What do you think?
Rate this book
Work It, Girl
Run the Show Like CEO Oprah Winfrey
A new series of empowering biographies featuring modern women.
When Oprah Winfrey was a little girl, she watched her grandma hang clothes out on the line. Oprah adored her grandma, but she knew in that moment her life would be different... And she was right.
Discover how Oprah became a billionaire CEO and media mogul in this true story of her life. Then, learn 10 key lessons from her work you can apply to your own life. Featuring inspiring quotes and mantras, this is a book for all kids wanting to forge their own career path
When Oprah Winfrey was a little girl, she watched her grandma hang clothes out on the line. Oprah adored her grandma, but she knew in that moment her life would be different... And she was right.
Discover how Oprah became a billionaire CEO and media mogul in this true story of her life. Then, learn 10 key lessons from her work you can apply to your own life. Featuring inspiring quotes and mantras, this is a book for all kids wanting to forge their own career path
64 pages, Hardcover
Published March 5, 2019
1 person is currently reading
57 people want to read
About the author
Caroline Moss
10 books43 followersCaroline Moss is a writer whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Cosmopolitan, New York Magazine, Racked and more. She is a contributing editor of The Wing's No Man's Land magazine and is currently working on two new books. HEY LADIES! is her first book.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
April 27, 2019
4.5★
“Oprah was made fun of by other kids for being a poor black girl who wore potato sack dresses. They called her ‘sack girl’. . . It was hard to make friends when you were sack girl.”
This is part of a new series about empowering women in the modern world. It’s not a children’s picture book but a simple biography with interesting collage (I think) artwork and a few photographs to illustrate her story.
There’s plenty of detail and many references at the end for those who would like to know more about what inspired Oprah and kept her going. And by golly, she needed determination to grow from Sack Girl to one of the most influential women in America.
Illustration of Oprah as a little girl in her sack dress with her corncob doll
Born to a teen-aged mother, Oprah was raised largely by grandmother Hattie Mae, who worked as a maid.
Illustration of Oprah’s only photo of her grandmother who had dreams for her
Oprah loved reading and writing, but especially talking, and the ladies in their church called her the little preacher and said she was gifted.
“Hattie Mae would tell Oprah that she should hope to grow up to work for some 'good white folks' who would sometimes spare her leftovers from their dinner table. . .
‘I regret my grandmother did not live to see I’ve got some good white folks working for me,’ Oprah would say, decades later.”
When she was a little older, she was sent to be with her mother in Milwaukee, but her half-sister, Patricia, was lighter-skinned and favoured, so Oprah was put on the porch to sleep. To say she and her mother fought is an understatement. According to the book, she was not an easy teen!
When she was 14, she was sent to Tennessee to live with her father, who was not only strict, he made her read a book a week and write a report on it. Ring any bells with you Oprah’s Book Club fans? https://www.oprahmag.com/entertainmen...
Photo of Oprah in high school
Then came the real eye-opener – I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou and after reading about a girl like herself, Oprah was ready to tackle anything.
Illustration of Oprah reading and breaking free of her cage
She entered and won a speaking competition (always a good talker!) and a four-year scholarship to the University of Tennessee.
Photo of Oprah with her trophy
She went on to radio in Nashville and Baltimore, where she had many setbacks, but she stuck to it and refused to give up. She also gained her lifelong best friend, Gayle King, which made Baltimore worth the misery.
Illustration about meeting challenges
When she got a job in Chicago hosting a morning talk show, she felt she was home. Chicago has always felt like home she says, and the public loved her.
“She was humble, she was funny, and viewers loved funny. They craved funny. They weren’t getting funny from any other morning show.”
She acted! She won an Academy Award nomination for the Stephen Spielberg movie The Colour Purple, and the public loved that too.
“And the viewers kept coming back for more. Oprah was like a friend that everyone wanted to sit with at lunch—not because they wore the best clothes or had the most money—but because she was a good listener, a good speaker, and helped you understand, learn, and care about things. . .
Oprah started inviting people with different views to come and talk to her, which helped people at home have those same conversations with their families and friends.”
Illustration of Tom Cruise leaping onto the couch and of the Obamas talking to Oprah
That’s all well and good, but she wanted to do more. She’d been giving prizes away to the audience, but she knew how much poverty there was and what challenges there were for girls everywhere. She began her charities, founded schools, and supported students everywhere.
