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Madam C. J. Walker funda una empresa
From the world of Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls comes the fictionalized biography based on the life of Madam C.J. Walker: America’s first self-made millionaire.
In Madam C.J. Walker Builds a Business, Sarah Breedlove (AKA Madam C.J. Walker) reinvents and rebrands herself as a forceful entrepreneur whose products still dominate the black hair care industry today.
Born on the same plantation where her parents were once enslaved—Sarah is the first child in her family born free. When Sarah is just a girl, she learns the value of hard work. She cooks, she cleans, she picks cotton, she does laundry, and she babysits. By fourteen, Sarah is a wife and by eighteen she is a mother. From the stress of backbreaking labor and having to grow up so quickly, Sarah’s hair begins to fall out! Instead of falling into despair, Sarah learns how to take care of her hair and invents her own recipe to encourage her hair to grow.
But Sarah has a problem. She can’t get people to buy her products at first. So, she rebrands herself as “Madam C.J. Walker,” a fancy high society lady with the authority and know-how to help black women with their hair. As Madam C.J. Walker, she builds a business empire, dominates the black hair care market with her natural products, and offers opportunities for other poor washerwomen in her community to have a path to financial freedom. With her immense wealth, she treats herself too. She buys herself cars, fancy dresses, and a mansion with 34 rooms!
This is the story of a leader in the hair care industry, which is now a multibillion-dollar industry, but it’s also a tale of the importance of empowering women to become economically independent.
After Words includes text on Madam C.J. Walker’s lasting legacy today as well as educational activities on entrepreneurship.
In Madam C.J. Walker Builds a Business, Sarah Breedlove (AKA Madam C.J. Walker) reinvents and rebrands herself as a forceful entrepreneur whose products still dominate the black hair care industry today.
Born on the same plantation where her parents were once enslaved—Sarah is the first child in her family born free. When Sarah is just a girl, she learns the value of hard work. She cooks, she cleans, she picks cotton, she does laundry, and she babysits. By fourteen, Sarah is a wife and by eighteen she is a mother. From the stress of backbreaking labor and having to grow up so quickly, Sarah’s hair begins to fall out! Instead of falling into despair, Sarah learns how to take care of her hair and invents her own recipe to encourage her hair to grow.
But Sarah has a problem. She can’t get people to buy her products at first. So, she rebrands herself as “Madam C.J. Walker,” a fancy high society lady with the authority and know-how to help black women with their hair. As Madam C.J. Walker, she builds a business empire, dominates the black hair care market with her natural products, and offers opportunities for other poor washerwomen in her community to have a path to financial freedom. With her immense wealth, she treats herself too. She buys herself cars, fancy dresses, and a mansion with 34 rooms!
This is the story of a leader in the hair care industry, which is now a multibillion-dollar industry, but it’s also a tale of the importance of empowering women to become economically independent.
After Words includes text on Madam C.J. Walker’s lasting legacy today as well as educational activities on entrepreneurship.
128 pages, Paperback
Published March 17, 2020
13 people are currently reading
387 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 151 reviews
January 16, 2021
This one is liberating to start with!!!!
The first few lines will have you so proud of you being a girl or a woman that you are today. The struggles of the women decades ago have been so beautifully portrayed in this short read. There's this story of the first generation of girls attending school for the first time after the abolition of slavery. And no more cotton picking or child labour. Damn, it felt so good to read about it.
But everything ended so soon for this to be true. And the girls were back to work in the fields.
And this is the story of a girl, Sarah, who had learnt to dream and work her way up inspite of all the hardships she had faced ever since she became an orphan at a young age. In between she had perfected a recipe, dreamed of becoming a barber, perfected her craft and became one of the most influential women fighting for the rights of black women. Later she came to be known as Madam C J Walker.
This story is so good. Simple and easy to read. The art work is so beautiful and descriptive of the content. One of the most powerful reads of the year. Highly recommended for the middle grade age group.
Thank you so much #NetGalley for providing me with a copy of #MadamCJWalkerBuildsABusiness
The first few lines will have you so proud of you being a girl or a woman that you are today. The struggles of the women decades ago have been so beautifully portrayed in this short read. There's this story of the first generation of girls attending school for the first time after the abolition of slavery. And no more cotton picking or child labour. Damn, it felt so good to read about it.
But everything ended so soon for this to be true. And the girls were back to work in the fields.
And this is the story of a girl, Sarah, who had learnt to dream and work her way up inspite of all the hardships she had faced ever since she became an orphan at a young age. In between she had perfected a recipe, dreamed of becoming a barber, perfected her craft and became one of the most influential women fighting for the rights of black women. Later she came to be known as Madam C J Walker.
This story is so good. Simple and easy to read. The art work is so beautiful and descriptive of the content. One of the most powerful reads of the year. Highly recommended for the middle grade age group.
Thank you so much #NetGalley for providing me with a copy of #MadamCJWalkerBuildsABusiness
December 23, 2022
Thank you NetGalley and Rebel Girls for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Sarah Breedlove Walker’s story is really interesting.
She managed to open her own business and she’s known as the first famale self-made millionaire! In 1919 her business was worth $600,000 (equal to $6 million today)!
She had lived as a farmer in the cotton fields and then moved on to being a laundress. Her hard life didn't deny her the chance to dream and have ambitions, as she was denied an education.
So she learned to sell and created her own afro hair product that allowed afro hair to grow.
Thanks to this book I learned of this wonderful woman who managed to emerge in a racist and chauvinist society.
Madam C. J. Walker Builds a Business is a simple and easy to red book with amazing art work.
I also recommend it to an adult audience because despite being a middle grade the story is very fascinating and well written.
