Elizabeth's Song

Historical-fiction based on the young life of Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten, the noted African American folksinger, who wrote the famous song "Freight Train" when she was just eleven years old. Elizabeth's Song is the true-life story of Elizabeth (Libba) Cotten, the noted African American folksinger, guitarist, and songwriter. Against all odds, young Elizabeth teaches herself to play guitar left-handed on a borrowed instrument. Eventually, she earns enough money to buy a guitar of her very own, and is then inspired to write her first song--the folk classic "Freight Train," written when she was eleven years old. Elizabeth's unique style of playing guitar (upside down and backwards), from which the term "cotten picking" is derived, has influenced countless other artists. Elizabeth's story is one that will inspire people of all ages.

Michael Wenberg is a writer of numerous children and adult books, inlcuding Seattle Blues and Elizabeth's Song--his first children's book. A graduate of Gonzaga University, Mike lives with his wife and dog named Gracie, in the small seaside village of Kingston on Washington State's Puget Sound. Cornelius Van Wright is an award-winning illustrator and author and has illusted of numerous children's books, including Colorfull, Jingle Dancer, The Little Red Crane, and What's in the Truck. His work has has appeared on Reading Rainbow and Storytime, and has been exhibited with the Society of Illustrators and at The Bologna Art Show.