When she decided in 2010 to retire, the producers wouldn’t let her manage the grand finale. As a surprise, they brought back many past guests. But there wouldn’t have been a dry eye in the house when this happened.
“It wasn’t the celebrities that made the finale so special to Oprah, however, even though it was fun to see her friends. The most touching moment of all was when 400 Morehouse College graduates walked on stage. These 400 men had their college educations funded by Oprah. She stepped in because none of these boys would have been able to afford to go to college. Now they came back to thank her, and walked on stage as Kristin Chenowith sang ‘For Good’ from her Broadway show, ‘Wicked’.
Illustration of “The happiness you feel is in direct proportion to the love you give.”
Disclaimer: I saw several of Oprah’s shows over the years, but I was not a regular viewer. I was, however, struck by how natural she always appeared, happy to be self-deprecating and quick to give others credit where she might have claimed it herself. I reckon she is one of the good guys and this is an excellent book from this new series.
It's easy for young people, interesting for anyone, and even includes 10 key lessons from Oprah’s life at the end. They certainly worked for her!
Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing – Frances Lincoln Children’s Books for the preview copy from which I’ve quoted and copied illustrations.
P.S. For anyone who’s read this far and wants to know more, here’s a link to my old pal Roger Ebert’s story of how he helped Oprah get her start. .(The bragging tone is meant in good fun, I'm sure) His work is always entertaining, and this is no exception. Meeting Roger in Baltimore is another good thing to come out of that part of her life.
https://www.rogerebert.com/rogers-jou...
“Oprah was made fun of by other kids for being a poor black girl who wore potato sack dresses. They called her ‘sack girl’. . . It was hard to make friends when you were sack girl.”
This is part of a new series about empowering women in the modern world. It’s not a children’s picture book but a simple biography with interesting collage (I think) artwork and a few photographs to illustrate her story.
There’s plenty of detail and many references at the end for those who would like to know more about what inspired Oprah and kept her going. And by golly, she needed determination to grow from Sack Girl to one of the most influential women in America.
Illustration of Oprah as a little girl in her sack dress with her corncob doll
Born to a teen-aged mother, Oprah was raised largely by grandmother Hattie Mae, who worked as a maid.
Illustration of Oprah’s only photo of her grandmother who had dreams for her
Oprah loved reading and writing, but especially talking, and the ladies in their church called her the little preacher and said she was gifted.
“Hattie Mae would tell Oprah that she should hope to grow up to work for some 'good white folks' who would sometimes spare her leftovers from their dinner table. . .
‘I regret my grandmother did not live to see I’ve got some good white folks working for me,’ Oprah would say, decades later.”
When she was a little older, she was sent to be with her mother in Milwaukee, but her half-sister, Patricia, was lighter-skinned and favoured, so Oprah was put on the porch to sleep. To say she and her mother fought is an understatement. According to the book, she was not an easy teen!
When she was 14, she was sent to Tennessee to live with her father, who was not only strict, he made her read a book a week and write a report on it. Ring any bells with you Oprah’s Book Club fans? https://www.oprahmag.com/entertainmen...
Photo of Oprah in high school
Then came the real eye-opener – I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou and after reading about a girl like herself, Oprah was ready to tackle anything.
Illustration of Oprah reading and breaking free of her cage
She entered and won a speaking competition (always a good talker!) and a four-year scholarship to the University of Tennessee.
Photo of Oprah with her trophy
She went on to radio in Nashville and Baltimore, where she had many setbacks, but she stuck to it and refused to give up. She also gained her lifelong best friend, Gayle King, which made Baltimore worth the misery.
Illustration about meeting challenges
When she got a job in Chicago hosting a morning talk show, she felt she was home. Chicago has always felt like home she says, and the public loved her.
“She was humble, she was funny, and viewers loved funny. They craved funny. They weren’t getting funny from any other morning show.”
She acted! She won an Academy Award nomination for the Stephen Spielberg movie The Colour Purple, and the public loved that too.
“And the viewers kept coming back for more. Oprah was like a friend that everyone wanted to sit with at lunch—not because they wore the best clothes or had the most money—but because she was a good listener, a good speaker, and helped you understand, learn, and care about things. . .
Oprah started inviting people with different views to come and talk to her, which helped people at home have those same conversations with their families and friends.”
