It's the smile, it's the struggle, Britney is a teen sensation. Over 20 years in the bright lights of fame, the harsh glare of public adoration and the ever-present danger of sliding into the mocking pens of jealous critics but still she carries on. Somehow she has survived the Michael Jackson effect of early success and now commands the respect of a new generation of teens. Since 2004, she has released numerous fragrances, adding up to over 1.5 billion (yes, billion) in perfume sales and the director's cut version of her 'Womanizer' video is her most-watched video on YouTube, with 330 million views and counting. From Glee to X-factor, Britney is a fabulous, popular and enduring star with everyday qualities that make her fans love her and her music more and more as the years go by.

VERY few authors can ever dream of coming close to the legacy left by AA Milne. He remains a household name in almost every corner of the globe thanks to a phenomenally popular collection of whimsical children s stories about a boy named Christopher Robin and his beloved teddy bear. Generations of children have grown up loving the tales of Winnie The Pooh and his friends from the Hundred Acre Wood, which are still among the most popular and profitable - fictional characters in the world. But while the adorable poems and stories have brought unparalleled joy to millions, Alan Alexander Milne, himself was never able to enjoy the fame and fortune they brought him. He died deeply resenting Pooh s success, as far as he was concerned those stories were just such a tiny fraction of his literary work, but nothing else he produced came close in terms of public appreciation. Milne died still unable to reconcile the fact that no matter what else he wrote, regardless of all the plays and stories for adults he had published, he would always be remembered as a children s storyteller. And his son, widely hailed as the inspiration for the adorable character of Christopher Robin, could never accept his unique place in literary history either. He had barely reached his teens before he grew to loathe his famous father, who he bitterly accused of exploiting his early years. _The Extraordinary Life of AA Milne_ delves deep into the life of Milne and sheds light on new places, and tells stories untold.

The Real Beatrix Potter is a fascinating and revealing biography of one of the world's most cherished children's authors. Beatrix Potter's famous little white books have enchanted generations of young readers who adored the characters she created and of course her own distinctive illustrations. Born into a typically repressed Victorian family it was assumed that Beatrix would achieve little more than finding herself a rich husband, and so there was no point in bothering to educate her. But the Potters underestimated their daughter. Stifled by the lack of stimulation, she educated herself in art, science, and of course a great love of the natural world. The success of Peter Rabbit proved her to be creative genius who could have become the toast of the London literary scene, but when her fianc tragically died Beatrix retreated to the Lake District where she reinvented herself as a successful farmer, a canny businesswoman and an early environmental pioneer. Passionately campaigning to save the area from development she helped establish the National Trust, and despite her great wealth Beatrix lived out her days in humble anonymity.

Jennifer Lawrence is the reigning queen of lots of things: Hollywood, the awkward award-ceremony-stumble, and hundreds of priceless Buzzfeed pages - to name a few. She announced herself to the world at a young age in The Burning Plain and Winter's Bone, gripping dramas set in America's deprived heartland. Ironic, then, that such a gifted character actress become a household name through two of the biggest fantasy roles in the business: the deadly shapeshifting assassin Mystique from Marvel's X-Men series and the gutsy, warlike heroine of Suzanne Collin's bestselling Hunger Games trilogy, Katniss Everdeen - the Girl on Fire. As Katniss and Mystique, she owns the screen, oozing grace, attitude and menace, re-defining the roles of women in action films as more than ragdolls to be saved by muscle-bound men; this girl doesn't need saving by anyone. But Jennifer couldn't be more different off-screen. Always ready with a smile or a quip about embarrassing everyday struggles, she is loved by millions for being a genuinely relatable personality in an industry of preening posers. And make no mistake: she has had every reason to lose her sunny disposition.She struggled early on in her career with a hurtful 'fat actress' label in spite of her healthy body type, and suffered public heartbreak with the likes of Coldplay's Chris Martin. In 2014, she was to suffer the ultimate indignity of having private photos leaked onto the internet for all to see. A lesser girl might have become spiteful, but Jennifer has always emerged with her head held high. This is the first biography of an Academy Award winner, a star of our screens for years to come and a role model for girls and young women everywhere. In every sense, this really is the story of a Girl on Fire.

