Before John Was a Jazz Giant

Before John Was a Jazz Giant is a lyrical picture book biography that focuses on the childhood of jazz legend John Coltrane. Growing up in the South during the 1930s, young John was surrounded by a myriad of sounds: church songs, preachers praying, music on the radio, and the bustling of the household. These vivid noises shaped John's own sound as a musician. Authors Carole Boston Weatherford and Sean Qualls have created a rich tribute to these formative years with vibrant words and glowing illustrations. The book has been recognized as a 2009 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Book and a 2009 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.