No One Told Sandra Day O'Connor What to Do: The First Woman to Serve on the United States Supreme Court

This engaging biography chronicles the life of Sandra Day O’Connor, from her early Arizona childhood up through the many obstacles she faced in her professional career before becoming the first woman named to the United States Supreme Court.

On September 25, 1981, Sandra Day O’Connor became the first woman to be a Supreme Court Justice in United States history. But who was Sandra Day O’Connor? 

In the 1930s, it was hard to imagine any woman sitting on the highest court in the country, let alone a girl from a ranch in Arizona. At that time, girls (and women) were expected to learn how to keep house and cook meals. But even at a young age, Sandra knew she wanted a life beyond the traditional roles expected of women.

No one told Sandra what she could and couldn’t do. By challenging the assumptions of what women could and should do, Sandra opened the doors for others to do the same. Sandra Day O’Connor was the first, but her work ensured that she would not be the last!

Back matter includes photos and additional information about Sandra’s life, as well as explanations of key civics terms.  

Molly Golden was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area and spent much of her childhood building forts in her living room and getting muddy in the nearby creek. Molly has spent most of her adult life teaching and now enjoys writing for children of all ages. She lives in Central Oregon with her husband, two children, and many pets. Molly has an undergraduate degree from Santa Clara University in English and a master’s degree in education from Stanford University. She is the author of Becoming Real: The True Story of the Velveteen Rabbit.

Julia Breckenreid is an illustrator who lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Her thoughtful picture book illustration work has been featured in the NYT Books section and chosen for The Original Art Exhibition: A showcase of illustrations from the year’s best children’s books of the year at the Society of Illustrators Museum in 2021 and 2023. Previously, Julia’s work has been awarded a gold medal by the Society of Illustrators in New York and acknowledged repeatedly by American Illustration, Communication Arts and 3x3 professional awards annuals.