Awards

• Children's Book Committee at Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year
• Eureka! Children's Book Award

Overview

Forgotten today, Annie Turnbo Malone was an influential Black business leader in the early 20th century. She turned her personally developed hair care products into a successful industry, including schools that taught the Poro method in her Poro Colleges. One of her students was the much more famous Madame C.J. Walker. She not only encouraged Black women to feel good about their hair, she showed them how to be entrepreneurs. Annie Turnbo Malone is an inspiring model and an important part of women’s history and Black history who deserves to be better known. Wonderful Hair is a Eureka Silver Medal winner.

Full Product Details

9781954354104

Table of Contents

Reviews

For women of color, Western hair care has been historically problematic. Hair care companies ignored their needs, sending them to find their own solutions. Annie Malone, who loved styling hair, was one such woman; when she found that the treatments her clients were using were damaging their hair and scalps, she went to her aunt, an herb doctor, for help. Aunt Mary devised a formula that became the basis for hair products; Malone herself experimented with other products from the pharmacy, then offered training on hairstyling and other beauty treatments. She also started and ran a beauty school. This lovely picture book biography covers this story with beautiful representations of Black women to help readers fully understand the journey of this entrepreneur and her message. In addition to an author's note, there is a time line and a short bibliography for readers who want to know more. Readers will enjoy learning about the creativity and persistence of this early 20th-century businesswoman, who not only trained Madame C.J. Walker, another self-made millionaire, but made her money first. Gorgeous paintings of industry and determination, set to a story of a practical young woman who wanted people to feel good about themselves and was a pioneer of natural Black hair care products, this is a good choice for the elementary biography section.--starred, School Library Journal -- Journal (11/1/2022 12:00:00 AM)

""Marshall's illustrations, a mosaic of rich colors, skillfully complement the text and convey the feel of the period while capturing Annie's passion and the dignity of the women depicted. A rousing blueprint for economic self-determination and success.""—Kirkus Reviews ""Gorgeous paintings of industry and determination, set to a story of a practical young woman who wanted people to feel good about themselves and was a pioneer of natural Black hair care products, this is a good choice for the elementary biography section.""—starred, School Library Journal

Author Information

Eve Nadel Catarevas enjoys discovering little-known historical figures and sharing their achievements with others.  Eve lives in Westport, Connecticut, with two- and four-legged family members. Felicia Marshall draws on her childhood experiences in rural Texas for her illustrations. Her most recent book, Beautiful Shades of Brown, was an NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book, a Eureka Honor Book, and won the Northern Lights Book Award.

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