Publication Date: March 1, 2009 Publisher: Franklin Watts Author: · Emma Carlson Berne Related Sites: · Official Site - Miley Cyrus Grade: C+

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Miley Cyrus from the Junk Food: Tasty Celebrity Bios™ series by Scholastic is sort of a magazine in book form.  This small paperback (7" x 5") fills its 112 glossy pages with splashy graphics, colorful captions, and full-page photos as it tells the tale of the young star's journey from being the daughter of country musician Billy Ray Cyrus to public renown on the Disney Channel hit television series Hannah Montana and beyond.

The back of the cover features a clever informational "food label" with, not nutritional facts, but "Miley Facts." The front alerts the reader: 100% UNAUTHORIZED: This book is NOT sponsored by or affiliated with Miley Cyrus or anyone involved with her. It's another unsanctioned book by Scholastic that -- like Miley Mania! Behind the Scenes with Miley Cyrus -- uses pictures of her in the red dress she wore to the 2007 American Music Awards.  Yes, she looked super cute that night, but let's have a little variety, people!

Open it up and off we go with a jaunty narrative of Miley's early life (this is the first place I've seen Thompson's Station, Tennessee, listed as her hometown) and primordial attraction to the limelight, such as when she escaped her nanny to bound onstage with her daddy, grab a microphone, and start singing. It quickly moves on from cheerleading with the Premier Tennessee All Stars to private acting lessons after watching Billy Ray work on his TV show Doc.

Small parts led to an audition with Disney for their new series about an ordinary girl who leads a double life as a rock star.  Despite their assertion that she was "too small" to play the main character, Miley persisted and she literally grew into the role. It seemed a natural fit that Billy Ray should be cast as her father. The family moved to California and, though Miley her horses and friends, her shooting schedule left little time for homesickness. Her new best buds would be cast members Jason Earles, Emily Osment, and Mitchel Musso.

Hannah Montana became an instant success, and that summer Disney shipped off their young star to open for the Cheetah Girls in concert. That fall the Hannah Montana soundtrack debuted at #1 and Miley the musician was getting just as much attention as Miley the actress.

Peace! This particular photo is not in the book, but there are plenty of poses of Miley flashing the "V-sign."

Now, the book spends an inordinate amount of textual real estate on Miley's search for romance amid her hectic schedule, noticing cute guest stars, and blathering on about Nick Jonas. (Speaking of guest stars, included is a cool full-page collage of several notable names that have appeared on Hannah Montana.)

In 2007, Miley wrapped a second season of the show and released an even more popular disc, Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus, but, according to this account, the highlight of her year was her fifteenth birthday.  Her mother, Tish, took her to a club in Franklin, Tennessee, to see Paramore, the teen's favorite band. What she got was a surprise hometown party with practically everyone she knew from her "old life."

She wouldn't be merely an opening act for her next tour.  This time, the Jonas Brothers would be the opening band, and the rest of the massive production, under the direction of veteran choreographer Kenny Ortega, would be half Hannah and half Miley. The overwhelming demand to see Miley in concert was eased by putting the whole affair on the big screen, in 3-D no less.

In the glare of the spotlight, Miley experienced the downside of fame. Brokers snapped up tickets to her concert and resold them at exorbitant prices, she got caught using a body double during her changeover from Hannah to Miley, and, while shopping, she would get kicked out of stores because her very appearance would cause a ruckus.  Of course, she is made to do chores and homework like every other teenager, so it's not all fun and games and dodging paparazzi.

Each chapter is interspersed with various sidebars that mine nuggets of information both interesting and banal.  There's "True or False?" ("Miley is scared of dogs."), "Did You Know?" ("Miley's older half sister Brandi plays backup in her band."), "Gossip Alert!" ("Miley's teeth are looking a lot straighter and whiter than they used to! Some suspect Miley has recently gotten porcelain veneers or had her teeth filed and bleached."), "Overheard" (quotes from stars, like Ryan Seacrest's learned opinion of her talent), "OMG" (embarrassing moments, complete with 'surprised emoticon' graphic), and "On the Set of Hannah Montana" (factoids on each co-star, including the mystery of Jason's birth date).

Written by Emma Carlson Berne, events are extrapolated from magazine and newspaper articles to flesh out the story. The author has an interesting résumé of work, including such diverse biographies as Helen Keller: Courage in Darkness and Snoop Dogg, and provocative titles on suicide and online pornography. For all that, it is somewhat light on substance, instantly gratifying with little long-term worth.  Just like junk food.

Table of Contents
Will the Real Miley Cyrus Please Stand Up?...   8
Chapter 1: Born in the Spotlight.............  12
Chapter 2: Miley's Moment....................  22
Chapter 3: A Long Way from Tennessee.........  32
Chapter 4: On the Road.......................  44
Chapter 5: Miley Mania.......................  56
Chapter 6: The World is Watching.............  66
Chapter 7: Keeping it Real...................  74
Chapter 8: It's Miley -- in 3-D!.............  84
Chapter 9: Future Shock......................  92
Junk Food Star Guide
Star Stats...................................  99
Pop Quiz..................................... 100
Timeline..................................... 102
Awards + Discography......................... 104
Fan Sites + More to Read..................... 107
Glossary..................................... 108
Index........................................ 112