Louisiana Belle: A Snippet of the Life of Madam C.J. Walker

PreS-Gr 2—"Snippet" is too generous a word to describe the biographical element of this brief picture book. Madam C.J. Walker, the first self-made female millionaire in the US, earned her fortune selling hair products and very generously donated her money to promote education and community enrichment. That is the extent of the information to be gleaned from this work. Casteal presents only 10 distinct facts about Walker, interwoven with inspirational messages about altruism and natural beauty. The digital illustrations only add confusion: they present Walker, who narrates, as a young girl in modern clothes surrounded by a diverse cast in modern settings. While the characters and their interactions celebrate diversity and the leadership of an African American girl, they do not portray the real Walker's experience as a black entrepreneur, woman, and activist at the turn of the 20th century. The disconnect between this cutesy modern portrayal and her real story is jarring and diminishes her truly inspirational legacy. One photo of the real Walker is included on the last page, but with no label or caption it is not linked to the story in any meaningful way. Without a list of sources, recommended further reading, or a chronological or biographical summary of Walker's life, it is not appropriate to characterize this work as a biography.