Sarah Breedlove Walker’s story is really interesting.
She managed to open her own business and she’s known as the first famale self-made millionaire! In 1919 her business was worth $600,000 (equal to $6 million today)!
She had lived as a farmer in the cotton fields and then moved on to being a laundress. Her hard life didn't deny her the chance to dream and have ambitions, as she was denied an education.
So she learned to sell and created her own afro hair product that allowed afro hair to grow.
Thanks to this book I learned of this wonderful woman who managed to emerge in a racist and chauvinist society.
Madam C. J. Walker Builds a Business is a simple and easy to red book with amazing art work.
I also recommend it to an adult audience because despite being a middle grade the story is very fascinating and well written.
April 1, 2020
I had heard of Sarah Breedlove before this book, as America’s first female self-made millionaire, but she isn’t really talked about in UK schools. I appreciated this book even more then, learning about how she built her company up from nothing, specialising in products for black hair. As her company grew, she continued to provide opportunities for other black women, either through selling her products or working as stylists in her salons across America. I love that it was haircare that made her millions, as I think there’s a tendency to look down on girls and women who value things like makeup and good hair - a great reminder that your passions are valid!
January 15, 2023
Every girl boss needs to read this. Every entrepreneur needs to get their hands on this book.
Everyone knows who Madam C. J Walker is and thus I went into this story excited . The story begins with young Sarah in a huge family to how she built her company from the ground up. We get to see glimpses of how she decided to get into hair, specialize in black hair as well as admiring the opportunities that she provided for black women. It's an inspiring read and an ode of sorts to black women and their crows. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.
Everyone knows who Madam C. J Walker is and thus I went into this story excited . The story begins with young Sarah in a huge family to how she built her company from the ground up. We get to see glimpses of how she decided to get into hair, specialize in black hair as well as admiring the opportunities that she provided for black women. It's an inspiring read and an ode of sorts to black women and their crows. I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.
October 8, 2019
I loved this book and I thought the whole thing was excellent, it is well paced, I liked the length of the chapters and the way that Sarah’s story was told. I think the cover is perfect for the book too.
This book focussing on the fascinating Sarah Breedlove (AKA Madam C.J. Walker) who became an outstanding entrepreneur who led the field in her time and whose products still dominate the black hair care industry today.
I only knew a little about her but she had such a troubled life at time, she fought on and proved against the odds that she could succeed and brought that success to others too that would have had little opportunity without her help. She is a true inspiration.
I thought that this book was excellent, it is 5 stars from me for this one, it is one that I will be very highly recommending and I am really looking forward to seeing what else the Rebel Girls release now too!!
This book focussing on the fascinating Sarah Breedlove (AKA Madam C.J. Walker) who became an outstanding entrepreneur who led the field in her time and whose products still dominate the black hair care industry today.
I only knew a little about her but she had such a troubled life at time, she fought on and proved against the odds that she could succeed and brought that success to others too that would have had little opportunity without her help. She is a true inspiration.
I thought that this book was excellent, it is 5 stars from me for this one, it is one that I will be very highly recommending and I am really looking forward to seeing what else the Rebel Girls release now too!!
January 2, 2023
E ARC provided by Netgalley
Sarah Breedlove was born in 1867 and was the first in her family to attend school, where she flourished. When she was 8, however, her parents passed away and she had to live with an older sister who was more interested in having her help with household chores. She married young, and had a baby, Leila, but faced another challenge when her husband was lynched. She moved to St. Louis andmanaged to earn a living, but when a door to door saleswoman, Annie Turnbo, came to her door selling hair products, her life was changed. Sarah's hair had always been fragile, and she didn't have a lot of time or energy to put into caring for it, but Annie's products made such a difference that Sarah decided to work for her. She sold her products, but eventually branched out on her own. Annie then accused her of stealing her recipes, even though Sarah had changed them quite a bit. This rivalry led to Sarah moving around quite a bit to steer clear of competition. She married again, and her business became very successful. She was passionate about her products, and also about opportunities for women. She was not happy when Booker T. Washington of the National Negro Business League did not take her seriously as a business person just because she was a woman. Her daughter eventually worked with her, and Sarah, who took on the professional name of Madame C.J. Walker, became the first Black, female millionaire. Sadly, she died at the age of 52, but her legacy as an entrepreneur and civil rights advocate is impressive.
Strengths: I was a huge fan of biographies as a child, and learned so much from reading the Childhodd of Famous Americans series. This was a fast-paced, highly readable book that reminded me a bit of those biographies, but which did a better job at looking at Walker's whole life, and well as her legacy. The illustrations are in full color and are beautifully rendered; I always like a few photographs when they exist, but loved the bright colors and attractive design of these illustrations. I've liked other Rebel Girls books, like Favilli's Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Immigrant Women Who Changed the World , but this series is a little more like a fictional chapter book, perfect for readers who have to be persuaded to read nonfiction.
Weaknesses: The activities at the end are interesting, but I would also have liked to see a time line included.
What I really think: This is a great series for middle schoolers who liked the Penguin Who Was biography series but want to branch out with some lesser known women historical figures. These are a little longer and include more in depth information than Clinton's She Persisted series. I'm definitely looking into buying some of these! I don't know anything about Junko Tabei!
Sarah Breedlove was born in 1867 and was the first in her family to attend school, where she flourished. When she was 8, however, her parents passed away and she had to live with an older sister who was more interested in having her help with household chores. She married young, and had a baby, Leila, but faced another challenge when her husband was lynched. She moved to St. Louis andmanaged to earn a living, but when a door to door saleswoman, Annie Turnbo, came to her door selling hair products, her life was changed. Sarah's hair had always been fragile, and she didn't have a lot of time or energy to put into caring for it, but Annie's products made such a difference that Sarah decided to work for her. She sold her products, but eventually branched out on her own. Annie then accused her of stealing her recipes, even though Sarah had changed them quite a bit. This rivalry led to Sarah moving around quite a bit to steer clear of competition. She married again, and her business became very successful. She was passionate about her products, and also about opportunities for women. She was not happy when Booker T. Washington of the National Negro Business League did not take her seriously as a business person just because she was a woman. Her daughter eventually worked with her, and Sarah, who took on the professional name of Madame C.J. Walker, became the first Black, female millionaire. Sadly, she died at the age of 52, but her legacy as an entrepreneur and civil rights advocate is impressive.
Strengths: I was a huge fan of biographies as a child, and learned so much from reading the Childhodd of Famous Americans series. This was a fast-paced, highly readable book that reminded me a bit of those biographies, but which did a better job at looking at Walker's whole life, and well as her legacy. The illustrations are in full color and are beautifully rendered; I always like a few photographs when they exist, but loved the bright colors and attractive design of these illustrations. I've liked other Rebel Girls books, like Favilli's Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Immigrant Women Who Changed the World , but this series is a little more like a fictional chapter book, perfect for readers who have to be persuaded to read nonfiction.
Weaknesses: The activities at the end are interesting, but I would also have liked to see a time line included.
What I really think: This is a great series for middle schoolers who liked the Penguin Who Was biography series but want to branch out with some lesser known women historical figures. These are a little longer and include more in depth information than Clinton's She Persisted series. I'm definitely looking into buying some of these! I don't know anything about Junko Tabei!
February 18, 2022
"Madam C.J. Walker is my famous Hoosier in my fourth grade assignment. Although she did not live in Indiana for her entire life she did for a little while and I enjoyed rereading about her life in this book, some information I knew but some other stuff was new to me. I was supposed to be her in my wax museum presentation today but school did e-learning today instead. They will have to reschedule it, I guess." -Cadee, age 9
April 5, 2024
Suaviza bastante algunas cosas.
No puedo creer escribir esto: la película es mejor jajaja.
Las ilustraciones son majestuosas.
No puedo creer escribir esto: la película es mejor jajaja.
Las ilustraciones son majestuosas.
January 13, 2023
This is Sarah Breedlove Walker’s story. She managed to open her own business and she’s is the first female self-made millionaire! In 1919 her business was worth 6 million dollars.
Her family lived as a farmer in the cotton fields and then she moved on to being a laundress.
Her hard life didn't deny her the chance to dream and have ambitions, as she was denied an education.
So she learned to sell and created her own afro hair product that allowed afro hair to grow.
Her family lived as a farmer in the cotton fields and then she moved on to being a laundress.
Her hard life didn't deny her the chance to dream and have ambitions, as she was denied an education.
So she learned to sell and created her own afro hair product that allowed afro hair to grow.
December 30, 2022
Rebel Girls is a global brand dedicated to inspiring girls all over the world. Rebel Girls publishes a collection of illustrated awesomesauce stories of what I call: Women We Should Know. They feature creative trailblazing women and girls; perfect for children and young adults, especially of color. The latest release is about the talented Madam C.J. Walker. If you don't know about this great black wonder woman, then get settled and read further.
Madam C.J. Walker Builds a Business is just over 100 pages long but very informative. Born Sarah Breedlove in 1867, she was the first member of her family not born into slavery and to go to school. Although being a schoolgirl was short-lived, she still dreamed of possibility. Sarah lost loved ones, worked hard at multiple jobs, became a young widow and struggled with her own hair growth but never gave up the dream.
This book is perfect for any young reader needing inspiration! A surprise was the equal rights element and mention of other historical figures. The illustrations are colorful, beautiful and detailed down to the hair edges carefully tucked into bonnets. The story moves along clearly into a motivating finish with suggested activities designed to help readers brainstorm an exciting new product. There is no better book for young female entrepreneurs than the story of America's first female self-made millionaire.
Happy Early Pub Day! Madam C.J. Walker Builds a Business will be available Tuesday, January 17, 2023.
Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.
Madam C.J. Walker Builds a Business is just over 100 pages long but very informative. Born Sarah Breedlove in 1867, she was the first member of her family not born into slavery and to go to school. Although being a schoolgirl was short-lived, she still dreamed of possibility. Sarah lost loved ones, worked hard at multiple jobs, became a young widow and struggled with her own hair growth but never gave up the dream.
This book is perfect for any young reader needing inspiration! A surprise was the equal rights element and mention of other historical figures. The illustrations are colorful, beautiful and detailed down to the hair edges carefully tucked into bonnets. The story moves along clearly into a motivating finish with suggested activities designed to help readers brainstorm an exciting new product. There is no better book for young female entrepreneurs than the story of America's first female self-made millionaire.
Happy Early Pub Day! Madam C.J. Walker Builds a Business will be available Tuesday, January 17, 2023.
Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins.
December 30, 2022
Rebel Girls is a global brand dedicated to inspiring girls all over the world. Rebel Girls publishes a collection of illustrated awesomesauce stories of what I call: Women We Should Know. They feature creative trailblazing women and girls; perfect for children and young adults, especially of color. The latest release is about the talented Madam C.J. Walker. If you don't know about this great black wonder woman, then get settled and read further.
Madam C.J. Walker Builds a Business is just over 100 pages long but very informative. Born Sarah Breedlove in 1867, she was the first member of her family not born into slavery and to go to school. Although being a schoolgirl was short-lived, she still dreamed of possibility. Sarah lost loved ones, worked hard at multiple jobs, became a young widow and struggled with her own hair growth but never gave up the dream.
