Death of a Dreamer

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