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Publication Date: July 1, 2008 Publisher: Gareth Stevens Publishing Author: · Jennifer Magid Related Sites: · Official Site - Miley Cyrus · Official Site - Hannah Montana Grade: B+

Titles in Today's Superstars: Entertainment were selected by a survey of kids and -- of the 24 books produced as a result -- Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana makes the cut of popularity.  For a Grade 3 reading level, this 6 1/2" x 9" reinforced hardcover features "Fact File" sidebars that divulge a smidgen of little-known or fun-filled details about the teen star in each of its five chapters. At the end, there is a time line of career and personal milestones, and a glossary.  Words in the glossary appear in bold type the first type they are used in the text.  It's never too early for your youngster to learn the meaning of "tabloids."

Surfing on a wave of success: Awards began to pile up, as Miley won for best TV actress in a comedy at the 2007 Teen Choice Awards.

The Best of Both Worlds begins with the premiere of her concert film, "Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus - Best of Both Worlds Concert: The 3-D Movie." It marked the height of celebrity following the successful tour and two albums that had been number-one hits. The show that started it all, Hannah Montana, was being viewed by more that 3 million viewers per episode. Not bad for a kid from Tennessee virtually unknown just a few years back.

Growing Up Cyrus goes back to November 23, 1992, when Destiny Hope Cyrus was born in Nashville, Tennessee. Early on she earned the nickname that would become her legal name, and grew up on a 500-acre farm with brothers and sisters and horses. Her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, was on top of the country music world at the time.  When that acclaim faded, he turned to acting on the TV series, Doc, where Miley had a small role in a few episodes. That led to auditions that would change her life forever.

Introducing Hannah Montana finds Miley being rejected at age 11 by producers of a new Disney Channel series for being too young and too small. Perseverance paid off, and she got the lead role of a teen who leads a secret life as a pop star. Billy Ray would join the cast as her father, along with Emily Osment and Mitchel Musso as her friends, and Jason Earles as her brother. The show debuted on March 24, 2006 and became an instant hit. But this success was only the beginning.

Miley Mania would sweep the nation as "Hannah Montana" did concert dates, and Disney released a soundtrack album that would top the charts. A second album, Hannah Montana 2: Meet Miley Cyrus, would duplicate the feat, and allow the actress to emerge from her onscreen persona. Meanwhile, the cable show was still going strong entering its second season, and featured such famous guest stars as Dolly Parton, Jesse McCartney, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, and Joey Fatone. A Hannah Montana clothing line was released, and she was soon to embark on her first concert tour as the main attraction.

Happy to Be Hannah commences on the 54-date Best of Both Worlds Tour in the fall of 2007, with the Jonas Brothers as her opening act. Performing first as Hannah Montana, she would change to Miley midway through and sing songs she had co-written herself. She celebrated her 15th birthday with a concert in her hometown of Nashville. The concert experience lived on as a 3-D feature film.  The Hannah Montana cast started filming a movie in May of 2008. Will her future plans focus on acting or music? "It depends, because acting is so cool," she told MTV. "But singing is a better way to be yourself, so I can't choose."  Either way, she knows she is a role model to many kids and takes that responsibility seriously.

Accompanied by well appointed full-color photos, Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana is written by Jennifer Magid in an easy-to-understand, clear style favorable for introducing young readers to the ordinary girl who is also a pop star, just like her famous character.

32 pages