"A talented seamstress, born enslaved in 1818, bought freedom for herself and her son"-- - (Baker & Taylor)

Born into a life of slavery, Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley, a talented seamstress whose creations garnered the attention of the wealthiest women in Virginia, was able to buy her freedom with the help of her patrons. Simultaneous eBook. Illustrations. - (Baker & Taylor)

An awe-inspiring African American woman! A talented seamstress, born a slave, bought freedom for herself and her son.

This picture book biography weaves together historical details, vibrant collages, and the words of her own journals to bring to light the life and beautiful work Elizabeth Hobbs Keckley, the seamstress who bought herself and son out of slavery. Lizzy’s story of hardship and resilience offers an untold side of history during a time of great injustice and change.

Born enslaved in 1818 on a Virginian plantation, Lizzy experienced and witnessed unspeakable cruelty. When she was sent to workfor a tailor, her wages went to her master, not Lizzy. However, the beautiful gowns that Lizzy created attracted the attention of the wealthiest women in Virginia, even Mrs. Jefferson Davis. With money from her patrons, Lizzy bought her freedom and her son’s freedom working tirelessly stitch by stitch, going on to design gowns for the First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln and grow an influentialcareer.

This inspiring story about an unsung hero is beautifully illustrated with oil paint, cut paper and fabric collage and hand-embroidery by Elizabeth Zunon that brings Lizzy’s dresses to life. Connie Morrison writes with straightforward honesty and clarity, seamlesslyincluding research on fashion, life, and politics of the time. The backmatter includes a bibliography for further reading. - (Random House, Inc.)

Connie Schofield-Morrison is a mother, author, and entrepreneur. She and her high school sweetheart Frank D. Morrison run an art gallery called Morrison Graphics in Atlanta, GA that Connie manages while also taking care of her children and writing books in her spare time. Stitch by Stitch is her first book with Holiday House.

Elizabeth Zunon is an illustrator of over ten picture books, including Stitch by Stitch, which is her first book with Holiday House. She attended the Rhode Island School of Design and graduated with a B.F. A. in Illustration. Drawing and painting have always been important to Elizabeth, whose love for the craft was fueled by the bright, vibrant colors of everyday West African fabrics and tropical vegetation. - (Random House, Inc.)

Booklist Reviews

Born into slavery, Elizabeth Keckly worked hard from childhood onward, first under those who enslaved her and later to provide for her family. As a skilled seamstress in St. Louis, she was able to buy freedom for herself and her son after borrowing the money from loyal clients. In 1860, after moving to Washington, DC, she designed and made dresses for the wives of the political elite. Mary Todd Lincoln became a close friend over the next few years, when each was stricken by the death of a son and President Lincoln was assassinated as well. Keckly later wrote a memoir, but she died in poverty. In this picture book, the use of italics indicates quotes from Keckly's memoir and differentiates them from Schofield-Morrison's words. The interplay works well, offering Keckly's viewpoint within an account that speaks to children today. Created with mixed media, including oil paint, paper, textured fabric, ribbon, appliqué, embroidery, and lace, Zunon's handsome illustrations suggest the subject's times as well as her talents. A fitting introduction to a remarkable woman. Grades 2-5. Copyright 2021 Booklist Reviews.

Horn Book Guide Reviews

Born into slavery, Elizabeth Keckly (sometimes spelled Keckley) followed in her mother's footsteps as a seamstress and dressmaker, eventually earning the twelve hundred dollars she needed to buy her and her son's freedom. One the eve of the Civil War she moved from St. Louis to Washington, where her work caught the attention of the wives of leaders on both sides of the growing conflict -- Varina Davis, wife of Jefferson Davis; Mary Anna Custis Lee, wife of Robert E. Lee; and Mary Todd Lincoln. When Keckly's party dress for Mrs. Lincoln was a success, she was commissioned to make at least fifteen more over the next couple of years. Schofield-Morrison's (I Got the Christmas Spirit, rev. 11/18) text effectively combines a third-person narrative with italicized, unflinching first-person quotations drawn from Keckly's memoir, Behind the Scenes, or, Thirty Years a Slave, and Four Years in the White House. The refrain stitch by stitch runs throughout the text, a thread complemented by Zunon's (I Am Farmer, rev. 1/19; Off to See the Sea, rev. 1/21) illustrations using a variety of media, including fabric, lace, ribbon, and applique. A handsome introduction to a remarkable woman and her craft. An author's note and a bibliography are appended. Copyright 2023 Horn Book Guide Reviews.

