March 23, 2009
Cyrus divides her candid if somewhat circuitous autobiography into three sections or “miles.” Incorporating details about her time in and out of the spotlight, the teen discusses, with considerable dramatic flair, both the high notes (landing the title role on Hannah Montana
, her close family bonds, her much ballyhooed 16th-birthday celebration at Disneyland) and the low (the “social hell” of sixth grade, the death of her beloved grandfather, her breakup with “Prince Charming”). Cyrus’s reflections on her celebrity status are also balanced. She acknowledges missing out on the “fun parts of being a normal teenager” yet concludes, “I found my dream early. I’m living it.” Tween-pleasing flourishes include behind-the-scenes Hannah Montana
minutiae, lyrics, lists of her likes and aspirations, “handwritten” asides in the margins (“Let’s keep that between us, though”) and the occasional sentence that runs in large bold type, lending the effect of a magazine pull quote. Cyrus doubles back over some terrain—following one’s dreams is a recurring theme—but fans will find this an effortless and entertaining read. Ages 8–12.