Ah, what would popular culture be without characters such as Lindsay Lohan and Mel Gibson, along with the pop culture--centrific media that covers them? For starters, Doug Bratton's The Deranged Stalker's Journal of Pop Culture Shock Therapy might not exist, and, well, that would be very sad indeed. Inside The Deranged Stalker's Journal of Pop Culture Shock Therapy, Bratton skewers pop culture icons ranging from Sesame Street's Bert and Ernie to Harry...

"A guide to the history behind the world of Harry Potter?just in time for the last Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part II). Harry Potter lives in a world that is both magical and historical. Hogwarts pupils ride an old-fashioned steam train to school, notes are taken on parchment with quill pens, and Muggle legends come to life in the form of werewolves, witches, and magical spells. This book is the first to explore the...

You may know that the U.K. pop group One Direction broke records when it hit the U.S. music scene. The singers' album Up All Night debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard charts. But did you know that: • the stars didn't know each other before getting their big break on The X Factor with Simon Cowell? • the band needed 100 security guards for its first performance in Dallas, Texas? • one of the band members has a fear of spoons? Want to...

You may know that singing sensation Taylor Swift has won over fans of both pop and country music. But did you know that Taylor: • used to help out on her family's Christmas tree farm by pulling bugs off the trees? Yuck! • won a national poetry contest in fourth grade with her poem "Monster in My Closet?" • thought of the melody for her hit song "Tim McGraw" in her ninth-grade math class and sang it into her phone in the school bathroom so she...

You may know that Booboo Stewart made a name for himself playing Seth Clearwater in the Twilight Saga films. But did you know that Booboo: • completed high school early and took part in GATE, a program for gifted students? • was obsessed with yo-yos as a kid and mastered all kinds of awesome tricks? • loves to do charity work for organizations such as the Los Angeles Mission and the Muscular Dystrophy Association? Want to know more about the...

You may know that Cody Simpson became an overnight singing sensation when a music producer discovered him on YouTube in 2009. But did you know that he: • is a talented swimmer who once seriously thought about competing in the Olympics? • wrote his very first song when he was just seven? • was bullied for his singing and now supports a national anti-bullying campaign? Want to know more about the life of this fascinating star? Read on to learn...

You may know that Jennifer Lawrence stars as courageous Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games films. But did you know that Jennifer: • grew up on a Kentucky horse farm? •had to learn to skin a squirrel for her role in Winter's Bone? (Eeeew!) • read all three Hunger Games books in four days-before she even knew she'd be playing Katniss? Want to know more about the life of this talented celebrity? Read on to learn all about Jen's childhood, family,...

You may know that Liam Hemsworth stars as good-looking tough guy Gale Hawthorne in The Hunger Games films. But did you know that Liam: • once dressed as a table tennis player for Halloween, complete with white "short shorts"? • couldn't stop laughing the first time he saw a squirrel-a type of animal they don't have in his home country of Australia? • is absolutely crazy about Vegemite, a veggie paste that Aussies spread on crackers? Want to...

You may know that Taylor Lautner stole the hearts of many Twihards when he played Jacob Black in the Twilight Saga films. But did you know that Taylor: • is a karate expert and earned a black belt by age eight? • had never heard of the Twilight Saga before his talent agency snagged him an audition for the films? • adopted a four-footed best friend-a tiny Maltese dog named Roxy? Want to know more about the life of this talented celebrity? Read...