Mahalia Jackson.  Walking with Kings and Queens (Hardcover)

Nina Nolan’s narrative wonderfully captures the amazing story of how Mahalia Jackson became the Queen of Gospel in this fascinating picture book biography

As a shy child in Appalachia, Ohio, I often dreamed someone in the music industry might suddenly walk by my house as I played guitar and sang and I would somehow be transformed into working in a studio making records for the masses.  If only things were that easy!  Well, things often do not come that easy and they sure didn’t for Mahalia Jackson.  Born in 1911 and growing up along the train tracks in New Orleans and leaving school to care for her baby cousins, Mahalia LOVED to sing.  Her aunt always told her that one day she would walk with kings and queens, and Mahalia wondered how that would happen.  No matter, she filled her life with music and song, and her beautiful voice moved all who heard it.

In the new HarperCollins book for children Mahalia Jackson.  Walking with Kinds and Queens the very inspirational story of Mahalia Jackson is beautifully captured in this illustrated true story.  At the age of 16, Mahalia moved to Chicago to be with her aunt and made her voice and face known by singing in church choirs throughout the United States.  Within eight years of her move, she started working with Thomas A. Dorsey, a gospel composer, and got her first recording contract through Decca Records two years later.  Mahalia became an international star within twenty years and sang at the March on Washington right before her friend, Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous “I Have a Dream Speech”.  Wow!

Learn More about Mahalia! Check out www.mahaliajackson.com to learn more about her life and see footage of her singing at the March on Washington.

Mahalia Jackson.  Walking with Kings and Queens (Hardcover)

www.harpercollinschildrens.com

List Price: $ 17.99