THE CHP BOOK OF FAMOUS LIVES. Goodwin, Bob and Dympna Hayes. Burlington, Hayes Publishing, 1987. 48pp. paper, $5.95, ISBN 0-88625-150-8, (Hayes Adventure Series). Grades 3 to 6 Reviewed by Jo Anna Patton Volume 16 Number 1 1988 January As school librarians and teachers, we all know a few students who are reluctant to read non-fiction generally, and biographies specifically. A possible solution to that could be Famous Lives, created by Bob Goodwin, a secondary school teacher. This newest addition to the CHP Adventure Series provides a brief look at sixteen famous people-from the often "biographed" Ludwjg van Beethoven, Charles Darwin, Henry Ford, Alexander Bell and Ernest Hemingway to the less "biographed" Bob Geldof, Wayne Gretzky, Rick Hansen and Bob Hope. Each brief biography is well illustrated with full-colour art illustrations created by art director Rick Rowden and eight additional illustrators. The length of each biography ranges from three-quarters of a page on Joan of Arc to two and three-quarter pages on Mother Teresa. The language is easy to understand, and unfamiliar vocabulary is explained in context. What makes the biographies come alive, however, is that each one begins with a personal anecdote from the individual. Because of the easy-to-understand language and simple format, I would recommend this title for the higher elementary grades or for reluctant readers. Jo Anna Patton, E.C.S. School for Girls, Montreal, Que.