Kurt Vonnegut

Gr 7–10—These titles provide biographical information along with analyses of the authors' major works. The print is clear and easy to read; each chapter has a few illustrations, although many are irrelevant or disappointingly generic. The content, however, is merely adequate, marred by repetition, awkward phrasing, and lack of depth. Readers wanting thorough, detailed examinations of Sandra Cisneros's and Kurt Vonnegut's writings can use SparkNotes (available free online) or CliffsNotes, though nothing can replace the immediacy and charm of the authors' own words. Cisneros's introduction to the 25th anniversary edition of The House on Mango Street, "A House of My Own," is an absolute gem and far more fluid and interesting than anything Reiff records. Reiff omits Cisneros's website in her "Further Information" section, and most of the websites Boon cites are incorrect.—Ann W. Moore, Schenectady County Public Library, NY