Turning Pages: My Life Story by Sonia Sotomayor, illustrated by Lulu Delacre. BIOGRAPHY PICTURE BOOK. Philomel Books (Penguin), 2018. $18. 9780525514084
BUYING ADVISORY: Pre-K, EL (K-3) - ESSENTIAL.
AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW
Sonia tells the story of her life, framed by her love for books and how they guided her life. Sonia’s story begins with her struggle to learn and communicate in both English and Spanish and moves next to her struggle with diabetes, both giving her the opportunity to find solace and courage in books. Her story also includes trips to Puerto Rico, her father’s death, and the neighborhood library. She talks specifically about the books that moved her - family encyclopedias, Nancy Drew, Lord of the Flies, and the Bible. Her story concludes with going to Princeton, becoming a lawyer and a judge, and fighting for justice.
Sonia Sotomayor is a wonderful role model and I am so glad her story is being told to young readers. I like the way she uses her love of books to inform her life story, adding nice layers to her biography. What doesn’t work are the illustrations. They hold very little attention, bouncing between realistic and stylized and often feel disjointed from one page to the next.
Jen Wecker, HS English Teacher
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