Illustration of Tom Cruise leaping onto the couch and of the Obamas talking to Oprah
That’s all well and good, but she wanted to do more. She’d been giving prizes away to the audience, but she knew how much poverty there was and what challenges there were for girls everywhere. She began her charities, founded schools, and supported students everywhere.
When she decided in 2010 to retire, the producers wouldn’t let her manage the grand finale. As a surprise, they brought back many past guests. But there wouldn’t have been a dry eye in the house when this happened.
“It wasn’t the celebrities that made the finale so special to Oprah, however, even though it was fun to see her friends. The most touching moment of all was when 400 Morehouse College graduates walked on stage. These 400 men had their college educations funded by Oprah. She stepped in because none of these boys would have been able to afford to go to college. Now they came back to thank her, and walked on stage as Kristin Chenowith sang ‘For Good’ from her Broadway show, ‘Wicked’.
Illustration of “The happiness you feel is in direct proportion to the love you give.”
Disclaimer: I saw several of Oprah’s shows over the years, but I was not a regular viewer. I was, however, struck by how natural she always appeared, happy to be self-deprecating and quick to give others credit where she might have claimed it herself. I reckon she is one of the good guys and this is an excellent book from this new series.
It's easy for young people, interesting for anyone, and even includes 10 key lessons from Oprah’s life at the end. They certainly worked for her!
Thanks to NetGalley and Quarto Publishing – Frances Lincoln Children’s Books for the preview copy from which I’ve quoted and copied illustrations.
P.S. For anyone who’s read this far and wants to know more, here’s a link to my old pal Roger Ebert’s story of how he helped Oprah get her start. .(The bragging tone is meant in good fun, I'm sure) His work is always entertaining, and this is no exception. Meeting Roger in Baltimore is another good thing to come out of that part of her life.
https://www.rogerebert.com/rogers-jou...
April 3, 2019
This is the second book I have read in the "Work It, Girl" series and I thoroughly enjoyed it (just as much as the first on JK Rowling). The format was the same, chapters laying out Oprah's story, mixed in with quotes and cool illustrations. I would absolutely recommend this to any child as Oprah is an inspiration and there are a lot of life lessons to be learned as she went through quite a bit of adversity as a child and adult. I really hope another book in the series comes out soon!
Thank you to Netgalley, Caroline Moss and Quarto Publishing Group - Frances Lincoln Childrens for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of the second book in this series that I have read!
Thank you to Netgalley, Caroline Moss and Quarto Publishing Group - Frances Lincoln Childrens for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of the second book in this series that I have read!
April 2, 2019
The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
"Work it, girl" is a new series of empowering biographies featuring modern women.
These biographies are short yet detailed: that’s because they’re books for children, so it’s totally understandable.
I think they are a very smart and wonderful way to introduce little children to such important figures.
This one is about Oprah, one of most influential and powerful women in the whole world.
Here, we follow her life since she was a little poor girl 'till her success thanks to "The Oprah Winfrey Show".
I know Oprah and I've come to admire her, but I knew little about her poor and difficult childhood and all the struggles she endured to become who she is today.
Therefore, this book was definetely a good way to know more about this incredible woman in an entertaining way thanks to the writing style and the illustrations, which are done with cut paper and are really beautiful and original.
Despite of all the difficulties, she never gave up and kept fighting for her dream.
Reading about her gave me goosebumps. She's an absolutely incredibile, strong, generous and kind woman.
I think reading about her resilience and kindness may have a good influence on kids, and also adults.
"Work it, girl" is a new series of empowering biographies featuring modern women.
These biographies are short yet detailed: that’s because they’re books for children, so it’s totally understandable.
I think they are a very smart and wonderful way to introduce little children to such important figures.
This one is about Oprah, one of most influential and powerful women in the whole world.
Here, we follow her life since she was a little poor girl 'till her success thanks to "The Oprah Winfrey Show".
I know Oprah and I've come to admire her, but I knew little about her poor and difficult childhood and all the struggles she endured to become who she is today.
Therefore, this book was definetely a good way to know more about this incredible woman in an entertaining way thanks to the writing style and the illustrations, which are done with cut paper and are really beautiful and original.
Despite of all the difficulties, she never gave up and kept fighting for her dream.
Reading about her gave me goosebumps. She's an absolutely incredibile, strong, generous and kind woman.
I think reading about her resilience and kindness may have a good influence on kids, and also adults.
March 23, 2019
This is one of two books in what I expect will be a series, of how women who seem to have it all, now, started out. How they overcame all that life threw at them, and went on to rule. The other book is about J.K Rowling. This one, about Oprah, falls the same path.
