Nowhere but Up: The Story of Justin Bieber's Mom
This story could have been told by thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, of women. But they aren’t the mother of pop-sensation Justin Bieber. Mallette’s childhood, though troubled, is not remarkable. Her father left when she was two. There was sexual abuse (though the details are blurred, it seems to have been by boys a few years older), and by the time she was a teen, drugs and drink played a bigger part in her life than school. When she was 16, she found herself pregnant by a boyfriend she’d hope would support her. His inability to do so in any meaningful way left Mallette a teen mom who beat the odds, thanks to love for and committment to her son; the support of family, friends, and employers; and her belief that God was directing her life. Mallette (with cowriter Gregory) does a solid job of weaving her faith, and its ups and downs, into a respectable narrative. And, of course, there’s a lot about Justin, though primarily his early career. How she uses her notoriety to help girls in similiar circumstances to her young self adds an uplifting note. There will be many who’ll find meaning in this familiar story.       HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Mallette is Justin Bieber’s mother. Enough said. --Ilene Cooper