Books in Blue Banner Biographies series

The life of a prince is all leisure and ease or is it? Breaking with tradition, Prince William s mother, Princess Diana, made sure her sons William and Harry would have a more normal childhood than their father, Prince Charles. William went to public schools and universities and joined many sports teams, from swimming to soccer and polo. His life still wasn t completely normal, though, with heavy media attention and always having to mind his p s and q s. The media didn t let up when he fell in love, either. William and his fiance, Kate Middleton, were followed closely in the months leading up to their wedding. The world was grateful for the coverage of the extravaganza, as an estimated two billion people watched them exchange vows in a fairy-tale ceremony at Westminster Abbey. Find out how Prince William manages to balance his royal responsibilities and his career as a search and rescue pilot all while keeping his feet firmly on the ground.

For Jared Goff, throwing a football was always easy. He was so good at it that he became the first true freshman starting quarterback in University of California Berkeley history. But when he became a pro football player in 2016, it suddenly wasnt as easy. In his first year with the Los Angeles Rams, the team lost all seven games he started. Jared didnt give up. He didnt blame others. He just worked harder while never forgetting how to have fun. It all paid off as the Rams had a winning record in his second season. The future looks very bright for this gifted young quarterback.

Singer/songwriter Sean Kingston might be sporting diamond necklaces worth thousands of dollars these days, but his life hasn t always been that flashy. Splitting his childhood between Miami, Florida, and Kingston, Jamaica, Sean dealt with more hardship than most kids. His parents were divorced. A run-in with the law at age eleven landed him in jail. By sixteen, Sean was homeless. Even with all that hardship, nothing stopped him from pursuing his music career. A big fan and user of MySpace, Sean sought out a record producer who could make him famous. With a lot of persistence, he found the perfect person to get the job done producer J.R. Rotem. In less than a year, Sean topped the charts with Beautiful Girls, a song about heartbreak and losing a girlfriend. When faced with tough times, many people give up. Sean has pushed forward. This artist is living his dream.

Carson Wentz learned to be patient. In high school, his older brother was the starting quarterback. Carson didnt get to start until his senior year. At North Dakota State University, he waited three years before starting for the Bison. Yet all that waiting helped. He spent the time learning to lead. He trained and reviewed plays. In practice, he became the toughest quarterback the Bison faced. When Carson became a quarterback for the Eagles he no longer had to wait. He became a starter right away. And Eagles fans only had to wait one year for their team to win its first-ever Super Bowl.

Though his upbringing was untraditional for a rapper, Kanye West rose to fame as a hip-hop star in the mid-2000s. Raised by a single parent who was a Fullbright Scholar and Chair of the English Department at Chicago State University, Kanye grew up in an upper-middle-class area of Chicago. Kanye was already a noted producer, but his middle-class background and preppy dress made him seem out of place for the hip-hop scene, which was dominated by gangsta personalities. A near fatal car accident became the catalyst for Kanye to prove he was also a rapper one with talent and attitude. He began collecting awards for his music, and headlines for his arrogance. With an ear for crazy rhyme schemes and hit-making beats, and a knack for expressing topics that audiences can relate to, Kanye was determined to change the face of hip-hop and make history.

Whether he s playing the brave Cedric Diggory in the Harry Potter films or the dark Edward Cullen in the Twilight series, Robert Pattinson has caught the eye of countless movie fans. From the time he was very young, Pattinson had a way of charming people. His first job was modeling at the age of twelve! After his role as Cedric Diggory, Pattinson used his acting talents to become a war veteran, an artist, and a vampire. Meanwhile, he has pursued his talents on the piano and guitar abilities he s been honing since before he was five years old. Besides playing in a band with fellow actors, he performs songs in some of his movies. In this book, you will find out how Pattinson got started in acting, the toughest parts of some of his roles and what he has planned for his future.

Growing up in one of the toughest neighborhoods in Miami, Florida, rapper Flo Rida could have easily run with gangs, taken drugs, or carried a weapon. He had a different idea, though. As a boy, he knew that he wanted a music career. Reaching his dream wasn t easy. After graduating from high school and spending some time in college, he ventured to Los Angeles to pursue a record deal. With no money in his pockets, he was often working several odd jobs at a time, scraping together whatever he could to live. His life changed when he received a call from the CEO of Poe Boy Entertainment. After a trip back to Miami and a few meetings with record companies, his debut album was released. It quickly launched Flo Rida to international fame. This music artist, who became famous for his songs Low and Right Round, has begun the path of a long and prosperous career.

Johnny Depp has played many roles, on screen and off, over the course of his life musician, teen idol, Hollywood bad boy, night club owner, eccentric actor, devoted family man. But the role he ll be most remembered for is the most unlikely action adventure movie star . . . with a twist. As the foppish Captain Jack Sparrow, Depp is the force behind one of the most successful film franchises in history. Depp grew up wanting to be a musician. When his band broke up, he went on an acting audition because it sounded like more fun than taking a telemarketing job selling pens. His striking looks got him parts, but Depp quickly proved he was much more than just another handsome face. Thoughtful and unpretentious, Depp has created one memorable film character after another. Although he never set out to be a star and remains uncomfortable with the label he has become one of Hollywood s most respected and fascinating talents.

Charlie Puth did not grow up dreaming of being a pop star. Instead, he wanted to do what he loved most: write music. This young man who learned to play the piano at the age of four, had a clear talent for writing and composing, which led him to study jazz and classical music during his school years. He later earned a degree in music production and engineering. After graduating from the Berklee School of Music, he thought he would make his living helping others record music, but an invitation to record a song he had written for Wiz Khalifa with the rap artist changed all that. Today Charlie is one of the countrys most popular pop performers.