Also the same, are the illustrations, which are fantastic, done with cut paper.
This is a good way to introduce young readers to biographies that are about contemporary people.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
Also the same, are the illustrations, which are fantastic, done with cut paper.
This is a good way to introduce young readers to biographies that are about contemporary people.
Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.
April 25, 2019
This book was written for a young audience, but it caught my eye at the library so I grabbed it.
I learned so much about Oprah that I never knew before! I didn't realize how poor she was when she was growing up. She lived the first few years of her life with her grandma - who made her a dress out of a potato sack and a doll out of corn husks. The kids would call her "sack girl" - but she was a natural public speaker - which she got to practice at church on Sundays.
Unfortunately, when her grandma grew ill, she was forced to go live with her mother. Her mother had another daughter, who was lighter skinned than Oprah, and made Oprah sleep outside on the porch. She was abused (and raped, as I learned from Google, not from this book)
Fortunately, after a back and forth custody battle with her parents, she was able to live full time with her father. He made her read a book a week and write a book report, which enhanced her reading, writing and speaking skills. She was able to get a scholarship to college by winning a speaking contest, and was then offered a good job while still in college. From there on out, she started making history.
From being the first black news reporter in Nashville, TN to being the Oprah Winfrey we're all familiar with today, she is an awesomely inspiring rags to riches story for all of us.
There are 10 key lessons at the end of the book:
1) Learn from the people in your life who love you!
2) Always try to do right, even in the wrong circumstances.
3) Work on your craft.
4) Just because no one else has done it before, doesn't mean you can't be the first.
5) Don't give up!
6) It's okay to step out of your comfort zone.
7) Don't be afraid to be silly. People love silly!
8) Stay humble, and remember who helped you along the way.
9) Do with intention.
10) Give back!
One of my favorite parts, though, is the recommended reading list at the back of the book - I added almost every single one of them to my reading list (now over 500 books long, hehe)
You can watch my review and summary of this book streamed live on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FazI...
I learned so much about Oprah that I never knew before! I didn't realize how poor she was when she was growing up. She lived the first few years of her life with her grandma - who made her a dress out of a potato sack and a doll out of corn husks. The kids would call her "sack girl" - but she was a natural public speaker - which she got to practice at church on Sundays.
Unfortunately, when her grandma grew ill, she was forced to go live with her mother. Her mother had another daughter, who was lighter skinned than Oprah, and made Oprah sleep outside on the porch. She was abused (and raped, as I learned from Google, not from this book)
Fortunately, after a back and forth custody battle with her parents, she was able to live full time with her father. He made her read a book a week and write a book report, which enhanced her reading, writing and speaking skills. She was able to get a scholarship to college by winning a speaking contest, and was then offered a good job while still in college. From there on out, she started making history.
From being the first black news reporter in Nashville, TN to being the Oprah Winfrey we're all familiar with today, she is an awesomely inspiring rags to riches story for all of us.
There are 10 key lessons at the end of the book:
1) Learn from the people in your life who love you!
2) Always try to do right, even in the wrong circumstances.
3) Work on your craft.
4) Just because no one else has done it before, doesn't mean you can't be the first.
5) Don't give up!
6) It's okay to step out of your comfort zone.
7) Don't be afraid to be silly. People love silly!
8) Stay humble, and remember who helped you along the way.
9) Do with intention.
10) Give back!
One of my favorite parts, though, is the recommended reading list at the back of the book - I added almost every single one of them to my reading list (now over 500 books long, hehe)
You can watch my review and summary of this book streamed live on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FazI...
April 20, 2019
I didn’t know much about Oprah’s life before reading this book. She came from very humble beginnings. She had to live with her grandmother as a child, and they didn’t have much. Her mother didn’t care for her the way she should. She was discriminated against because of her race, including not being able to sleep in the same building as her family because her skin was too dark. Oprah made the most of her opportunities in school to become a very successful business woman.
I loved the art in this book. Each illustration looks like pieces of paper cut out and layered to make a picture. There are some parts where different materials are used, such as ribbon to create Oprah’s hair. One of my favourite pictures had a VCR tape with the tape coming out of the plastic to create an image of Oprah. This was such a creative way to illustrate the book!
