Bound To Stay Bound

Booklist - 11/01/2014 *Starred Review* This picture-book biography introduces young Mahalia Jackson as a girl with a voice that was “bigger than she was.” She heard all kinds of music growing up in New Orleans and Chicago, but gospel was her favorite, and even in hard times, she found comfort singing in church. As a young woman, she sometimes heard bands in nightclubs, but after her grandfather’s heart attack, Mahalia promised God that if he would spare her grandpa, she wouldn’t go into a nightclub again. She kept that promise and, devoting herself to gospel music, was eventually acclaimed as “the Queen of Gospel.” The book concludes triumphantly with Jackson singing at the 1963 March on Washington. Written with simplicity and a storyteller’s sense of phrasing, the colloquial text weaves together events in Jackson’s childhood and adulthood with the common threads of music, family, and religion. Holyfield’s acrylic paintings are full of life, color, and movement. Making music a visible presence in the book, the illustrations portray Jackson swaying to the rhythm of the songs she sings and transported by the experience. This short biography offers an evocative piece of storytelling through writing that sounds homespun yet lyrical and pictures that are suffused with music. - Copyright 2014 Booklist.

School Library Journal - 11/01/2014 Gr 1–2—This charming picture book biography profiles the life of gospel singer Mahalia Jackson. Through rich, colorful acrylic illustrations and accessible, well-organized text, this work transports readers to Jackson's world of New Orleans and Chicago as she built her career, showing how she worked as a maid before gaining success as a singer ("But singing in church raised her spirits. She felt like a peacock with her feathers all spread out."). Nolan expertly details the main events of Jackson's life, making even the hardships and challenges the woman encountered (lack of money, illnesses of relatives) comprehensible. At the end, a time line elaborates further on her life, describing events not mentioned in the story. Instructions to visit YouTube for footage of Jackson singing are also included. Though the book covers Jackson singing at Martin Luther King Jr's funeral, it doesn't focus on the racism she experienced or her involvement with the civil rights movement. Children will be captivated by this poignant, inspiring story. An excellent addition to most collections.—April Sanders, Spring Hill College, Mobile, AL - Copyright 2014 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.