Taylor Swift's passion awakens when she picks up her first guitar as a child in Pennsylvania. When she learns that her favorite country music stars got their start in Nashville, Taylor takes a spring break trip to Tennessee, personally delivering CDs of her original music to record label offices. At home, she jumps at any chance to perform her favorite country hits, but her real joy comes from songwriting. After she moves to Nashville as a teen, a music executive sees her perform and gives her the opportunity to record her debut album. Though Taylor's star is rising, her relationship with her mother keeps her grounded, and she takes time to treat her fans to special parties and surprises. The text is peppered with song references, cleverly mirroring the easter eggs that Taylor famously hides for fans. This gushing biography briefly references (and perhaps overstates) Taylor's efforts to encourage voter registration and speak against racial injustice ("She's a trailblazer!") but fails to mention a yearslong battle to own the rights to her master recordings and help protect young artists entering the industry. Cheerful, painterly illustrations depict a smiling Taylor from childhood to the present, with careful considerations of hairstyles and clothing choices that align with the eras of her life. Some background characters represent a variety of skin tones and body shapes. This enthusiastic tribute to the modern pop idol is sure to satisfy Swifties.(Picture-book biography. 5-9)
COPYRIGHT(2024) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. (Online Review)