This book is for kids, so it has simple language. It talks about the hardships that Oprah had to go through to get to where she is today, so it doesn’t talk down to the young reader. There was a list of further reading at the back, though I don’t think some books should have been included because they are too mature for children reading this book. It had a parental advisory next to the book titles, but I don’t think they should have been included. My copy is an ARC, so this may have been changed in the final copy.
I loved this book. I’ll be reading the other book in this series soon, which is about J.K. Rowling.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the art in this book. Each illustration looks like pieces of paper cut out and layered to make a picture. There are some parts where different materials are used, such as ribbon to create Oprah’s hair. One of my favourite pictures had a VCR tape with the tape coming out of the plastic to create an image of Oprah. This was such a creative way to illustrate the book!
This book is for kids, so it has simple language. It talks about the hardships that Oprah had to go through to get to where she is today, so it doesn’t talk down to the young reader. There was a list of further reading at the back, though I don’t think some books should have been included because they are too mature for children reading this book. It had a parental advisory next to the book titles, but I don’t think they should have been included. My copy is an ARC, so this may have been changed in the final copy.
I loved this book. I’ll be reading the other book in this series soon, which is about J.K. Rowling.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 18, 2019
One in a series of biographies of modern women that I hope to see grow, this biography of Oprah Winfrey starts with her early childhood in Mississippi. Oprah's early life was not easy, and she had more turbulence than many during her teen years. Fortunately, she had the benefit of a stable and loving early childhood, and again found stability in her teens which allowed her to focus on her strengths and pursue her goals. Beautiful artwork by Sinem Erkas in paper collage and paper folding adds color and interest to the story. There is an especially striking image that shows Oprah's audition VCR tape for A.M. Chicago in which Erkas makes a portrait of Winfrey from the unravelling tape. An outstanding entry to an outstanding series. Back matter includes "10 Key Lessons from Oprah's Life", questions for reflection, and Further Reading. Highly recommended grades 4-9
March 24, 2019
I found out about this book from the author’s social media pages and decided to grab them to see if they’d be a good fit for my elementary school library. At first I was worried that kids might be a little put off by the length, but the book is so eye catching and interactive, and the full page spreads of quotes and beautiful artwork really add to the whole experience! This is a great biography that doesn’t sugar coat much about Oprah’s life but makes it empowering and relatable for kids. I love the tips at the end for kids to keep in mind, and I think they will be drawn to the unique cut paper illustrations! I hope to see many more books in this series!
Read
November 1, 2020Learn about the life of Oprah Winfrey, from her childhood as a little girl preaching at her grandma's church (at the age of four) to her more tumultuous teenage years being shuffled between parents and her breakthrough into the world of television.
The Work It, Girl biography series is a ton of fun. While the content isn't deep or overly thorough, these books provide a great introduction to famous individuals. Their physical design makes them particularly appealing, with well organized layouts and gorgeous paper cut illustrations.
The Work It, Girl biography series is a ton of fun. While the content isn't deep or overly thorough, these books provide a great introduction to famous individuals. Their physical design makes them particularly appealing, with well organized layouts and gorgeous paper cut illustrations.
May 12, 2021
This little book I got for half price was so cute. I wanted to make sure I understood the mainframe of her story, and was open for extra tidbits and quotes. There were less extra, but everything else is here. I was also a sucker for the cute graphics.
This book keeps you entertained, amused and informed. It also didn't go into details about childhood abuse--- perfectly good for teens as well. It's being informative and unique is why I love it. Great book!
This book keeps you entertained, amused and informed. It also didn't go into details about childhood abuse--- perfectly good for teens as well. It's being informative and unique is why I love it. Great book!
May 19, 2019
My 7-year-old and I LOVED learning about Oprah's life. And this beautifully illustrated book told the story in a way that was easily grasped. The intricate, paper collage illustrations make the book even more fun to read -- or just to look through again and again. Definitely recommend it to anyone who likes stories of powerful women role models!
February 1, 2021
A great encouraging and enlightening book with a fantastic message! I think this would do so well in schools especially. Fun, colourful and creative and such a great way to introduce such an interesting character and story as Oprah’s is. Good work!
September 20, 2024
A inspiring short read about an amazing woman.
Easy reading for young children to read. Will be passing this book on to my grandchildren. Important for them to know that people who look like them can do great things!
Easy reading for young children to read. Will be passing this book on to my grandchildren. Important for them to know that people who look like them can do great things!
August 25, 2019
Good info about a positive role model. Not very in depth but inspirational.
