Parents' Guide to Becoming RBG: Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Journey to Justice

Violence & Scariness

Growing up during World War II with her Jewish family in Brooklyn, Ruth's family lived in fear of the Holocaust. Her cousin returns traumatized from the war, which makes a powerful impression on her. A graphic illustration of a mushroom cloud portrays the bombing of Japan. Ruth's mother dies after a long struggle with cancer, and her husband has a life-threatening cancer in their early days before eventually dying from it decades later.

Language

Accompanying an illustration of anti-semitic flyer, older women with scary faces are seen sitting on the stoop talking to little boys. The text reads:

"… but anti-Semitism was rearing its ugly head right there in New York City.

Educational Value

Becoming RBG is packed with lots of detailed information about social conditions in the 20th century United States, particularly regarding women's rights -- like the difficulties of early women law students finding a women's bathroom, and that state laws kept women from serving on juries. There's detailed examination of legal cases and their implications, which will be of most interest to budding law aficionadas and courtroom-drama fans. Includes source documentation and recommendations for further reading,

Positive Messages

Strong messages of concern for the rights of others and doing the right thing, as well as using the legal system to achieve what you consider to be justice. Also, determination in the face of setbacks, plus hard work, family -- and not letting political disagreements interfere with your friendships. As the book concludes, given liberal Justice Ginsburg's and concervative Justice Antonin Scalia's different views of the Constitution, "If one thing is clear in this debate, it is this: Listening to one another across this divide and engaging with opposing ideas are necessary steps for 'We, the people' to keep and protect that 'more perfect Union' that Ruth Bader Ginsburg worked so hard to achieve."

Positive Role Models

From her brilliant legal mind to her concern for others, not to mention her hard work and patient tenacity, there's a lot to admire about Justice Ginsburg, including her longtime friendship with the late conservative Justice Antonin Scalia, with whom she regularly disagreed. Their friendhsip sets an all-too-rare example for polarized times. She balances strong convictions with the recognition that hard work, patience, and strategy are necessary if you want to make your goal of changing things real. Veering as it does toward partisan cheerleading, Becoming RBG has a tendency to push as obvious truth and justice some choices that others may find more ethically complex. For example, there's a scene where young Ruth, in her first job out of law school, decides to rubber-stamp Social Security benefits applications for minority recipients who lacked required birth certificates, on the grounds that Congress couldn't POSSIBLY have been serious about requiring birth certificates -- all while smirking and winking at the recipient.