Rihanna (Hip-Hop Biographies)

I purchased this book for my middle school kids. They like it, so something must be workin'

This series is aimed at African-American youth. While the graphics and images are geared to students 6th-8th grade, they are an easy read for students as early as 3rd. As a whole, these books do a fair job providing an overview of the lives of varies artists currently in the hip-hop industry but, as hip-hop tends to be an edgy musical style, these books reflect the glorification of a "gangster" or at least rough lifestyle. What I found particularly disturbing for Rihanna's story is that it includes details about her experiences with domestic violence. The book even discusses Chris Brown's sentencing, time on probation and response to the publicizing of his battery of Rihanna. While I find it is important to discuss domestic violence, I'm don't find this the best place or best way to discuss Rihanna's experiences. It seems this was a time to tell students about Rihanna's career and rise to stardom. To tell about the mark she will leave on history. Specific details about Chris Brown and his feelings about being a batterer seem like they belong in his story, not hers. I am in no way attempting to speak for Rihanna but I feel it is re-victimizing.