Parents' Guide to

No Truth Without Ruth: The Life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg

By Jan Carr, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 7+

Meaty bio of RBG shows how she fought for women's rights.

Book Kathleen Krull Picture Book 2018
No Truth Without Ruth: The Life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg Poster Image

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What you will—and won't—find in this book.

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What's the Story?

NO TRUTH WITHOUT RUTH: THE LIFE OF RUTH BADER GINSBURG begins with Ruth's mother who was discouraged as a child from excelling in school, and so became determined to support her daughter in her academics and ambitions. Though her mother died when Ruth was graduating high school, Ruth went on to college and law school, where she encountered discrimination as one of very few females in her classes. Because no law firm would employ her, she became a law professor, and also founded the Women's Rights Project, writing arguments and arguing cases in lower courts, and then in the Supreme Court. She was appointed to the United States Court of Appeals, and later to the Supreme Court, where she went on to argue landmark cases that significantly improved the way women are treated under the law.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
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Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a popular subject of biographies for kids, and this book adds significant meaty detail about legal cases and law to the field. No Truth Without Ruth: The Life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg doesn't shy away from presenting legal issues and court cases to kids, and successfully simplifies them so they’re understandable and interesting. It underscores the point that Ginsburg's work and advocacy as a lawyer and judge have changed many laws that directly affect our lives; it’s because of her advocacy and fight for fairness that we have many of the legal rights we do today. It also makes the point that ensuring legal rights for women helps ensure them for men as well.

There are a few odd moments. On one page, Ruth "could see her mom’s disappointment" when she "brought home a less-than-perfect report card," A- as shown in the art, and the mom's pictured turning away from Ruth in a pose that looks like maternal rejection. Another page proclaims, "By 1980, Ruth was the single most important fighter for fairness -- women's and men's -- in American history," a statement that might have benefited by a bit more precision and clarity -- legal fighter? But these are quibbles in the context of the overall bio, which is inspiring and meaty, clearly and precisely detailing legal cases, while celebrating the passion and determination of this fierce legal fighter who cares so deeply about equality and justice.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the obstacles Ginsburg encountered in No Truth Without Ruth: The Life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Do you ever encounter obstacles because of your gender or other reasons? How do you deal with them? Does the job of lawyer or judge seem interesting to you?

  • How was life different for women when Ruth's mother and Ruth herself were young girls? In what ways have women become more equal to men? In what ways are women still unequal?

  • How does fighting for women's right’s also help secure men's rights? What examples of that can you find in the text?

Book Details

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