Madam C. J. Walker Builds a Business

ENGAGED COMMUNITY - Thanks to a supportive and active global community, Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls broke crowdfunding records. Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls 2 followed in 2017, and broke the record set by the first, making the series the highest funded publishing project in crowdfunding history. Since publication, the books have sold over 7 million copies, have been translated into 49 languages, and are available worldwide. The Rebel Girls community counts on us to tell stories that help every girl in the world dream bigger, aim higher, and fight harder.

NETFLIX PRODUCTION - Netflix premiered a limited series on Madam C.J. Walker’s remarkable life, starring Oscar winner Octavia Spencer and produced by LeBron James.

DIVERSITY - Just 9% of children’s books published in the US in 2017 featured African or African American characters — according to data from the Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC). The stories that children read at a young age tell them how to view themselves in the world and informs their hopes and dreams. Madam C.J. Walker is an important, historic example of triumph, particularly in the US where approximately 50% of public elementary and secondary school children are from diverse backgrounds.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP – Female entrepreneurship is having a moment. Modern technology makes it easier for women entrepreneurs to play a more active role globally. Books about entrepreneurs, and entrepreneurial types, can instill lessons about the hard work, creativity, and determination it takes to translate a vision into a reality. Biographical works help kids in this age range learn about the lives of people who struck out on their own, and in the process, broadens the notion of what it is to be entrepreneurial.

BONUS ACTIVITIES - The book includes educational exercises and challenges for the young reader to start thinking about their own future in business.

FULL COLOR ILLUSTRATION - Unlike most chapter books for this age range, this title incorporates full-color illustrations by Salini Perera. These depict Madam C.J. Walker at all ages, as well as the American Reconstruction Era, Madam C.J. Walker’s marvelous beauty ads, and a number of settings that Madam C.J. traveled to when marketing her products.