Horn Book Magazine Reviews

Born into slavery, Elizabeth Keckly (sometimes spelled Keckley) followed in her mother's footsteps as a seamstress and dressmaker, eventually earning the twelve hundred dollars she needed to buy her and her son's freedom. One the eve of the Civil War she moved from St. Louis to Washington, where her work caught the attention of the wives of leaders on both sides of the growing conflict -- Varina Davis, wife of Jefferson Davis; Mary Anna Custis Lee, wife of Robert E. Lee; and Mary Todd Lincoln. When Keckly's party dress for Mrs. Lincoln was a success, she was commissioned to make at least fifteen more over the next couple of years. Schofield-Morrison's (I Got the Christmas Spirit, rev. 11/18) text effectively combines a third-person narrative with italicized, unflinching first-person quotations drawn from Keckly's memoir, Behind the Scenes, or, Thirty Years a Slave, and Four Years in the White House. The refrain "stitch by stitch" runs throughout the text, a thread complemented by Zunon's (I Am Farmer, rev. 1/19; Off to See the Sea, rev. 1/21) illustrations using a variety of media, including fabric, lace, ribbon, and applique. A handsome introduction to a remarkable woman and her craft. An author's note and a bibliography are appended. Dean Schneider November/December 2021 p.140 Copyright 2021 Horn Book Magazine Reviews.

Kirkus Reviews

Schofield-Morrison fashions a poignant tribute to the remarkable life and craft of Elizabeth "Lizzy" Hobbs Keckly, a formerly enslaved woman who broke the color line in haute couture. In straightforward prose seamlessly woven through with excerpts from Keckly's 1868 autobiography, the text traces Keckly's unlikely journey from a slave plantation to the White House. Born enslaved in Virginia in 1818, she survived a childhood of unutterable cruelty but set her mind to learning the craft of sewing from her mother. Sent by her master to work for a White tailor without pay, Keckly endured further hardships, but her talent and toil eventually earned her a clientele of affluent women. After purchasing freedom for herself and her son, she went on to become a successful businesswoman, highly sought-after tailoress, and trendsetting fashionista, even serving as the official dresser for first lady Mary Todd Lincoln. Zunon's breathtaking and masterful mixed-media illustrations—incorporating oil, paint, fabric, ribbon, paper, embroidery, and appliqué—beautifully capture the artistry of Keckly's dresses. A dazzling picture book cut through with the thread and thrum of an inspiring but unsung life. (author's note, timeline, bibliography) (Picture book biography. 7-10) Copyright Kirkus 2021 Kirkus/BPI Communications. All rights reserved.

Publishers Weekly Reviews

Featuring plentiful italicized block quotes from Elizabeth Hobbs Keckly's (1818–1907) memoir, Behind the Scenes, or, Thirty Years a Slave, and Four Years in the White House, this picture book biography centers the Black seamstress's indomitable spirit, from being "born a slave," buying her freedom and that of her son with her dressmaking skills, and sewing for D.C.'s elite, including First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln. Schofield-Morrison offers accessible, starkly rendered prose, highlighting accounts of Lizzy witnessing an auction of an enslaved child and being "brutally beaten," alongside historical context. Employing the chorus "stitch by stitch," Schofield-Morrison emphasizes Keckly's resolve: "Lizzy agreed to receive money from her patrons only under the condition that she would repay them... stitch by stitch." Zunon embroiders Keckly's oft-difficult life story across lush, multilayered mixed-media spreads, featuring a beguiling tapestry of oil paint, paper, fabric, ribbon, embroidery, lace, and appliqué, in this sobering profile. Back matter features an author's note, timeline, and bibliography. Ages 7–10. (Nov.)

School Library Journal Reviews

Gr 2–5—This picture book biography is a heroine's journey from slavery to freedom. Elizabeth "Lizzy" Hobbs Keckly (1818–1907) was born into slavery in Virginia. She learned to read, write, and sew from her mother, amidst the brutality and sorrow of slavery. Lizzy became an accomplished seamstress and her skills enabled her to support herself and even buy her own freedom after 37 years of slavery. She established her own dress shop as a free woman and acquired high-profile clients, becoming First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln's dressmaker. Quotes from Lizzy's autobiography are scattered throughout the narrative, and are given a powerful presence on the page through the skillful use of text and font styles. Repetitive phrasing highlights the connection of her livelihood to her freedom. Readers can find out more about Lizzy's accomplishments, such as creating opportunities and associations for other African American women and children, in the author's notes, time line, and bibliography in the back matter. The illustrations are a remarkable collage of painted scenes that are combined with decorative paper, fabric, lace, ribbon, braid trim, and intricate embroidery. This creates a three-dimensional presentation that brings to life the creativity and craftsmanship of Lizzy's dresses. VERDICT A title that stitches together the journey of a determined and resilient heroine from the past. An essential purchase that will strengthen all biography collections.—Rita Christensen, Orem P.L., UT