Illustrated by Stacy Innerst
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Before Ruth Bader Ginsburg, there was Louis D. Brandeis: a lawyer/activist turned Supreme Court Justice who drew on common sense and Jewish values to make a difference.
This nonfiction picture book for young readers ages 7 – 10 brings to life a man full of wit and common sense, a trailblazer to inspire Jewish and non-Jewish readers alike.
Louis Brandeis knows it’s up to him to change the world. He has seen how some people are treated poorly because of their race or their religion or because they are poor. If I were a lawyer like Uncle Dembitz, he thinks, I could fight for those who need extra help. Guided by his uncle’s example, his father’s practical wisdom, and Jewish values of equality and justice, Brandeis gets to work as a lawyer, making sure everyone has a chance. Louis knows it’s important to fight for worker’s rights and women’s rights. Louis knows (before most people!) that everyone has the right to privacy. And Louis knows it’s important to support arguments with facts.
What Louis doesn’t know is that he’ll become the first Jewish Supreme Court Justice in 1916, and his fight for justice will only continue.
Reviews:
“What the first Jewish U.S. Supreme Court justice knew could fill a book… A solid introduction to an honorable man, known for his fair-minded rulings.” —Kirkus Review
“… A commendable addition to biography collections, especially those emphasizing social justice.” —Booklist
“Michelson draws readers into this stirring biography of the U.S. Supreme Court’s first Jewish Justice.”—Publisher’s Weekly
“The story touches [Brandeis’s]…focus on the needs and rights of the downtrodden; the ways in which antisemitism affected his life and work; and his devotion to his family…. The book’s present-tense voice gives the events a sense of immediacy.” —The Horn Book
Essays:
Can the Legacy of Louis Brandeis Save American Democracy? by Richard Michelson for Moment Magazine
Print Interviews:
Louis Brandeis: Crusader for social justice … and superhero? — Jewish Journal, October 16, 2025
“‘I love that Brandeis was called the crusader for social justice,’ Michelson said. ‘On the cover, you see him wearing his Supreme Court robes, his black robes, behind him like a superhero cape.’ The author likened some of Innerst’s other illustrations in the book to the social justice art of Ben Shahn.”
Northampton author’s new book introduces Supreme Court justice to children — Mass Live, October 30th, 2025
“While the book has adult themes and could court an adult audience, Michelson wrote it for children because he says they can handle the truth. ‘Children are much more sophisticated and intellectually interested than most people give them credit for. People who think childhood is a sweet, innocent time have not recently been children. It’s a minefield for kids,’ he said.”
Book Q&As with Deborah Kalb, Friday, October 24, 2025
“When a figure I admire has the courage to stand up for the rights of others, I am most interested in how their childhood fueled the person they became. And that is why I write the books I write.”
Richard Michelson’s new picture book: Telling the story of Louis Brandeis — MV Times, November 6, 2025
“It took six years to finish the research, write the story, find a new publisher and an illustrator — Stacy Innerst’s collage-like illustrations add another dimension to this important tale. And the timing couldn’t be better to introduce young readers to a jurist who believed in equal rights for all.”
Listen:
Richard Michelson on NEPM’s The Fabulous 413 with Monte Belmonte and Kaliis Smith, November 2025
Richard Michelson on Northampton Poetry Radio with Bill Newman and Buz Eisenberg. October 14, 2025