February 23, 2020
The illustrations in this were SO COOL!!!
March 1, 2020
Inspiring story of a role model. Similar to the popular series 'Little People Big Dreams', but for older children and with more imaginative illustrations. Loved it!
Want to read
March 12, 2020Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
July 29, 2020
A good introduction to Oprah Winfrey and the empire she has created.
August 10, 2020
This is a YA biography of Oprah, one of a series for young girls. It has inspirational quotes, good writing and beautiful artwork. A very good read!
September 7, 2020
This has gorgeous visuals and an inspiring message. I enjoyed every page!
March 20, 2019
Another in the series of influential, strong and powerful women. A great inspiration and her story will encourage many others. A great book for teaching kids about the wonderful women we have that inspire us and help change the world
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion
March 27, 2019
I am reviewing this book for Caroline Moss, Frances Lincoln Children's Books and NetGalley who gave me a copy of their book for an honest review.
Another great book about a great woman. This one was about Oprah - paper-cut illustrations were brilliant and so much information contained within the pages.
Hope these are the start of a great new series
Another great book about a great woman. This one was about Oprah - paper-cut illustrations were brilliant and so much information contained within the pages.
Hope these are the start of a great new series
March 30, 2019
Thank you for the opportunity bto review this!
I really enjoyed and felt inspired by Oprah's story.
Great book to give to teenagers, to learn to follow one"s dreams.
I loved the 10 advices that were at the end.
I really enjoyed and felt inspired by Oprah's story.
Great book to give to teenagers, to learn to follow one"s dreams.
I loved the 10 advices that were at the end.
April 5, 2019
This book told Oprah Winfrey’s - quite inspiring - story in an easy to understand way that is perfect for younger children.
There were some quotes and cute little illustrations.
An enjoyable read.
- I received a free copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. -
There were some quotes and cute little illustrations.
An enjoyable read.
- I received a free copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. -
April 8, 2019
This is an inspiring biography for kids. It features many quotes and wonderful illustrations that appear to be made, in part, from cut paper.
In our celebrity obsessed culture, it is easy to think that someone who is successful has always been successful or has had a life without struggle. This gives a false sense about how to succeed and about important values.
Now, many know Oprah for the wide platform that she has...from TV, her book club, her school in Africa, etc. But she was once a little girl who felt alone as she moved among her grandmother, mother and father. How did she come to believe in herself? What lead to her success and what lessons can be learned from it? Read the book to find out more.
In my opinion, this is a great biography for kids. They will learn a lot about Oprah and may also begin to develop their own dreams. Told simply and factually and not avoiding issues like racism, this is a well researched biography.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this excellent read. I learned things that I had not known. All opinions are my own.
In our celebrity obsessed culture, it is easy to think that someone who is successful has always been successful or has had a life without struggle. This gives a false sense about how to succeed and about important values.
Now, many know Oprah for the wide platform that she has...from TV, her book club, her school in Africa, etc. But she was once a little girl who felt alone as she moved among her grandmother, mother and father. How did she come to believe in herself? What lead to her success and what lessons can be learned from it? Read the book to find out more.
In my opinion, this is a great biography for kids. They will learn a lot about Oprah and may also begin to develop their own dreams. Told simply and factually and not avoiding issues like racism, this is a well researched biography.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this excellent read. I learned things that I had not known. All opinions are my own.
April 17, 2019
I loved reading this. Its put its own twist on the current trend of life stories of empowering women from history. There is more detail and information about the subject, but still keeps it simple to understanding. The book's chapters are also broken up by quotes by the subject and beautiful paper craft inspired illustrations. Would love to read more of these.
May 4, 2019
Oprah Winfrey is an inspiring story for all children. It is a great lesson about overcoming odds to reach your potential. The books graphics and illustrations are amazing! The cut paper style was so unique. Oprah quotes a perfectly placed. I would recommend this title to my students. Thanks Caroline Moss and NetGalley for the ARC of this title,
May 10, 2019
Inspirational and easy to read and to learn from. It will motivate children to be great and go after their dreams.
May 14, 2019
The ‘Work It, Girl’ books are a wonderful series of biographies of women. From the same group that publishes the Little People Big Dreams series I reviewed a few days ago, these books are for a slightly older audience than the LPBD books.
Written as biographies of women for older elementary and middle-grade readers – these books show you how these women overcame obstacles, worked through (well, literal) walls! I enjoyed the reads too!
