THE POLICE CHRONICLES Peter Goddard and Philip Kamin. Toronto, Musson Books, c1984. 127pp, paper, $12.95. ISBN 0-7737-1073-6. Grades 10 and up. Reviewed by Frank Loreto. Volume 12 Number 5 1984 September In 1978, The Police played to a crowd of four people at The Firebarn in Syracuse. By 1983, it took the band five hours to sell out New York's Shea Stadium's seventy thousand seats. The Police certainly are one of the most dynamic contemporary bands performing. The Police Chronicles, loosely based on the group's final North American concert of their 1983 tour, is a tribute to The Police and their rise in North American popularity. Author Peter Goddard provides a look at the band in the present as well as flashbacks of each of the three band members. In an informal, almost casual style, he provides background on both the band and its music. The enthusiastic and subjective style makes it clear that Goddard certainly sees The Police as being more than worthy of discussion. Philip Kamin's photographs, which are generously included in this book, make The Police Chronicles a visually beautiful work. For any Police fans, the book would be a valuable collection piece, as the quality and size of the photographs make it extremely attractive. However, regarding school library suitability, The Police Chronicles does not score highly. The sophistication of the band's music does not appeal to the younger music listeners, and to the general high school student. The Police are old news. References to Bach, Jung, and Edvard Munch, which are included in the discussion of the band, would be lost on a large segment of the high school readers. A few quotations from band members could cause trouble in less liberal school areas. For the most part, if The Police Chronicles were to be popular, it would be in larger city schools where Police fans would be in larger numbers or where the sophistication of the student's taste in music goes beyond what is popular this week. Frank Loreto, Rainy River, ON.