No Truth Without Ruth: The Life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg

by Kathleen Krull, Nancy Zhang (Illustrator)

Overview

From award-winning author Kathleen Krull comes an empowering, inspiring picture book biography—with dazzling illustrations from artist Nancy Zhang—about the second female justice of the Supreme Court, Ruth Bader Ginsburg. 

This picture book biography is the story of "Ruthless Ruthie," a warrior for equality, a tireless defender of justice, and an inspiring trailblazer for girls everywhere.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg may have been one of the most respected women in the United States, but her recognition is nothing short of hard-won. For years before becoming a justice of the Supreme Court, Ruth had to fight the notion that being female meant that she was less smart, less qualified, and less worthy of attention than her male counterparts. Throughout college, law school, and her work life, she faced discrimination—because she was a woman.

But it was in her fight for equality as a lawyer that she made an imprint on American history, by changing the way the law dealt with women's rights and by showing people that unfairness to women wasn’t just a female problem—that it negatively affected men and children, too.

This picture book biography of Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a strong choice for the classroom and for sharing at home.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062662798
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	02/23/2021
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	185,131
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.00(d)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Kathleen Krull garnered starred reviews and awards for her many books. The Children's Book Guild of Washington, DC, honored her with its Nonfiction Award for her body of work that "has contributed significantly to the quality of nonfiction for children." She lived in San Diego, California. Learn more about her online at www.kathleenkrull.com.

Nancy Zhang is a painter, photographer, designer, and, now, children’s book illustrator. Her work has been featured in China’s Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, Elle, and Cosmopolitan magazines. She lives and works in Berlin, Germany. To learn more about Nancy and her body of work, visit her online at www.nancy-zhang.com.

Editorial Reviews

Oversize and well designed, this gets high marks for the integration of art and narrative. Veteran writer Krull provides a substantial text, longer than many in the genre, with the result being a portrait of both a person and the times that shaped her." — Booklist (starred review)

“Large, colorful illustrations complement and highlight the text. Zhang captures the look and style of each era in Ginsburg’s life. Employing a strongly admiring tone and accessible language, the author emphasizes Ginsburg’s struggles, strengths, and triumphs. Informative, well-told biography.” — Kirkus Reviews

"In this welcome addition to the growing body of Ruth Bader Ginsburg literature for children, Krull offers a detailed account of the Supreme Court justice’s intellectual and professional development. Krull uses small, careful details and anecdotes to personalize Ginsburg’s story, describing how she wore her late mother’s circle pin and earrings for courage as she nervously argued a case before the Supreme Court, while underscoring the impact of her achievements." — Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

Oversize and well designed, this gets high marks for the integration of art and narrative. Veteran writer Krull provides a substantial text, longer than many in the genre, with the result being a portrait of both a person and the times that shaped her."

Booklist (starred review)

12/18/2017
In this welcome addition to the growing body of Ruth Bader Ginsburg literature for children, Krull offers a detailed account of the Supreme Court justice’s intellectual and professional development. Krull uses small, careful details and anecdotes to personalize Ginsburg’s story, describing how she wore her late mother’s circle pin and earrings for courage as she nervously argued a case before the Supreme Court, while underscoring the impact of her achievements (“In fighting for fairness, she was actually changing the way the country treated women”). Zhan captures Ginsburg’s likeness in soft, creamy mixed-media spreads that portray her as a force to be reckoned with: most of the scenes emphasize her seriousness of purposes, though one playful spread shows her white-water rafting, horseback riding, and waterskiing. A timeline and top-10 list of key Supreme Court decisions and dissents conclude this straightforward, effective biography. Ages 4–8. Author’s agent: Susan Cohen, Writers House. (Feb.)

Publishers Weekly

12/01/2017
Gr 3–5—Although similar in style and format to Debbie Levy's I, Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark, this biography focuses more on Ginsburg's law career and the professional obstacles she faced. The author incorporates small details about Ginsburg, such as her wearing her mother's earrings and pin; however, not much other personal information is provided, beyond a list of hobbies. Zhang uses a palette of soft colors, but makes Ginsburg visually stand out through facial expressions. Some of the text is framed by delicate scrollwork on a facing page; at other times, the text is incorporated into the illustrations and certain phrases and quotes are in a different font. "No truth without Ruth" is an oft-repeated line. Back matter includes information on the federal court system, a top 10 list of Ginsburg's Supreme Court opinions, and a list of sources. One quibble: the ending photo of the Supreme Court is of when Ginsburg first joined and features Sandra Day O'Connor and several other retired/deceased judges—why not include a more recent image with Sonia Sotomayor? VERDICT Collections with little material on Ginsburg will want to purchase; otherwise, an additional consideration.—Tamara Saarinen, Pierce County Library, WA

School Library Journal

2017-10-16
Ruth Bader Ginsburg fought long and hard every step of her journey to become only the second woman to be named to the U.S. Supreme Court.Girls in orthodox Jewish families like Ruth Bader's were expected to marry young and support their husbands' careers. Her mother had followed that path, but she wanted Ruth to have the opportunities she missed. Ruth was determined to be all that her mother had dreamed for her. Krull follows Ruth as she finds a way to succeed in a world in which girls were supposed to hide their intelligence and had limited opportunities for careers. She was passionate about learning and "scary smart," and she was impressed by those who stood up for themselves and for fair treatment of all people. She faced and overcame discrimination on account of her faith and her gender. Large, colorful illustrations complement and highlight the text. Zhang captures the look and style of each era in Ginsburg's life, subtly altering her appearance as she grows older. Naming Ginsburg a "change-maker," Krull optimistically states that women "used to face unfairness" and that society now takes equality for granted. Employing a strongly admiring tone and accessible language, the author emphasizes Ginsburg's struggles, strengths, and triumphs, shouting key points in large, bold, stand-apart typeface.Ginsburg is on the highest court but not on a pedestal in this informative, well-told biography. (timeline, court system outline, case list) (Picture book/biography. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews