In this sanitized compendium of 1950s rock stars, debut children's book writer George-Warren and Levine (Wig!) set themselves the task of translating music and personality to the page. Each spread features a capsule biography of a musician next to his or her portrait, painted on Masonite in an American primitive style and set in a found-object frame. Bill Haley comes first, along with his trademark "one, two, three o'clock, four o'clock ROCK" and a night sky full of "comets"; unfortunately, the writing is straight out of squaresville ("Although Bill Haley was a grownup, he sang about things teens liked and he spoke their language"). Little Richard appears against a glaring yellow background, and the text, which ripples out like sound waves from his portrait, trumpets his signature shriek: "A wop bop a loo bop a wop bam boom, tutti frutti, oh rooti!" Yet these immortal lyrics aren't as punchy in print, despite George-Warren's encouraging remark, "Wow, what a song!" Only a recap of Bo Diddley's signature beat ("Thump-a-thump-a-thump, a-thump-thump") suggests rock's catchy rhythms. The accounts politely bypass legend-making stories of Elvis's pelvis and Jerry Lee Lewis's scandalous marriage and only hint at rock's notorious racism and sexism; the volume cheers pivotal African-American artists like Chuck Berry and James Brown, but lets R&B singer LaVern Baker and rockabilly star Wanda Jackson represent all women rockers. Although oldies fans can appreciate Levine's homemade images, the set of icons resembles a quaint (and quiet) butterfly collection. This tame encyclopedia doesn't have much soul, and the uninitiated may wonder what all the fuss was about. Ages 8-up. (Mar.)
