Ketanji Brown Jackson: A Justice for All

In a stylized picture book biography told through a wide lens, the creators outline the life of Ketanji Brown Jackson (b. 1970) from childhood to her appointment on the U.S. Supreme Court. Opening pages show young Jackson offering up a childhood hope to “protect the people/ and the Constitution,” views of her 2022 entrée as the first Black female Supreme Court justice, and starry images of ancestors with “intentional/ and courageous” dreams. Having established “the hopes/ and the dreams” from which Jackson was born, Charles next follows her through the decades as a child in 1970s Miami, and onward, as she follows in the steps of luminaries such as Charlotte E. Ray, Jane Bolin, and Constance Baker Motley. Skidmore’s stylized gouache and wax pencil illustrations illuminate pivotal years in Jackson’s schooling, then tenure as a law clerk, public defender, circuit court judge, and finally her Supreme Court appointment. It’s an inspiring biography that acknowledges the impact of those who paved the way. An author’s note and timeline conclude. Ages 4–8. (Apr.)