biography series focuses on the traits that made...

See him? That little tramp twitching a postage stamp of a mustache, politely lifting his bowler hat, and leaning on a bamboo cane with the confidence of a gentleman? A slapstick comedian, he blazed forth as the brightest movie star in the Hollywood heavens. Everyone knew Charlie - Charlie Chaplin.

From their top-selling albums and sensational sold-out tours to their forthcoming TV series and Disney Channel original movie Camp Rock, the Jonas Brothers have gone from obscurity to superstardom in the course of a year, and Kevin, Joe, and Nick are here to stay.

Known as one of the most influential filmmakers of all time, Alfred Hitchcock’s unique vision in movies like Psycho and The Birds sent shivers down our spines and shockwaves through the film industry. His innovative camera techniques have been studied for decades and his gift for storytelling...

Beyond his on-stage magic, Houdini also made his mark as an airplane pioneer, movie star, and debunker of frauds. His renown extended from his childhood home in Appleton, Wisconsin to Europe to Sydney, Australia. Children will thrill as they read about his seemingly superhuman successes - including when Houdini, hanging by his ankles and wrapped in a straightjacket, managed to free himself in less than three minutes.

Growing up on the Osage Indian reservation, Maria Tallchief was a gifted pianist and dancer. According to Osage tradition, women are not permitted to dance, but Maria's parents recognized her gifts and allowed her to break the rule. Then when Maria reached the age of twelve, her father told her...