Books in Blue Banner Biographies series

When Luke Bryan was nineteen, he was ready to become a country music star. His bags were packed. He had an apartment waiting for him in Nashville. Then his older brother Chris was killed. Everything changed. He remained in his hometown of Leesburg, Georgia. It looked like his dreams might never come true. It would be a long, hard journey to Nashville to become a hit singer.

Even from a young age, Selena was a star. As soon as she opened her mouth to sing, her family and friends could not believe the beauty and power of her voice. Accompanied by her family, Selena was soon performing throughout her home state of Texas and becoming a star of the Tejano music scene. By the time she was a teenager, she was known as the Queen of Tejano and was loved by fans around the world. Just as Selena was enjoying her greatest success and finding true love, her life was cut short in a terrible act of violence. Now, more than fifteen years after her death, she is still one of the most famous and beloved music stars in the world. This book traces Selena s rise to fame, her shocking murder, and the love her fans still have for her.

As hard as it may be for some people to imagine a Mormon mother of three writing one of the bestselling vampire love stories in the world, it was even harder for Stephenie Meyer. After all, she had never really done any writing before, and although she knew something was missing in her life, she did not know what it was. It wasn t until she had an unusual, unexpected dream about a romantic young vampire who sparkled in the sunlight that her journey from small-town mother to worldwide author began. Today, Meyer is one of the most recognized writers across the globe. Her stories have not only created a series of bestselling novels, but also blockbuster movies that have earned millions at the box office. Find out how Meyer, like the heroines of countless fairy tales, went from rags to riches, thanks to a handsome vampire named Edward and a gentle human girl named Bella. Her adventure is almost as exciting as theirs but without the fangs!

Considered one of today s most talented young actors, Zac Efron took Hollywood and the world by storm with his performance in High School Musical. For as long as he can remember, Zac wanted to perform. He could sing and dance as well as act. Encouraged by his parents, he began doing community theater and eventually got an agent in Los Angeles. Twice a week, Zac and his mother made the hours-long drive from San Luis Obispo to Los Angeles for auditions. TV guest spots and a role on the series Summerland followed, but his life would forever change when he was cast in Disney s High School Musical. His professionalism and joy of acting have earned Zac the respect of his peers. And fans around the world are drawn to his outgoing personality and natural charm. Here is the life story of a young man who proves that by pushing your boundaries, you really can go far.

Excitement flooded through the U.S. House of Representatives chamber on January 4, 2007. After all, nothing like this had ever happened before in the United States. Today, Nancy Pelosi, the congresswoman from California, would take power as the first female Speaker of the House, the most important position in the legislature. According to the Constitution, if anything should happen to the President or Vice President, the Speaker of the House would become the nation s leader. Nancy had been prepared since childhood for a life in politics. She probably never imagined she d one day become Speaker of the House. But, she was definitely up for the challenge! Read how this dedicated and intelligent woman balances the demands of family, power, and politics.

Drew Brees never had it easy. He had to wait until his junior year to play for his high school varsity team. College football teams from his home state, Texas, didn t want him. Some experts thought he was too short to play in the National Football League. Some coaches didn t believe he d recover from an injury. In the end, he proved them wrong to become a record-setting quarterback for Purdue University and the NFL s New Orleans Saints. He led Purdue to its first Rose Bowl appearance in 34 years. He led New Orleans to the 2010 Super Bowl victory over the favored Indianapolis Colts with a near-perfect performance. Along the way he used his Brees Dream Foundation to help the city of New Orleans rebuild after Hurricane Katrina. Based on interviews by veteran sportswriter Pete DiPrimio, this action-packed sports biography tells how Drew Brees became a real-life hero for a community that badly needed one.

Life wasn’t always easy for Mario Barrett. He grew up in the mean streets of Baltimore and saw friends and neighbors drift into a life of gangs and drugs. But music would be Mario’s passion—and salvation. When he was just four years old, his mom heard him singing in the basement and knew then her son had a special talent. With her encouragement, he joined local singing competitions and school talent shows, which led to his first album deal and his first hit single when he was just fourteen. But instead of dropping out of school to pursue music full time, Mario put his career on hold to graduate and to grow up—not just personally but as a singer. Now back and better than ever, Mario is poised to be the next superstar R&B singer of his generation.

J.J. Watt is one of the most remarkable players to ever play in the NFL. He makes big plays in almost every game for the Houston Texans, winning new fans as he goes. He is rewriting the record books for many defensive statistics, but he has shown he can be deadly on offense as well, catching several touchdown passes in 2014. He is a generous and friendly giant off the field, donating money through his J.J. Watt Foundation to many middle schools in Wisconsin and Texas. And he is a bone-crushing monster on the field, striking fear in the hearts of his opponents. His motto is to ""Dream Big, Work Hard"" and he has done both. Watt inspires others to follow their own big dreams through hard work.

Alan Jackson has always been able to connect with his country music fans, but when he wrote a song addressing the terrorist attacks on American soil in September 2001, he touched the whole country. After debuting "Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)," the popular star reached legendary status. Since the release of his first album in 1990, Jackson has rocketed to the top of country music, earning more than 50 top awards, including Entertainer of the Year five times. His climb to the top was not easy. No stranger to hard work, he struggled as a shoe repairman, a car salesman, and a forklift driver. It would take his wife's pluck at a chance encounter with a country music icon to get Jackson's foot in the door of the industry. That meeting would change the course of Jackson's life and of country music history.