THE SUPREME COURT AND US

Two young girls go sightseeing in Washington, D.C., and learn about the history of the judicial body, its functioning, and its impact on society.

First, Ada and Bea (who have no adults accompanying them) visit the U.S. Capitol, where a friendly female African American judge educates them about her profession. Next stop is the Washington Monument, where a White male photographer teaches them about the three branches of government and the concept of the separation of powers, using his tripod as an object lesson. Inside the National Archives Building, an anthropomorphic master copy of the Constitution enlightens the girls about the Judiciary Act of 1789. After that, a White male lawyer lets the girls tour his office, where portraits of federal justices and regular citizens involved in landmark Supreme Court cases come to life and share their stories. The final stop is, of course, the Supreme Court Building itself, where yet more accommodating adults help the protagonists gain an understanding of court procedures. Colorful graphic-novel panels and speech bubbles throughout make this important topic approachable. The main characters have tan skin and Bea is possibly Asian American. The backmatter includes capsule biographies of several Supreme Court justices, a timeline of events that led up to the historic Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka ruling on school desegregation, a glossary, and a list of court cases referenced in the book.

Creative and informative, this child-friendly legal primer will be a great addition to home and school libraries.