Stine - Who Was Michael Jackson?

For MattMS
To MJ, the greatest entertainer who ever lived, and all his fansJQ

GROSSET & DUNLAP

Penguin Young Readers Group

An Imprint of Penguin Random House LLC

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Text copyright 2015 by Megan Stine. Illustrations copyright 2015 by Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. Published by Grosset & Dunlap, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 345 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014. GROSSET & DUNLAP is a trademark of Penguin Random House LLC.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

ISBN 978-0-399-53976-3

Version_1

Who Was
Michael Jackson?

P ASADENA , C ALIFORNIA

Michael Jackson edged over to the side of the stage during a concert in 1983. He had purchased a spy hat, just like one in his latest music video. Michael had an idea for how to use the hat during the song he was going to singand he really hoped it would work.

The concert at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium was going to be broadcast on TV. Fifty million people would watch it. Many other famous singers had already performed. Now it was time for Michaels solo number.

Michael Jackson was already one of the biggest pop stars in the world. But he was never satisfied. He wanted to do something onstage no one would ever forget. He wanted the audience to go crazy!

As soon as the music started, Michael put on the hat and began to dance. Instantly, the audience jumped to its feet. They screamed and cheered. They recognized the hat and knew the song was Billie Jean.

Wearing a sparkly black jacket, a silver shirt, and one white glove, Michael did dance moves that no one had ever seen before! He had practiced them in his kitchen the night before. His legs twitched. His hips jerked. His foot thumped. He threw the hat offstage in a smooth move that made the audience go wild again.

And then, in the middle of the song, he did something amazing. He slid backward, while making it look like he was walking forward. He called it the Moonwalk! The Moonwalk only lasted five seconds, but it was magical.

By the end of the song, everyone was standing. The crowd was cheering. His whole family kissed him when he came offstage. No one would ever forget that Moonwalk. In fact, it became Michael Jacksons most famous move.

But was Michael happy? Not completely. He was thrilled that people loved the show. But he thought his dance could have been better. He hadnt stayed up on his toes long enough after the big spin at the end of the Moonwalk.

For Michael Jackson, nothing was ever good enough. He always wanted to be perfect. Thats what made him work so hard to achieve his dreamsto become the best-selling singer of all time. Thats what drove him to become the King of Pop.

Chapter 1
Small House, Big Dreams

Michael Joseph Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana, on August 29, 1958. The Jackson house was tiny and already crowded. Michael had four older brothers and two sisters. Maureen, called Rebbie, was the oldest. Next came Jackie, then Tito, Jermaine, LaToya, and Marlon. A few years after Michael was born, Randy came along. Janet Jackson was the baby of the family, born eight years after Michael.

Michaels mother, Katherine, worked part-time at a Sears department store. His father, Joseph, worked at a local steel mill. Joe Jackson earned only thirty dollars a day. To make extra money, he had a small band called the Falcons. They played in local bars and clubs around Indiana. Joe played guitar, and the band practiced in the Jacksons small house.

Both of Michaels parents had always loved music. His mother sang and played the clarinet and piano. Music was a big part of family life.

Joe Jackson was a very strict father. He had lots of rules. None of the kids were allowed to touch his guitarever! He kept it in a closet so they wouldnt be tempted to play it when he wasnt home.

One day, Tito, Jackie, and Jermaine sneaked into the closet and took the guitar to Titos room. Michael and his brothers watched as Tito figured out how to play chords. Tito had been studying their father carefully.

Little by little, Tito taught himself how to play. Katherine knew he was sneaking the guitar out, but she didnt tell her husband. She knew how mad he would be!

Then, one day, one of the strings on the guitar broke. Tito couldnt fix it, so he just put the guitar back in the closet and hoped his father wouldnt notice.

Of course Joe saw the broken string. All the boys were terrified, because their father could be so mean. Michael said that Joe hit the kids when they did something wrong. But this time Katherine spoke up. She told Joe that the boys were good singersand that Tito could really play.

Joe handed Tito the guitar. Let me see what you can do, he said.

As soon as Joe saw that his sons had talent, he wasnt angry. He brought home a shiny red guitar for Tito. Everyone in the family got music lessons, either at school or after school. Pretty soon, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael formed a band. They would become the Jackson 5.

At first Jermaine was the lead singer. Michael played the bongo drums. But it didnt take long for everyone to realize that Michael was the real star. He sang with so much feeling. When Michael entered a talent contest at school, his teachers cried at the sound of his beautiful voice.