WHAT LOUIS BRANDEIS KNOWS

What the first Jewish U.S. Supreme Court justice knew could fill a book.

Throughout this picture-book biography, Michelson reiterates the many things that Louis Brandeis knows. At age 5, “he knows his parents came to America in 1848,” as Jewish refugees from Prague. And thanks to his family—in particular, his opinionated father—he knows that people should be treated equally regardless of their religion, ethnicity, or gender. That attitude informs his work as a lawyer as he successfully argues for better working hours and wages for factory workers, protects customers from railroad tycoons’ exorbitant fees, and holds President William Taft to his promise to safeguard America’s forests. For his efforts, he’s nominated to the Supreme Court by President Woodrow Wilson. His enemies’ accusations that he’s a “radical, a muckraker, and a traitor” jeopardize his chances, but Louis also knows that he’s “fought for ordinary citizens over the years.” Letters of support arrive from far and wide. Appointed to the court at last, “Louis knows for certain that his fight for social justice has just begun.” Michelson’s narrative is robust, though on the dry side until the backmatter, where details truly bring Brandeis’ story to life. Innerst’s droll illustrations have a mystical, Chagall-like feel in some spreads, while others feel more down to earth.

A solid introduction to an honorable man, known for his fair-minded rulings.