Michael Jackson: Ultimate Music Legend (Gateway Biographies)

Katherine Krohn is the author of many nonfiction books for young readers. She is also a journalist and a fiction writer.

"Krohn traces the performer's life from his Indiana childhood, his rise to fame with The Jackson 5, and his solo career to his death in 2009. Factual yet descriptively written, the book sets the scene with eight-year-old Jackson about to perform in his first talent show with his older brothers. Accompanied by large, colorful, and clear photographs throughout, the narrative takes readers on the journey of Jackson's incredible success and fame while handling the more difficult aspects of Jackson's life, such as molestation charges and drug abuse, in an age-appropriate, straightforward manner. A wide-ranging look at the celebrity's life and legacy."
--School Library Journal

"Since Jackson's 2009 death, kids whose feelings about the artist probably varied between disinterest and repulsion are now giving him new consideration. This short biography does the trick, focusing on the two sections of his life that might be most immediate to kids―his childhood and his final few years―while rushing through Jackson's most musically fertile period (the stretch between Off the Wall and Dangerous). Krohn has a knack for honing in on kid-friendly details: 'It was just a coincidence that the Jacksons lived on a street that shared their family name.' The shot of their humble home is striking, and it's only one of a decent amount of photos―roughly one per page. Jackson's early career is the highlight here: his busting of black stereotypes, his signing to Motown (misspelled once as 'Mowtown'), and the abuse at the hands of his father. The accusations of molestation are kept factual but fairly abstract, as is his death. The layout is a bit drab, but this is a snappy read with some fine back matter, too." --Booklist

"These standard biographies offer sanitized facts about each subject's life, beginning with childhood and ending with present day (which in Sotomayor focuses on her Supreme Court achievements, and in Jackson his legacy after death). The simple, uncluttered design includes appealing captioned photos. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Gateway Biography titles: Michael Jackson and Sonia Sotomayor." --The Horn Book Guide