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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.
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.
- GenresBiographyPicture Books
40 pages, Hardcover
Published May 1, 2025
12 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 15, 2025
About O'Connor from childhood on a ranch through being a member of the Supreme Court, with quotes from other women who have been Supreme Court Justices about her influence.
Didn't love the way O'Connor in particular was illustrated (the style to make her stand out felt very odd to me).
Didn't love the way O'Connor in particular was illustrated (the style to make her stand out felt very odd to me).
July 22, 2025
I enjoyed learning more about Sandra Day O'Connor. Sandra grew up on a large Cattle Ranch called the Lazy B Ranch in Arizona during the great depression. There was no school close to the ranch, so starting at the age of six, every September her parents waved Goodbye as she set off alone on a four-hour train ride to her Grandmother's house and the Radford School for Girls. One year, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt spoke to the students about civic duty, which sparked her interest in public service.
At sixteen, her parents drove her across the desert to attend Stanford University in California. Sandra worked hard and graduated near the top of her class. This is where she met her husband, John O'Connor. While society was telling women to get married, Sandra had other ideas, and her classmate, John O'Connor, agreed that she should attend Stanford Law School. That was where he was going, and they spent all their days studying, laughing, and falling in love. Sandra graduated at the top of her class again.
John and Sandra got married at the Lazy B, and they moved to California. John joined a law firm, and Sandra started looking for a job as a lawyer. But this was the 1950s, and law firms didn’t want to hire a woman lawyer. Only one firm would interview her. And they offered her a job as a secretary, not as a lawyer. Shocked! She declined their offer. She turned over every rock and contacted a local district attorney. He gave her a job working for him, but without a paycheck, a desk, or an office. She was doing case research and answering legal questions.
Since no law firm would hire her, she opened her own law office. When she moved back to Arizona to raise her three children, she met the Governor, who persuaded her to run for the Arizona State Senate, and she won. Three years later, she was elected Senate Majority Leader, the first woman in the country to hold this position. The men in the state senate mocked and bullied her, but Sandra privately wiped away her tears and pushed forward.
I won't tell you all of her story; you have the book for that. However, many of you may recall that it was President Reagan who nominated Sandra to the United States Supreme Court. On September 25, 1981, Sandra Day O'Connor became the first woman to serve as a Supreme Court Justice, helping little girls see that they could aspire to achieve their dreams.
This is a very inspirational book not only for young girls, but also for anyone who faces discrimination. Plus, young boys will be able to see the importance of education. Making the right choices will make all the difference.
Julia Breckenreid did a fabulous job with the illustrations. They captured the beauty of the Southwest. Children will feel like they are walking alongside Sandra as she works her way up to one of the highest courts in the world. Teachers will love this book. There are numerous creative lesson plans that teachers can develop to use in their classrooms.
At sixteen, her parents drove her across the desert to attend Stanford University in California. Sandra worked hard and graduated near the top of her class. This is where she met her husband, John O'Connor. While society was telling women to get married, Sandra had other ideas, and her classmate, John O'Connor, agreed that she should attend Stanford Law School. That was where he was going, and they spent all their days studying, laughing, and falling in love. Sandra graduated at the top of her class again.
John and Sandra got married at the Lazy B, and they moved to California. John joined a law firm, and Sandra started looking for a job as a lawyer. But this was the 1950s, and law firms didn’t want to hire a woman lawyer. Only one firm would interview her. And they offered her a job as a secretary, not as a lawyer. Shocked! She declined their offer. She turned over every rock and contacted a local district attorney. He gave her a job working for him, but without a paycheck, a desk, or an office. She was doing case research and answering legal questions.
Since no law firm would hire her, she opened her own law office. When she moved back to Arizona to raise her three children, she met the Governor, who persuaded her to run for the Arizona State Senate, and she won. Three years later, she was elected Senate Majority Leader, the first woman in the country to hold this position. The men in the state senate mocked and bullied her, but Sandra privately wiped away her tears and pushed forward.
I won't tell you all of her story; you have the book for that. However, many of you may recall that it was President Reagan who nominated Sandra to the United States Supreme Court. On September 25, 1981, Sandra Day O'Connor became the first woman to serve as a Supreme Court Justice, helping little girls see that they could aspire to achieve their dreams.
This is a very inspirational book not only for young girls, but also for anyone who faces discrimination. Plus, young boys will be able to see the importance of education. Making the right choices will make all the difference.
Julia Breckenreid did a fabulous job with the illustrations. They captured the beauty of the Southwest. Children will feel like they are walking alongside Sandra as she works her way up to one of the highest courts in the world. Teachers will love this book. There are numerous creative lesson plans that teachers can develop to use in their classrooms.
October 4, 2025
Good to see a picture book book biography of Sandra Day O’Connor. It is concise and to the point. The one piece of information I was unaware of was that Sandra had attended a private girl’s school in El Paso, Texas, a school which was visited by Eleanor Roosevelt and Sandra was deeply impressed with her.
This title would have been a four star for me, but I did not care for the illustrations as they appeared in a less than positive way to be digitally created and I didn’t see any info about them in any of the publishing information.
This title would have been a four star for me, but I did not care for the illustrations as they appeared in a less than positive way to be digitally created and I didn’t see any info about them in any of the publishing information.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews