Q&A with Molly Golden

 

 

 

Molly Golden is the author of the new children's picture book biography No One Told Sandra Day O'Connor What to Do: The First Woman to Service on the United States Supreme Court. She also has written the book Becoming Real: The True Story of the Velveteen Rabbit.  

 

Q: What inspired you to write a picture book biography about the late Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor (1930-2023)?

 

A: I wanted to write a picture book about a woman in American history/ politics. So, I started reading mentor texts. When I searched for one about the first woman on the Supreme Court of the United States, there wasn’t one! What!? So, I started to research.

 

Her life was so interesting from growing up on an Arizona cattle ranch to attending Stanford as one of very few women to her life in Washington, D.C., on the Supreme Court. I knew children today had to learn about her.

 

Sandra had a very difficult uphill battle professionally. She was teased and bullied even as an adult. It was important that readers see what women went through in earlier generations. But she never gave up and had people in her life that supported her as well. Young readers need to see that too.

 

Q: What do you think Julia Breckenreid’s illustrations add to the book?

 

A: Julia’s work is stunning. The story spans decades, and I love how Julia included details about fashion, cars, and eras throughout.

 

Julia added so many incredible illustrations that tell just as much as my words do.

 

For example, when Sandra’s parents are waving to her as she leaves for elementary school on the train. (She stayed with her grandma in Texas to go to school during the academic year.) The page accompanying shows Sandra standing in front of her new school. Her little ankle is bent outward. That one small detail is so telling.

 

Q: How was the book’s title chosen, and what does it signify for you?

 

A: There is a bit of a refrain/repetition in the book that no one could tell Sandra what she could or couldn’t do. It is the throughline for the text and connects everything Sandra faced and accomplished professionally.

 

Even while serving on the Supreme Court, her decisions and opinions were not predictable or partisan. Literally no one could tell Sandra Day O’Connor what to do! So, it seemed like a fitting title.

 

Q: What do you see as O’Connor’s legacy today?

 

A: Great question!

 

First and foremost, as the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court, Sandra Day O’Connor shattered barriers for women in the legal (and arguably) other professions. She also worked to dismantle discriminatory laws throughout her service in Arizona and Washington.

 

Although she was not fond of the term, she was the “swing vote” on many cases that went before SCOTUS. So, her decisions have a legacy of their own. (Although some are currently being dismantled.)

 

But Sandra also left a legacy of decency, humility, and encouraging the importance of civil engagement. One of her most well-known quotes is, “We are fortunate in the United States to have a stable and durable democratic government. But we can’t be complacent in assuming this good fortune will continue… It is the citizens of our nation who must preserve our system of government, and we cannot forget that.”

 

She truly believed in democracy. She even carried a copy of the Constitution in her pocketbook.

 

Q: What are you working on now?

 

A: I have a couple more picture book biographies about different and amazing women looking for homes. And I’m always trying to explore writing more fiction…even though I always find my way back to biographies.

 

Q: Anything else we should know?

 

A: I recently traveled to Washington, D.C., with my children and I had the opportunity to sign copies of the book at the Smithsonian of American History AND at The Supreme Court building. It was a surreal experience, especially at the Supreme Court. The book was on display in the halls!

 

No One Told Sandra Day O'Connor What to Do has led me on an amazing journey so far and I can't wait to visit classrooms with the book this fall.

 

--Interview with Deborah Kalb. Here's a previous Q&A with Molly Golden.