Starring Steven Spielberg: The Making of a Young Filmmaker

Budding film buffs gain insight into the work of Steven Spielberg (b. 1946) in this play-by-play account spotlighting his school-age cinematic efforts and first amateur feature-length film. Opening with Spielberg's early experience as a moviegoer in the 1950s, the book shines a particular spotlight on the way that experiences from his youth, ranging from anxiety to his parents' divorce, shaped his sensibilities as a director. Through filmmaking, the creators present Spielberg as finding solace from trouble at home, bullying, and antisemitism--themes the title readily identifies in his movies. Italicized quotes from the subject and references to his box-office creations trace a clear path to Hollywood acclaim, while Orback's painterly digital illustrations depict him at work alongside re-creations of relevant film reels. Back matter includes a filmography and references. Ages 5-9. (Oct.)

Gr 3-6—Life stories that focus on an individual's childhood are particularly appealing to young readers, and the focus of this picture book biography ensures that it will inspire kids who feel familiarity with Spielberg's early experiences. Enchanted by movie magic from an early age, Spielberg was lucky to be born into a creative family. Realistic, painterly illustrations capture the 1950s era when he was growing up in New Jersey, his fertile imagination beginning to take root through drawing, dressing up, playing pranks, and making music. His camera skills developed after a move to Arizona, though he struggled with anxieties, antisemitism, bullies, poor grades, and tension between his parents, who eventually divorced. The story adeptly links the boy's fears and hardships to his most celebrated movies and focusing on the filmmaker's own conviction that even the most fantastical of his stories is based on his own life. The narrative concludes with Spielberg becoming the youngest director at a major studio at the age of 21; a few facts about his later life are also presented as a sequence of images on an old-fashioned filmstrip. The book includes quotation sources, fun facts, and suggestions for age-appropriate viewing of Spielberg's movies. VERDICT Inspiring text and illustrations evoke the journey of an iconic filmmaker. Recommended for all collections.—Gloria Koster