Chambers (editor, The Meaning of Michelle) collaborates with cultural critics and academics to provide a nuanced assessment of BeyoncéGiselle Knowles-Carter, from her time as a member of girl group Destiny's Child to her evolution into a solo artist with Dangerously in Love (2003). Chambers begins by describing the cultural impact of Destiny's Child on herself as an Afro-Latina. While contributors touch on all of Beyoncé's solo albums, Lemonade (2016) receives the most attention, along with her 2018 performance as the first black woman to headline Coachella. Standout essays include those by professor Melissa Harris-Perry (Wake Forest Univ., NC) and student Mankappr Conteh debating the singer's performative feminism, Robin M. Boylorn (Univ. of Alabama) analyzing the artist's carefully crafted public persona, writer Candice Benbow contemplating the performer's spiritual identity, and lawyer Reshma Saujani discussing Beyoncé's candor about experiencing miscarriage. Some pieces fall flat, such as one containing Wikipedia highlights of her career. Yet the collection effectively shows the singer's complexities and her evolving definitions of black womanhood. VERDICT Though not a definitive biography, this work blends performing arts and sociology to offer a starting point for conversations about Beyoncé's enduring status as a cultural icon. [See Prepub Alert, 7/2/18.]—Stephanie Sendaula, Library Journal

In this collection of 19 essays, compiled by author and New York Times archival storytelling editor Chambers, academics, journalists, social media personalities, designers, and other contributors expound on the majesty of Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter. Author Luvvie Ajayi attributes Beyoncé's greatness as an entertainer to the singer's desire for perfection, as seen in the hours spent "every day, practicing" for "25 years" and evident in her powerful 2018 Coachella Festival performance. Producer and actor Lena Waithe says that Beyoncé's effort to show how "we're all made of the same stuff and on the same boat" makes her so admired, down-to-earth, and approachable. Author and professor Brittney Cooper says that the singer changed rap and hip-hop's negative perceptions of black women when husband Jay-Z admitted to having affairs. His decision to publicly take responsibility through his and Beyoncé's music and tours was a catalyst that made it possible "for a different kind of cultural conversation" to occur. Perhaps one of the first seriously published biographic reflections of the performer often referred to as "Queen Bey," this compendium of carefully curated pieces reveals the modern-day activism and feminist mystique behind the actions on and off-stage of a contemporary icon. VERDICT A pop culture must-have in libraries that serve older teens and new adults.—Sabrina Carnesi, Crittenden Middle School, Newport News, VA