Turning pages My life story

Sonia Sotomayor, 1954-

Book - 2018

"As the first Latina Supreme Court Justice, Sonia Sotomayor has inspired young people around the world to reach for their dreams. But what inspired her? For young Sonia, the answer was books! They were her mirrors, her maps, her friends, and her teachers. They helped her to connect with her family in New York and in Puerto Rico, to deal with her diabetes diagnosis, to cope with her father's death, to uncover the secrets of the world, and to dream of a future for herself in which anything was possible. In Turning Pages, Justice Sotomayor shares that love of books with a new generation of readers, and inspires them to read and puzzle and dream for themselves. Accompanied by Lulu Delacre's vibrant art, this story of the Justice&...#039;s life shows readers that the world is full of promise and possibility--all they need to do is turn the page"--

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Subjects
Genres
Autobiographies
Picture books
Published
New York, NY : Philomel Books [2018]
Language
English
Main Author
Sonia Sotomayor, 1954- (author)
Other Authors
Lulu Delacre (illustrator)
Physical Description
32 unnumbered pages : color illustrations ; 28 cm
ISBN
9780525514084
Contents unavailable.
Review by New York Times Review

IT'S A question parents have wrestled with since the 2016 presidential election: How do we explain this political moment to our children? I, for one, was hoping the answer would not involve a book aimed at teenagers in which a candidate's obscene reference to female anatomy appears on Page 2, butthatis where we are. In unpresIDENTED: A Biography of Donald Trump (Feiwel and Friends, 384 pp., $19.99; ages 12 and up), Martha Brockenbrough provides an encyclopedic tale of the rise of Donald J. Trump. Brockenbrough's version is, unapologetically, a liberal's framing of events. Then again, I'm not sure if a nonpartisan book about Trump could grow out of the current climate. For now, there is this thorough, hard-hitting volume that seeks to explain Trump, from the time he was born with a silver spoon and "golden hair, pink cheeks and a tiny pucker of a mouth," to his shocker of a presidential campaign ("candidates typically don't insult the parents of soldiers who die in combat"). The tone isn't lighthearted, yeti laughed out loud in Chapter 4. Is there any more telling symbol of our bizarre (and yes, unprecedented) times than Roy Cohn appearing prominently in a young adult book, and not one about the bygone days of McCarthyism? Brockenbrough describes Trump's infamous lawyer and fixer (or "attack dog," as she calls him) in such stark, terrifying terms that he seems almost like a cartoon villain, a closeted Cruella de Vil "with weatherworn skin, dark eyes and a nose that looked like it had encountered many fists in his 46 years." Halfway through "Unpresidented," I found myself craving a different type of children's book, something that would enlighten kids about the current climate, educate them on the historical struggles that got us here, but also offer bipartisan hope. I wanted a respite from the partisan rancor, preferably with appealing illustrations that didn't include a 2016 Electoral College map. I FOUND ALL of this and more in several immersive picture books about women leaders. The standout books of the bunch tell the stories of two remarkable women of color. In WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A VOICE LIKE THAT? (Beach Lane, 48 pp., $17.99; ages 4 to 8), a biography of Representative Barbara Jordan written by Chris Barton and illustrated by Ekua Holmes, we go from Jordan's modest upbringing in Houston to her civil rights activism to the halls of Congress and back to Texas after a multiple sclerosis diagnosis takes her out of public life. All the way, Jordan's distinct "big, bold, booming, crisp, clear, confident voice" guides us. Appropriately, Holmes's illustrations are big, bold, booming, crisp, clear folk art collages. The images - Jordan strumming a guitar against a starry sky, walking with a cane against the rowhouses of her youth - draw on Holmes's prowess as a mixedmedia artist. We learn about United States history in the process. "In 1960, America was not as free or fair a place as it could be. Barbara believed politics could change that," Barton writes. "Her voice had made a difference." IN TURNING PAGES: My Life Story (Philomel, 40 pp., $17.99; ages 4 to 8), Justice Sonia Sotomayor delivers an ode to books under the guise of recounting her life story. Lulu Delacre's soft renderings of the first Latina Supreme Court justice as a little brownhaired bookworm in the Bronx will make both Red and Blue hearts melt. But Sotomayor's book serves another purpose - her musings about her favorite comic books and Nancy Drew novels reinforce how few children's books reflected little girls like her. "Her make-believe life was so different than mine," Sotomayor writes of the Nancy Drew mysteries. "She lived in a big house on a tree-lined street and partnered with her dad, a successful lawyer, to solve crimes." Justice Sotomayor credits "Lord of the Flies" with teaching her why "we need laws and rules to feel safe." Her story skips a beat (or 12) when young Sonia suddenly ends up at Princeton, followed by a successful legal career and a seat on the Supreme Court. But it's a small hiccup in a children's book that bursts with charm. THESE BOOKS, in addition to ELIZA: The Story of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton (Schwartz & Wade, 48 pp., $17.99; ages 4 to 8), a Sweet romp written by Margaret McNamara with artwork by Esme Shapiro that gives the woman and philanthropist best known as Alexander Hamilton's wife her proper due, appeal partly because their subjects aren't running for president. I MIGHT HAVE found ELIZABETH WARREN: Nevertheless She Persisted (Abrams, 48 pp., $ 18.99; ages 6 to 9), a biography of the Massachusetts senator by Susan Wood with peppy, absorbing illustrations by Sarah Green, equally charming were it not for Warren's obvious 2020 ambitions. Young readers will benefit from seeing little Elizabeth growing up in Oklahoma as her parents struggle financially. But lines like "Elizabeth wondered why more and more middle-class families weren't getting by anymore while the rich just seemed to get richer" track too closely with what'd we'd hear on the stump. Political mythmaking or not, the book's subtitle - "Nevertheless, She Persisted" - is satisfying. I'd bet that the majority leader, Mitch McConnell, didn't know he'd uttered the ?-Span moment that launched a thousand children's books when he tried to silence Warren's objections to the confirmation of Attorney General Jeff Sessions. His line, "Nevertheless, she persisted," became a feminist rallying cry, but it also quickly morphed into what seemed like attention for everyone except Warren. (Chelsea Clinton, for example, has written two children's books whose titles borrow from the phrase.) So I was delighted to see the words on the cover of this biography, underneath Sarah Green's quirky illustration of Warren, the woman who'd been told essentially to shut up, in a bold blue suit, finger raised to make a point, standing at a lectern. ANOTHER POTENTIAL 2020 CANDIDATE, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, is the author of BOLD & BRAVE: Ten Heroes Who Won Women the Right to Vote (Knopf, 40 pp., $18.99; ages 6 to 9), a delicate-looking picture book with sumptuous, pink-washed art by Maira Kalman. It was only in the first few pages, when Gillibrand relays the story of the strong women in her own family, that I wondered whether she wrote this book to educate children or to woo their parents (or babysitters of voting age). After that, "Bold & Brave" features blocks of straightforward text that introduce female activists from Elizabeth Cady Stanton to Alice Paul and Ida B. Wells, with Kalman's illustrations, both portraits and scenes of action, painted in cotton-candy tones. I WANT MY SON (and other little boys) to know about the women featured in these books, but "Bold & Brave" doesn't seem to invite boys in. There are only thumbnail images of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, and a lot of policemen and men in drab brown suits dragging women away. That's historically important, but I wished "Bold & Brave" also showed boys how they can play their part in women's progress. Sure, boys could stick to genderneutral titles like what's the big deal ABOUT ELECTIONS (Philomel, 48 pp., $17.99, ages 4 to 8), by Ruby Shamir with illustrations by Matt Faulkner, and what can a citizen DO? (Chronicle, 52 pp., $17.99, ages 5 to 8), by Dave Eggers with illustrations by Shawn Harris, two new titles that feel like obligatory reading for future informed citizens. But if we're truly going to teach our children about this political moment, then boys and girls both should heed the stories of Barbara Jordan, Justice Sotomayor and Susan B. Anthony. Roy Cohn can wait. AMY CHOZICK is a writer at large at The Times and the author of "Chasing Hillary."

Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [July 21, 2019]
Review by Booklist Review

Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor tells her story to a YA audience in this year's The Beloved World of Sonia Sotomayor, which itself is a pared down version of her 2013 biography, My Beloved World. Here she uses books to center her story and show how reading was the gateway and getaway that allowed her to pursue her dreams. A child of Puetro Rican immigrants, Sotomayor's childhood was marked by hardship: poverty, diabetes, and the death of her father. Despite the odds, Sotomayor was able to pursue a legal career. She had a mother who worked hard to take care of her children and provide educational opportunities, and an island family who showed her a different way of life, but mostly there were libraries and books, from her neighborhood branch to the impressive Firestone Library at Princeton. The endpapers are decorated with photos of Sotomayor at different times of her life, which complement the collage-touched watercolors. The kid-friendly drawings are occasionally awkward but can also be inventive. A personal and appealing book made to inspire.--Ilene Cooper Copyright 2018 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Writing in eloquent first-person prose, Sotomayor relays her upbringing and path to the Supreme Court, emphasizing how reading books, "written both in Spanish and in English," has remained at the center of her personal development. She begins her story as a child in the Bronx. After being diagnosed with diabetes, Sotomayor found strength in comic books; following her father's death, her local library became a refuge. Sotomayor offers variations on this theme, describing books as "lenses," "teachers," a "life preserver," and "mirrors of my own universe." Finally, Sotomayor finds her way to law books, and to one of the most meaningful texts of her lifetime-the Constitution. Delacre's work shows earnest admiration for the subject, and compositions make intriguing use of angle, shadow, and collage detail. A Spanish-language version will also be available. Ages 4-8. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review

Gr 3-6-Readers will get to know U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor in this stunning picture book autobiography. The photographs of Sotomayor, found on the end pages, provide a glimpse into her life. The first line of the book sets the scene: "My story is a story about books..." From this page onward, Sotomayor takes readers along on a journey, continually reflecting on how a particular title or genre struck her at that time in her life. For example, when she is diagnosed with diabetes, she finds solace in the superheroes of her comic books. When she experiences her Papi's death at the age of nine, she takes comfort among the stacks in the neighborhood library. Not only did she read "Nancy Drew" mysteries and science fiction, Sotomayor also basked in the pages of a 24-volume encyclopedia set, a gift from her mother. During college and law school, books continued to be her companion. Readers will enjoy the illustrations done in mixed media of oil washes with collage elements that distinctly accompany the text. VERDICT A sincere and insightful autobiography that also demonstrates the power of the written word. A -winning addition to libraries that serve young readers.-Martha Rico, El Paso ISD, TX © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review

The Associate Justice accessibly narrates her own story, highlighting the power of books and reading throughout her life. Mixed-media illustrations enhance Sotomayor's metaphorical approach ("I felt like a deep-sea diver... Books were my snorkel and flippers") and her emphasis on the written word by incorporating text into the art. Timeline. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review

The Supreme Court justice shares how books, reading, and words have shaped her life."My story is a story about booksof poems and comics, of law and mystery, of science and science fictionwritten both in Spanish and in English." So starts this book written with Justice Sonia Sotomayor's voice clearly felt yet also very accessible to her target audience. The author recalls her first encounter with the power of words, hearing her abuelita recite poems about Puerto Rico, her island home. Comic books about people with superpowers fueled her bravery as she coped with diabetes. After the death of her father when she was 9, books and the library helped her escape sadness at home. Her mother's purchase of an encyclopedia set unveiled the secrets of the world. Sotomayor describes books as companions, launchpads, lenses that brought focus to the world around her and helped her sort out right from wrong. Delacre's mixed-media illustrations contribute to the child-friendly feel of the book and neatly extend the metaphors the text spins. Without context provided, the initial illustrations depicting a child and an older woman going food shopping might be puzzling to readers not familiar with the close connection between Sotomayor and her grandmother. Otherwise the illustrations go hand in hand with the narration.A thoughtful introduction to both the power of reading and an inspiring role model. (timeline, photographs) (Picture book/biography. 5-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.