The Little Golden Books has existed for more than 80 years, but continues to keep up with the times with a series of contemporary biographies, including this one of Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, better known as Lady Gaga. The book begins with her childhood in New York City, where her mother noticed her early interest in music and enrolled her in piano lessons.
As she grew older, however, “Because Stefani listened to different music and wore different clothes, her classmates would sometimes make fun of her and say hurtful things.” Stefani was still determined to keep following her dreams, however, and continued to practice and write songs. The book touches on key moments of her life, including her first recording contract, adoption of the name “Lady Gaga,” and her first film. Readers learn about her string of musical hits, her fun and original costumes, and her work to support kids who are growing up “being bullied and feeling sad” like she did. We see how her Born This Way Foundation helps spread kindness and that she is an activist for “important social issues like equal rights.”
Although neither her work around LGBTQ equality nor her own bisexual identity are mentioned in the text, the illustration on one page shows her proudly waving a Progress Pride flag.
Her importance, the book concludes, is not in her songs or the awards they win, but rather because “Lady Gaga inspires people to love themselves.”
Adults may need to explain a few small points, like what the “Grammy Awards” and “Academy Awards” are, or where Manhattan is, but overall, the book manages to distill Lady Gaga’s life into something simple and relatable for younger readers, with a few light but important messages about resilience, self-confidence, and supporting others.