The artwork in these books is super-cool – paper-collages which will inspire the reader to create! While the books themselves will of course be a true inspiration too, prompting the readers to challenge themselves, and work smart to achieve their dreams like the women featured in the book have done!
Faith and confidence in yourself matters ‘oh so much’, and that fact shines through the story of Oprah Winfrey in this book. At every point in her life, no matter the difficulties she was in or the obstacles she had to face, she believed she was meant to achieve great(er) things; and she did.
“You are not built to shrink down to less, but to blossom into more” – Oprah
And she did not forget her roots, and those difficulties and obstacles. She knew there were others who are in the place she had been years ago; and wanted to give back; to provide a life full of opportunities to all those who need them.
“The happiness you feel is in direct proportion to the love you give.”
In summary:
I am hoping the publishers will include more GirlBosses in this series; the book is empowering, inspirational, and accessible to all audiences.
In addition, I loved those 10 life lessons from the featured woman included at the end of the book; along with questions to reflect on and a list of resources for further reading. The books are sprinkled with quotes that inspire – quotes from the featured women and quotes from others that seem to perfectly fit with their life.
And the illustrations – they are simply gorgeous. The paper-cut collage style illustrations in bright colors create a pop-out effect that is sure to appeal to, well, just about everyone!
I love the ‘Work It, Girl’ books – a must-read and a great addition to classroom and home libraries for boys and girls.
Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the digital review copies of the book above. These are my honest opinions.
Written as biographies of women for older elementary and middle-grade readers – these books show you how these women overcame obstacles, worked through (well, literal) walls! I enjoyed the reads too!
The artwork in these books is super-cool – paper-collages which will inspire the reader to create! While the books themselves will of course be a true inspiration too, prompting the readers to challenge themselves, and work smart to achieve their dreams like the women featured in the book have done!
Faith and confidence in yourself matters ‘oh so much’, and that fact shines through the story of Oprah Winfrey in this book. At every point in her life, no matter the difficulties she was in or the obstacles she had to face, she believed she was meant to achieve great(er) things; and she did.
“You are not built to shrink down to less, but to blossom into more” – Oprah
And she did not forget her roots, and those difficulties and obstacles. She knew there were others who are in the place she had been years ago; and wanted to give back; to provide a life full of opportunities to all those who need them.
“The happiness you feel is in direct proportion to the love you give.”
In summary:
I am hoping the publishers will include more GirlBosses in this series; the book is empowering, inspirational, and accessible to all audiences.
In addition, I loved those 10 life lessons from the featured woman included at the end of the book; along with questions to reflect on and a list of resources for further reading. The books are sprinkled with quotes that inspire – quotes from the featured women and quotes from others that seem to perfectly fit with their life.
And the illustrations – they are simply gorgeous. The paper-cut collage style illustrations in bright colors create a pop-out effect that is sure to appeal to, well, just about everyone!
I love the ‘Work It, Girl’ books – a must-read and a great addition to classroom and home libraries for boys and girls.
Disclaimer: Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the digital review copies of the book above. These are my honest opinions.
May 31, 2019
This book puts me on a fence balancing between, do I like, it, do I not. The story did what any good story should do, it taught me things I didn’t know. I had no idea Oprah was a news anchor, or that she wore flour sack dresses. I have not been a lifelong follower of Oprah so this book was very informative. I came to know Oprah more after the couch jumping incident. What I find interesting, are the things the author chooses to include in this story, as well as what they choose to leave out. Nowhere does it mention that Oprah started school in places where girls could not get an education. But it does mention her “Favorite Things” episodes, and the car giveaway. I find it unusual the mention the free cars because of the back lash dealing with taxes that each person had to pay to accept those cars. I don’t know what really happened, but shouldn't this be mentioned, or the car story left out of the tale? On top of all that is the writing. I know this book is written with children in mind, but it also reads like it was written by a novice. Word choices and sentence structure is odd in places, and it reads more like a spoken word presentation than a book. I was expecting this to be a picture book but it was set up as a chapter book, full of illustrations. I would like to see a finished edition as this review is based off a digital galley, and as such funny things happen with the layout. The paper cut illustrations are masterfully done and deserve more presence then what is seen in the digital galley. If you want to introduce a young reader to someone you admire this book would work, but I think it can, and has been done better.
#LitsyAtoZ #Childrensbooks
#LitsyAtoZ #Childrensbooks
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews