Vision of Beauty: The Story of Sarah Breedlove Walker

Critical Review: In this picture book, Lasky creates an exciting story of a woman who overcomes the odds without forgetting her past and how she got to where she is. Lasky is able to do this by portraying Madame Walker as a real character with issues and struggles with which many readers may be able to relate. The illustrations by Bennett are beautiful and add to the story by capturing the essence of Madame Walker and her product line. Bennett's pictures are realistic and enchanting. In the author's letter, Lasky admits that she had to "fill in" some of the gaps left by her research. She does this exceedingly well in that the entire story seems possible. Though there were some gaps, Lasky based as much of the story as possible on research, some of which was from a first hand account by Walker's great-granddaughter. This book is about a minority group which is not stereo-typed by either the author or the illustrator. Overall, this book is very enjoyable and brings out some really great points. It will be surprising if the book does not win an award such as the Coretta Scott King, Caldecott, or Newbery.

Curriculum Connections: The possible curriculum connections in this book are numerous. One obvious connection is history. Lasky points out the racial and gender discrimination of the time. Connections can be made both to the Civil Rights Movement and the Women's Suffrage Movement. Another connection is in the field of science. Walker uses herbs and oils in her hair products. Students can examine the qualities of such herbs and check out how many are used in different types of products today. A third connection is climate. Lasky points out the different types of weather that Walker experiences as she moves from region to region around the US. Students can check out weather patterns that exist in different areas of the world. A final connection can be made in geography because Walker moves around the country so much.


A wonderful biography of Madame C.J. Walker!   July 2, 2000
12 out of 12 found this review helpful

This is a partially fictionalized account of Sarah Breedlove, a young impoverished girl born free just after slavery who grew up and became inventor of hair-care products for Black women. She owned and operated her own business and became financially successful. She renamed herself and her business Madame C.J. Walker. With her business acumen she soon became one of the richest women of her time. Though she lived lavishly, she was a great philanthropher of her people, giving of her time and money to charities for the betterment of the African-American race.

She employed a large number of Black women to promote and sell her products, thereby giving women an opportunity to have a profession that gave them pride and economic freedom.

The author grasps the blatant racism of the times without being depressing about it. She also captures the spirit of Madame Walker, an uneducated sharecropper who had a dream and achieved it.

The text is well illustrated with watercolor and pencil drawings in soft colors. This book would be a good addition to a school library collection for browsers and report writers alike.


Excellent black history biography   February 23, 2007
Ann Sykes (St. Louis, MO USA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful

I really enjoyed sharing this book with my class. I am a primary teacher and I thought that the storyline and facts given were appropriate to share with young children. She is a person in african american history who all should admire for her courage and tenacity.


Woman of Vision   March 23, 2008
B. A. Smith (Snake River Plain of Idaho)
The pictures are beautiful. The story thoughtfully written. More importantly, the book's message of hope, hard work, and loyalty comes through loud and clear. As a business woman, Sarah (Madame CC) was not only supportive to her sisters "of color" she was loyal to the community in which she lived. We all have "brothers and sisters" we can reach out to and help. It's a message needed in today's world.


Rutgers University Project on Economics and Children   January 9, 2010
Yana V. Rodgers (New Brunswick, NJ)
Sarah Breedlove Walker, one of the wealthiest women in the United States and owner of the largest black-owned company during the early 1900s, started her life in extreme poverty. A child of former slaves who worked as sharecroppers in the South, Sarah spent long, grueling hours helping her family by carrying water, picking cotton, pushing a plow, and digging potatoes. Getting an education was hampered not only by the demands of farm life, but also by terrifying acts of violence committed by the Ku Klux Klan and witnessed firsthand by Sarah.

As a young adult, Sarah despaired at the toll that an inadequate diet and hard labor had taken on her hair, which was so brittle that she had started to go bald. Inspired by the air of confidence surrounding role models such as Margaret Washington, wife of Booker T., Sarah began working with natural ingredients to develop hair care products designed specifically for the needs of black women. Not only did she develop an innovative line of beauty products, she also created a highly successful company the Madam C. J. Walker Manufacturing Company and she became a leading philanthropist.

This carefully-researched book gets top marks for shining the spotlight on one of the most influential U.S. business leaders who made her riches despite the institutionalized discrimination she faced at the time against women and against blacks. The stunning illustrations work extremely well in adding to the emotional and historical context. Parents and teachers seeking to teach children about entrepreneurship will value this biographical work.