Young Patriots Series: Mahalia Jackson

"Halie" Jackson grew up in poverty on the levees of New Orleans, hunting for alligators for food along the Mississippi River with her brother, Peter. But every Sunday young Mahalia sang proudly in the church choir, the youngest member at age five. She left school after eighth grade and worked as a maid to help support her family. However, her passion for singing her special brand of music known as "gospel" never waned. Praised by parents, teachers, and historians, the Young Patriots Series is an ideal way to sweep today's young listeners into history. The everyday details of family life, the time period in which they lived, what they wore, and the challenges they faced in school create a window through which children can access history. The early evidence of character, responsibility, ability, and courage showcase situations to which every child can relate. "Hook kids on history with this series." -- Learning Montrew Duunham is the author of more than 10 children's books, including Langston Hughes: Young Black Poet, Neil Armstrong: Young Flyer, and Thurgood Marshall: Young Justice. She lives in Downers Grove, Illinois. Though she's had many incarnations (private detective, classical musician, actress, television talk-show host, etc.),Pam Ward found her true calling reading books for the blind and physically handicapped for the Library of Congress program, "Talking Books." The fact that she can work with Blackstone Audio from the beauty of the Southern Oregon mountains is an unexpected bonus.