This book is perfect for any young reader needing inspiration! A surprise was the equal rights element and mention of other historical figures. The illustrations are colorful, beautiful and detailed down to the hair edges carefully tucked into bonnets. The story moves along clearly into a motivating finish with suggested activities designed to help readers brainstorm an exciting new product. There is no better book for young female entrepreneurs than the story of America's first female self-made millionaire.
Happy Early Pub Day! Madam C.J. Walker Builds a Business will be available Tuesday, January 17, 2023.
Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie
Madam C.J. Walker Builds a Business is just over 100 pages long but very informative. Born Sarah Breedlove in 1867, she was the first member of her family not born into slavery and to go to school. Although being a schoolgirl was short-lived, she still dreamed of possibility. Sarah lost loved ones, worked hard at multiple jobs, became a young widow and struggled with her own hair growth but never gave up the dream.
This book is perfect for any young reader needing inspiration! A surprise was the equal rights element and mention of other historical figures. The illustrations are colorful, beautiful and detailed down to the hair edges carefully tucked into bonnets. The story moves along clearly into a motivating finish with suggested activities designed to help readers brainstorm an exciting new product. There is no better book for young female entrepreneurs than the story of America's first female self-made millionaire.
Happy Early Pub Day! Madam C.J. Walker Builds a Business will be available Tuesday, January 17, 2023.
Disclaimer: An advance copy was received directly from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions are my own and would be the same if I spent my hard-earned coins. ~LiteraryMarie
January 2, 2023
This was a wonderful book! An uplifting story of the first black self made millionaire in America. It is a story of her life from a child throughout her many struggles and victories. While the book is written for young girls, it's a great read for everyone.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 4, 2020
Just, wow. What an amazing woman Sarah Breedlove Walker was! I can only imagine the kind of strength and perseverance it took to become Madam C.J. Walker. She was the first in her family to be born after slavery was abolished, but by the age of 8, she was an orphan. She went to live with her older sister and brother-in-law, and was forced to work hard, cleaning their house, cooking meals, babysitting her nephew, picking cotton, and doing laundry work in town. At age 14, she married; she gave birth to a daughter, Lelia, at 17; and was widowed at age 20, when her husband was lynched. She moved to St. Louis to be with her brothers, who owned a barbershop there. She worked hard and was able to put her daughter through college, and took night classes while her daughter was away at school. She eventually met and went to work for Annie Turnbo, a pioneer in hair products for African-American women. Soon, Sarah decided to create her own products; she moved to Denver, where one of her brothers now lived, and started experimenting with ingredients in her kitchen at night. There is so much more to the story, but you'll have to read the book to learn how she built her business empire! She did so much good for the African-American community in her time, especially for women, helping them to open their own businesses and be successful, to know that they could be powerful, and the effects of her work are still felt today.
This fictionalized biography presents the life of Sarah Breedlove Walker in a very engaging and inspiring way, and while it mentions some of the tougher subjects in her life, it does so in a way that's appropriate for intended audience. The illustrations add warmth and character to the text, and bring the words alive. Highly recommended!
#RebelGirlsSeries #NetGalley
This fictionalized biography presents the life of Sarah Breedlove Walker in a very engaging and inspiring way, and while it mentions some of the tougher subjects in her life, it does so in a way that's appropriate for intended audience. The illustrations add warmth and character to the text, and bring the words alive. Highly recommended!
#RebelGirlsSeries #NetGalley
November 10, 2019
A heavily fictionalised biography of a woman who made it big from the scurfy hair of her black compatriots in Victorian-era USA. (That's not to say it features anything that's untrue, but the everyday actions and dialogue are right out the novel genre.) It's a reasonable book, but felt rather long for me – the original Rebel Girls compilations had a lot more brevity, and while this is admittedly for a young audience, the story featured very little in the way of downswings. Only the woman's old mentor and Booker T Washington's belligerence were negatives in her relentless upward rise. Still, the background of lynching and inherent racism is accurately portrayed for the target reader.
July 21, 2023
Great! Sarah Breedlove "Madam C.J. Walker" was born in 1867 and became a self-made millionaire in the hair care industry. She went from humble beginnings on a cotton farm to a fine lady wearing diamond hairclips.
This chapter book has an engaging storyline that includes Sarah's early life, her anti-lynching activism, and chauvinistic encounters with Booker T. Washington. It has good writing and beautiful illustrations that predominantly feature various shades of orange, coral, and golden orange hues.
🍊Book Quotes:
"Moses admired how kind and eager Sarah was."
"Growing hair is like growing collard greens...We loosen the soil so that all the good nutrients can get down to the roots."
"You're pretty successful for a lady."
This chapter book has an engaging storyline that includes Sarah's early life, her anti-lynching activism, and chauvinistic encounters with Booker T. Washington. It has good writing and beautiful illustrations that predominantly feature various shades of orange, coral, and golden orange hues.
🍊Book Quotes:
"Moses admired how kind and eager Sarah was."
"Growing hair is like growing collard greens...We loosen the soil so that all the good nutrients can get down to the roots."
"You're pretty successful for a lady."
December 27, 2022
A really fascinating story of Madam CJ Walker, the first person in her family to not be born a slave. After working in a multilevel marketing hair care business for a hair care product for black hair, she thought she could make her own better formula. She became what is considered the first self-made black millionaire. Her story is incredible and Rebel Girls always gets it right!
Thanks to netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
Thanks to netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!
July 21, 2020
An easy chapter book next step after the Little People, Big Dream series. This captured the spirit of Sarah Breedlove Walker, added bright and eye-catching illustrations, and included a respectable afterward with additional information.
Reminds me of why I loved American Girl books in elementary school.
Reminds me of why I loved American Girl books in elementary school.
July 16, 2021
The story of how one woman (born Sarah Breedlove and later known as Madam C.J. Walker) became the first female self-made millionaire by developing and teaching women about hair care for Black women.
I am blown away by everything I did not know in this book which is to say I knew nothing. Though Sarah Breedlove's original company shut down in 1981 but was relaunched by Sundial in 2016. I think this book is worth a read for anyone who's interested in history, hair, or bad-ass women.
I am blown away by everything I did not know in this book which is to say I knew nothing. Though Sarah Breedlove's original company shut down in 1981 but was relaunched by Sundial in 2016. I think this book is worth a read for anyone who's interested in history, hair, or bad-ass women.
May 29, 2022
we stan inspirational women
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January 13, 2022Lo leí en una hora y media, es muy atrapante y por momentos sentí esa pasión que transmite Madam C.J Walker. Te dan ganas de emprender, de empoderarse con lo que uno ama y enseña. Mucho enseña y te hace valorar.
April 6, 2020
Pero la puta madre que angustiante todo
January 1, 2020
*Thanks to PRH Audio for the free review audiobook!*
So much admiration for Sarah/Madam C.J. Walker! I wasn't aware about her story and wow, what an inspirtion. After so many hardships, starting with losing her parents at such a young age, I just love how much she worked hard to give her daughter the life she deserved. So when she starts losing her hair out heartbreak, stress, and life struggles, she invents her own solution to make her hair grow back, and eventually opens a successful business. Love it!
Oh! And the narrator is amazing, so it was overall such a good listen!
So much admiration for Sarah/Madam C.J. Walker! I wasn't aware about her story and wow, what an inspirtion. After so many hardships, starting with losing her parents at such a young age, I just love how much she worked hard to give her daughter the life she deserved. So when she starts losing her hair out heartbreak, stress, and life struggles, she invents her own solution to make her hair grow back, and eventually opens a successful business. Love it!
Oh! And the narrator is amazing, so it was overall such a good listen!
January 1, 2020
Love the perspective and character built throughout the book.
December 14, 2022
This new Middle Grade series is one that you will definitely need to watch out for! Rebel Girls have come out with a fantastic new set of chapter books about women from the past who stood up for rights, fought for change and made a difference in their communities. These chapter books are about 100 pages long, and include multiple full and part page illustrations per chapter. The text is a really good size and is well spaced. The language used is relatively easy to comprehend and is written in narrative form rather than using non-fiction text features. In a way, these books are somewhere between a picture book biography and an early chapter book historical fiction. Between the pictures and the narrative text it will be much facilitate comprehension and keep readers interested. They are super cool and I can definitely think of Middle Grade (Grades 3-7) students who would love these books! There are also fun activities at the end of the book meant to empower and inspire readers to dig deeper, ask questions and learn more about the ideas in the story.
In Madam C J Walker Builds a Business, readers will learn about a Black woman who was a pioneer in the field of hair care products for women of colour. The first person in her family not born as a slave, Sarah was caught in a world that was slowly changing but still extremely dangerous for people of colour. Still, she worked extremely hard and was able to build an amazing business that would be worth millions in present day currency. She also led the way for new treatments and beliefs about hair care and helped many Black women gain confidence, self esteem and healthy skin and hair! Her legacy lives on both in the hair and beauty industry and in the entrepreneur and business sector as well. Her estate is still supporting new entrepreneurs to this day! I think that girls who want to learn more about People of Colour and human rights advocates from the past will love to learn more about this trailblazer and the challenges she faced as a Black woman in her time period.
I would highly recommend this book to parents and teachers of Middle Grade readers looking for chapter books that feature inspiring women, teach about history and business and focus on human rights. I will definitely be purchasing this series when it is published so that I can add it to my classroom library! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book!
In Madam C J Walker Builds a Business, readers will learn about a Black woman who was a pioneer in the field of hair care products for women of colour. The first person in her family not born as a slave, Sarah was caught in a world that was slowly changing but still extremely dangerous for people of colour. Still, she worked extremely hard and was able to build an amazing business that would be worth millions in present day currency. She also led the way for new treatments and beliefs about hair care and helped many Black women gain confidence, self esteem and healthy skin and hair! Her legacy lives on both in the hair and beauty industry and in the entrepreneur and business sector as well. Her estate is still supporting new entrepreneurs to this day! I think that girls who want to learn more about People of Colour and human rights advocates from the past will love to learn more about this trailblazer and the challenges she faced as a Black woman in her time period.
I would highly recommend this book to parents and teachers of Middle Grade readers looking for chapter books that feature inspiring women, teach about history and business and focus on human rights. I will definitely be purchasing this series when it is published so that I can add it to my classroom library! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for giving me the chance to read and review this book!
December 20, 2022
Sarah Breedlove, the last child in a large family, was the first born after the end of slavery and the first child to attend school. But her dreams of education end when Louisiana shuts down the school for Black children after just three months. When Sarah’s parents die unexpectedly, she moves in with her sister and unkind brother-in-law.
Despite hardships, Sarah’s hope for a better future stays within her. She marries a kind man, and they have a daughter together. When white men lynch her husband, Moses, Sarah travels north with her toddler and figures out a way to survive by doing laundry.
Finally, when her daughter Lelia goes away to college, Sarah returns to school and learns all about math, reading, and bookkeeping. She also volunteers at an organization dedicated to helping poor Black people, where she discovers her powers of business and fundraising.
When a saleswoman and entrepreneur, Annie Turnbo, knocks on her door offering to sell her a special shampoo, Sarah feels skeptical. But Annie offers to use the product on Sarah right then and there. For the first time, Sarah experiences a product designed for a person like her—a Black woman with kinky hair. Annie’s product eventually heals Sarah’s scalp and produces soft hair.
