Liam Hemsworth. (Superstars). Alex Van Tol. St. Catharines, ON: Crabtree, 2015. 32 pp., pbk., hc., pdf & html, $9.95 (pbk.), $20.76 (RLB). ISBN 978-0-7787-8083-0 (pbk.), ISBN 978-0-7787-8079-3 (RLB), ISBN 978-1-4271-9985-0 (pdf), ISBN 978-1-4271-9981-2 (html). Subject Headings: Hemsworth, Liam, 1990-Juvenile literature. Motion picture actors and actresses-Australia-Biography-Juvenile literature. Grades 3-7 / Ages 8-12. Review by Tanya Boudreau. *** /4

excerpt:

When Liam was 13, the family moved to Phillip Island, located about two hours south of Melbourne. There were only about 7,000 people living on the island at that time. Their family life was pretty isolated, with no kids close by. The boys played with each other and mostly entertained themselves by surfing.

Liam Hemsworth, star of The Hunger Games and The Expendables 2, is an Australian actor born in 1990. In this nonfiction book, fans can learn about his hobbies (surfing) and his famous brothers (Chris and Luke). Three pages of the book are devoted to his relationship with Miley Cyrus. There are labelled, colour photographs on every page, a map of where he grew up, and quotes (which are dated and referenced). Liam's life may look fun and glamourous, but the author talks about the sibling rivalry in his family and the time he lost a role to his brother. Liam's early years include facts about his time on the Australian soap opera Neighbours and his first time meeting Sylvester Stallone. The author explains how Liam prepares for his roles (exercise, diet, and research) and how he works with a couple of charities through fundraising and social networking. The book is well-organized, with a table of contents in the front and extensive back material (timeline, glossary, bibliography and index). This attractive book will likely become dated in a few years, but right now, Liam Hemsworth is a popular actor, and I could see this biography being popular with his young fans.

Recommended.

Tanya Boudreau is a librarian at the Cold Lake Public Library in Cold Lake, AB.

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