She is the most prolific children's author in history, but Enid Blyton is also the most controversial. A remarkable woman who wrote hundreds of books in a career spanning forty years, even her razor sharp mind could never have predicted her enormous global audience. Now, fifty years after her death, Enid remains a phenomenon, with sales outstripping every rival. Parents and teachers lobbied against Enid's books, complaining they were simplistic, repetitive and littered with sexist and snobbish undertones. Blatant racist slurs were particularly shockingly; foreign and working class characters were treated with a distain that horrifies modern readers. But regardless of the criticism, Enid worked until she could not physically write another word, famously producing thousands of words a day hunched over her manual typewriter. She imaged a more innocent world, where children roamed unsupervised, and problems were solved with midnight feasts or glorious picnics with lashings of ginger beer. Smugglers, thieves, spies and kidnappers were thwarted by fearless gangs who easily outwitted the police, while popular schoolgirls scored winning goals in nail-biting lacrosse matches. Enid carefully crafted her public image to ensure her fans only knew of this sunny persona, but behind the scenes, she weaved elaborate stories to conceal infidelities, betrayals and unconventional friendships, lied about her childhood and never fully recovered from her parent's marriage collapsing. She grew up convinced that her beloved father abandoned her for someone he loved more, and few could ever measure up to her impossible standards. A complex and immature woman, Enid was plagued by insecurities and haunted by a dark past. She was prone to bursts of furious temper, yet was a shrewd businesswoman years ahead of her time. She may not have been particularly likeable, and her stories infuriatingly unimaginative, but she left a vast literary legacy to generations of children.

From starring as the ruthlessly ingenious drug lord 'Stringer' Bell in the iconic HBO series The Wire, to playing Madiba himself in the long-awaited biopic of Nelson Mandela, it has been some journey for Idris Elba. From humble beginnings, a second generation immigrant born in Hackney, London, Elba set up his own wedding DJ business at the age of 14 but, encouraged by his drama teacher to pursue his natural talent, won a place at the National Youth Music Theatre. Although possessed of a brooding screen presence which served him so well as DCI John Luther in the BBC's terrifying crime drama series Luther, 2016 will show a whole new side to Idris as he forays into the voice acting world as villainous tiger Shere Khan in The Jungle Book remake and even a role in Pixar centrepiece Finding Dory. He inhabits each role as if he were born to play it. But what of the man himself? In this, the only biography of the onscreen legend, Nadia Cohen reveals Elba's life behind the lens, exploring what makes him so ambitious, adaptable and endlessly watchable. His charisma has won him admirers on both sides of the Atlantic, and the role of Bond may yet beckon.

They have become known around the world as the ultimate pop-culture power couple. Favourites of the paparazzi, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West are both worth millions in their own right. She is the queen of reality TV and an all-around business mogul, he's a rapper, fashion designer and outspoken award show favourite. Together they are Kimye - glitzy, globetrotting icons and parents of one very stylish kid, North West. Without question they are the biggest news in entertainment today, making headlines around the world on a daily basis. America's 'other' first couple were friends before they hooked up, although Kanye admitted to holding a torch for Kim for years. They may have their share of haters, and Kim came under fire when she filed for divorce from Humphries less than three months after their wedding. But in a recent lavish Italian ceremony fit for royalty, she and Kanye tied the knot, cementing their superstar status once and for all. Nadia Cohen's brilliant, unauthorised biography traces the rise of Kimye, the world's most glamorous couple.

Although his hilariously entertaining stories have touched the hearts of generations of children, there was much more to beloved author Roald Dahl than met the eye. His fascinating life began in Norway in 1916, and he became a highly rebellious teenager who delighted in defying authority before joining the RAF as a fighter pilot. But after his plane crashed in the African desert he was left with agonising injuries and unable to fly. He was dispatched to New York where, as a dashing young air attache, he enraptured societies greatest beauties and became friends with President Roosevelt. Roald soon found himself entangled with a highly complex network of British undercover operations. Eventually he grew tired of the secrecy of spying and retreated to the English countryside. He married twice and had five children, but his life was also affected by serious illness, tragedy and loss. He wrote a number of stories for adults, many of which were televised as the hugely popular Tales of the Unexpected, but it was as a children's author that he found greatest fame and satisfaction, saying I have a passion for teaching kids to become readers Books shouldn't be daunting, they should be funny, exciting and wonderful. From 1945 until his death in 1990, he lived in Buckinghamshire, where he wrote his most celebrated children's books including _Matilda, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory_ and _Fantastic Mr Fox. _

He's the ruthlessly ingenious drug lord 'Stringer' Bell in The Wire, the obsessive Detector Chief Inspector in Luther, and now the star of the long-awaited biopic of Nelson Mandela. Idris Elba inhabits each role as if he were born to play it. But what of the man himself? In this, the first biography of the onscreen legend, Nadia Cohen reveals Elba's life behind the lens, exploring what makes him so ambitious, adaptable and endlessly watchable. From humble beginnings, a second generation immigrant born in Hackney, London, Elba set up his own DJ company at the age of 14 and, encouraged by his drama teacher to pursue his natural talent, won a place at the National Youth Music Theatre on leaving school. Now a world-class rapper and DJ as well as an actor and international pin-up, his work ethic is impressive, but not more so than his enthusiasm for what he does. From bit parts to blockbusters, East Ham to Atlanta, his career has reached dizzying heights. So now what, Elba?