Sarah joins Annie’s hair-product business and eventually decides to branch out independently. When she moved to Colorado, Sarah spent hundreds of hours perfecting her own hair-care product and creating a business plan to start her own business. Her dreams and hard work eventually come together to help her build a hair-care empire and make her the first Black woman millionaire.
Why I Loved this Book
Along the way, Sarah faces plenty of adversity—from society, an unkind brother-in-law, a former employer, a President of the United States, and even the famous Booker T. Washington. Readers will cheer for Sarah as she keeps her dignity while fighting against injustices. During her short life, Sarah Breedlove Walker does more to uplift Black women than any other individual during her lifetime.
Girls will enjoy the story of a strong woman who uses her talents to help those around her—even if it means rebelling against societal expectations. Bright illustrations keep readers’ attention, and the back of the book contains resources for budding entrepreneurs.
Librarians, teachers, parents, and grandparents will want to add this book to their collections for younger readers.
Despite hardships, Sarah’s hope for a better future stays within her. She marries a kind man, and they have a daughter together. When white men lynch her husband, Moses, Sarah travels north with her toddler and figures out a way to survive by doing laundry.
Finally, when her daughter Lelia goes away to college, Sarah returns to school and learns all about math, reading, and bookkeeping. She also volunteers at an organization dedicated to helping poor Black people, where she discovers her powers of business and fundraising.
When a saleswoman and entrepreneur, Annie Turnbo, knocks on her door offering to sell her a special shampoo, Sarah feels skeptical. But Annie offers to use the product on Sarah right then and there. For the first time, Sarah experiences a product designed for a person like her—a Black woman with kinky hair. Annie’s product eventually heals Sarah’s scalp and produces soft hair.
Sarah joins Annie’s hair-product business and eventually decides to branch out independently. When she moved to Colorado, Sarah spent hundreds of hours perfecting her own hair-care product and creating a business plan to start her own business. Her dreams and hard work eventually come together to help her build a hair-care empire and make her the first Black woman millionaire.
Why I Loved this Book
Along the way, Sarah faces plenty of adversity—from society, an unkind brother-in-law, a former employer, a President of the United States, and even the famous Booker T. Washington. Readers will cheer for Sarah as she keeps her dignity while fighting against injustices. During her short life, Sarah Breedlove Walker does more to uplift Black women than any other individual during her lifetime.
Girls will enjoy the story of a strong woman who uses her talents to help those around her—even if it means rebelling against societal expectations. Bright illustrations keep readers’ attention, and the back of the book contains resources for budding entrepreneurs.
Librarians, teachers, parents, and grandparents will want to add this book to their collections for younger readers.
January 12, 2023
Madam C. J. Walker Builds A Business by Denene Millner and Rebel Girls
This book focuses on Sarah Breedlove (aka Madam C. J. Walker). She was quite the amazing person! She was the first person in her family not born into slavery. She was also the first person to go to school in her family, even if it was only for a short amount of time. She learned the importance of education and made sure to send her daughter to a good school and then went to night school herself. It was once she met Annie Trunbo that her life changed forever. Annie had a hair care product that could help regrow hair! It was really a scalp treatment, but Sarah became a representative for Annie and sold her products. Eventually Sarah thought she could make a better product and went out on her own. She moved to Denver and experimented with different ingredients until she found the perfect mixture. She offered demonstrations and started going by Madam C. J. Walker as it had more of a mysterious feel to it which drew people in. Sarah’s husband and daughter (who went to a beauty college) started helping with the business. Eventually they were the number one hair care product for black women in the US and had distribution centers around the country. She also offered classes and helped women have the skills they needed to set up their own salons, in which they would sell her products. Sarah was also the first woman to be a self-made millionaire in the United States. She truly was and still is an inspiration for any woman, regardless of background, who wants to start her own business. Sarah faced many obstacles including racial discrimination and sexist behavior from male entrepreneurs, but that never stopped her from reaching her goals! She truly was an inspirational business pioneer of her time! Even now her mansion is owned by an organization who helps women become entrepreneurs!
I would like to thank NetGalley, Rebel Girls, and Denene Millner for allowing me to read this advanced copy of Madam C. J. Walker Builds A Business. I would also like to mention that the illustrations in this book by Salini Perera were great! They were very vibrant and helped enhance the story! I also enjoyed that the back of the book had activities to practice your business skills. I would definitely recommend this book to young and/or aspiring entrepreneurs!
This book focuses on Sarah Breedlove (aka Madam C. J. Walker). She was quite the amazing person! She was the first person in her family not born into slavery. She was also the first person to go to school in her family, even if it was only for a short amount of time. She learned the importance of education and made sure to send her daughter to a good school and then went to night school herself. It was once she met Annie Trunbo that her life changed forever. Annie had a hair care product that could help regrow hair! It was really a scalp treatment, but Sarah became a representative for Annie and sold her products. Eventually Sarah thought she could make a better product and went out on her own. She moved to Denver and experimented with different ingredients until she found the perfect mixture. She offered demonstrations and started going by Madam C. J. Walker as it had more of a mysterious feel to it which drew people in. Sarah’s husband and daughter (who went to a beauty college) started helping with the business. Eventually they were the number one hair care product for black women in the US and had distribution centers around the country. She also offered classes and helped women have the skills they needed to set up their own salons, in which they would sell her products. Sarah was also the first woman to be a self-made millionaire in the United States. She truly was and still is an inspiration for any woman, regardless of background, who wants to start her own business. Sarah faced many obstacles including racial discrimination and sexist behavior from male entrepreneurs, but that never stopped her from reaching her goals! She truly was an inspirational business pioneer of her time! Even now her mansion is owned by an organization who helps women become entrepreneurs!
I would like to thank NetGalley, Rebel Girls, and Denene Millner for allowing me to read this advanced copy of Madam C. J. Walker Builds A Business. I would also like to mention that the illustrations in this book by Salini Perera were great! They were very vibrant and helped enhance the story! I also enjoyed that the back of the book had activities to practice your business skills. I would definitely recommend this book to young and/or aspiring entrepreneurs!
October 20, 2020
My daughter Penelope just turned ten last week. Over this past week, we’ve been enjoying reading about Madame C.J. Walker in the evenings together. Madame C.J. Walker, or Sarah Breedlove, was the first female self-made millionaire in the United States. She came up with hair products for African American women, manufactured them, and taught women to sell her products door to door. I had never heard of Madame C.J. Walker until I heard a podcast about her on History Chicks. Netflix had a great series about her this year as well that my husband and I enjoyed. It was fun to learn more about her with my daughter.
Penelope and I enjoyed this book. She in particular liked how Madame C.J. Walker made products for hair and had salons that styled hair. She also liked the relationship between Madame C.J. Walker and her daughter. This book made Penelope question what lynching was and prompted a good discussion. Madame C.J. Walker’s first husband was lynched leaving her a young widow. Later in life, she worked on a variety of philanthropic works to empower African American people including working towards ending lynching. I was sad to realize we still don’t have the anti-lynching law at the federal level that she worked towards.
This book has great pictures and an engaging story. We loved it. I also love learning about history that was not part of history class.
Favorite quote: "I came from the cotton fields of the South. I was promoted from there to the washtub. Then to the kitchen and from there I promoted myself into the manufacturing business. I have built my own factory on my own ground. I am not ashamed of my roots, and they don't make me any less of a lady. I know how to grow hair as well as I know how to grow cotton."
Overall, Madam C.J. Walker is a great book for kids to learn about great diverse people in our history.
Book Source: Purchased from Amazon.com
This review was originally posted on my blog at: https://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2020...
Penelope and I enjoyed this book. She in particular liked how Madame C.J. Walker made products for hair and had salons that styled hair. She also liked the relationship between Madame C.J. Walker and her daughter. This book made Penelope question what lynching was and prompted a good discussion. Madame C.J. Walker’s first husband was lynched leaving her a young widow. Later in life, she worked on a variety of philanthropic works to empower African American people including working towards ending lynching. I was sad to realize we still don’t have the anti-lynching law at the federal level that she worked towards.
This book has great pictures and an engaging story. We loved it. I also love learning about history that was not part of history class.
Favorite quote: "I came from the cotton fields of the South. I was promoted from there to the washtub. Then to the kitchen and from there I promoted myself into the manufacturing business. I have built my own factory on my own ground. I am not ashamed of my roots, and they don't make me any less of a lady. I know how to grow hair as well as I know how to grow cotton."
Overall, Madam C.J. Walker is a great book for kids to learn about great diverse people in our history.
Book Source: Purchased from Amazon.com
This review was originally posted on my blog at: https://lauragerold.blogspot.com/2020...
July 10, 2023
What can I say? I like this publisher!
In this book we follow the incredible story of Sarah Breedlove, the first female self-made millionare in America.
The youngest of five brothers and sisters, she was the first of her family to be born out of slavery. At that time racism was still pleaguing America (well, it sadly still does), with lynching yet to be considered a crime.
Sarah's life will revolve around empowering herself and other Black women, and her legacy will still hold strong years after she passes away, in 1919.
In this book we follow her progress as an activist, an entrepreneur, and a philanthropist. There is little this woman hasn't done for her family and her community.
I liked more than just discovering what this world record holder did, I liked the social issues that it briefly touches, managing not to interrupt the narrative flow at the same time.
The first being what was already mentioned: lynching was still going unpunished. Towards the end of the book it's said that she partecipated in the protest of 1917 to eradicate this practice, but we'll need to wait till as far as 2022 for it to become law.
Another discrimination highlighted by the book is how straight hair were seen as beautiful and "normal" between White people, compared to afro-textured hair. This social injustice persists today still, and it rampaged after the abolition of slavery in the United States as yet another attempt to put Black people in an inferior position compared to the White folks.
Taking this information into account, I find unclear the fact that Sarah uses the therm "kinky" to describe her own hair - it was considered a slur with which White people expressed disapproval towards afro-textured hair. Being Denene Millner an accomplished African-American author, I can only assume that it's use was for the purpose of historical accuracy, or as a reappropriation of the word.
I also find it troublesome that at some point in the book, the author states: "The flakes of dandruff practically disappeared, and so did the embarassing bald spots." I guess Millner was going for a subjective point of view, talking on Sarah's behalf, but it also runs the risk of perpetuating harmful beauty standards.
It's historically accurate and sad that as much as Sarah and Leila are disgusted by a hair product claiming straight hair is the perfect style, it will be no other than Sarah the one to wide the teeth of the hot comb, a tool used to straighten afro-textured hair.
They did a great job as always illustrating the life of a successful woman, and I thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a copy of their book in exchange for an honest review.
In this book we follow the incredible story of Sarah Breedlove, the first female self-made millionare in America.
The youngest of five brothers and sisters, she was the first of her family to be born out of slavery. At that time racism was still pleaguing America (well, it sadly still does), with lynching yet to be considered a crime.
Sarah's life will revolve around empowering herself and other Black women, and her legacy will still hold strong years after she passes away, in 1919.
In this book we follow her progress as an activist, an entrepreneur, and a philanthropist. There is little this woman hasn't done for her family and her community.
I liked more than just discovering what this world record holder did, I liked the social issues that it briefly touches, managing not to interrupt the narrative flow at the same time.
The first being what was already mentioned: lynching was still going unpunished. Towards the end of the book it's said that she partecipated in the protest of 1917 to eradicate this practice, but we'll need to wait till as far as 2022 for it to become law.
Another discrimination highlighted by the book is how straight hair were seen as beautiful and "normal" between White people, compared to afro-textured hair. This social injustice persists today still, and it rampaged after the abolition of slavery in the United States as yet another attempt to put Black people in an inferior position compared to the White folks.
Taking this information into account, I find unclear the fact that Sarah uses the therm "kinky" to describe her own hair - it was considered a slur with which White people expressed disapproval towards afro-textured hair. Being Denene Millner an accomplished African-American author, I can only assume that it's use was for the purpose of historical accuracy, or as a reappropriation of the word.
I also find it troublesome that at some point in the book, the author states: "The flakes of dandruff practically disappeared, and so did the embarassing bald spots." I guess Millner was going for a subjective point of view, talking on Sarah's behalf, but it also runs the risk of perpetuating harmful beauty standards.
It's historically accurate and sad that as much as Sarah and Leila are disgusted by a hair product claiming straight hair is the perfect style, it will be no other than Sarah the one to wide the teeth of the hot comb, a tool used to straighten afro-textured hair.
They did a great job as always illustrating the life of a successful woman, and I thank NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for a copy of their book in exchange for an honest review.
"We love America. It's time America loves us back."
January 2, 2023
Long live the Rebel Girls! I am in love with the series. Not only does it tell fascinating stories, in completely accessible yet engaging language, but it focuses on phenomenal women that are not usually spotlighted in history.
As a teacher who has worked most of her career in inner city schools with primarily minority students, this book made me cry. FINALLY there are some inspirational stories being published about heroes of all colors, shapes, sizes, and ethnicities.
I was fortunate enough to have my students teach ME about Madam CJ Walker because I had certainly never learned about her in my school years. She is an inspiration for everyone and yet largely ignored in most public school systems. Now, she is getting some of the spotlight she deserves.
For all the young women out there, especially (but certainly not limited to) those interested in entrepreneurship (and, if they don't know what that means, this is the perfect introduction!), Madam CJ Walker is an inspiration. But, sadly, most classes don't talk about her, nor her contributions to the business world, much less her rags-to-riches story.
Although most of the Rebel Girls books are too young for my middle and high school students, I will still purchase each and every one and include it on my classroom shelves. (This is in addition to the entire series I will purchase for my infant niece and best friends' kids!)
Keep it up Rebel Girls... you've got a rebel fan base that will just keep growing!
Thank you to NetGalley and Rebel Girls for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.
As a teacher who has worked most of her career in inner city schools with primarily minority students, this book made me cry. FINALLY there are some inspirational stories being published about heroes of all colors, shapes, sizes, and ethnicities.
I was fortunate enough to have my students teach ME about Madam CJ Walker because I had certainly never learned about her in my school years. She is an inspiration for everyone and yet largely ignored in most public school systems. Now, she is getting some of the spotlight she deserves.
For all the young women out there, especially (but certainly not limited to) those interested in entrepreneurship (and, if they don't know what that means, this is the perfect introduction!), Madam CJ Walker is an inspiration. But, sadly, most classes don't talk about her, nor her contributions to the business world, much less her rags-to-riches story.
Although most of the Rebel Girls books are too young for my middle and high school students, I will still purchase each and every one and include it on my classroom shelves. (This is in addition to the entire series I will purchase for my infant niece and best friends' kids!)
Keep it up Rebel Girls... you've got a rebel fan base that will just keep growing!
Thank you to NetGalley and Rebel Girls for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinions.
January 6, 2023
I didn't know anything about Madam C.J. Walker before reading this book. Now I want to know more.
This was a great read. I love how amazing Sarah Breedlove Walker (Madam C.J. Walker) is. I think that anyone reading this book can find so many interesting things to take away.
What I love most about this book is that it is not a typical children's biography. So many series write about the same people. This book is refreshing. As a teacher, I can find so many themes in Walker's life that are relatable to my students. I also like that at the end of the book there is an activity that students can do as a "final project" after reading the book. The activity goes well with the book and helps students reflect on Walker's life and relate it to their own lives and ideas.
The reason that I give this book a 4 instead of a 5 are the time jumps. I understand that time jumps are necessary because it is a biography for kids. I would have liked some dates or more information as to how old Walker is at the time so that I could understand her life better. It doesn't take anything away from the story not to have a timeframe or age reference. It may be more of something that an adult would notice and not a child reading the book.
I recommend this to all readers. Everyone should know this uplifting story.
This was a great read. I love how amazing Sarah Breedlove Walker (Madam C.J. Walker) is. I think that anyone reading this book can find so many interesting things to take away.
What I love most about this book is that it is not a typical children's biography. So many series write about the same people. This book is refreshing. As a teacher, I can find so many themes in Walker's life that are relatable to my students. I also like that at the end of the book there is an activity that students can do as a "final project" after reading the book. The activity goes well with the book and helps students reflect on Walker's life and relate it to their own lives and ideas.
The reason that I give this book a 4 instead of a 5 are the time jumps. I understand that time jumps are necessary because it is a biography for kids. I would have liked some dates or more information as to how old Walker is at the time so that I could understand her life better. It doesn't take anything away from the story not to have a timeframe or age reference. It may be more of something that an adult would notice and not a child reading the book.
I recommend this to all readers. Everyone should know this uplifting story.
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