Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a modern icon and a role model fighting for equal rights for all, especially women.

As a student, teacher, lawyer and judge, Ruth often experienced discrimination. But she persisted, championing equality in pay and opportunity. Her brilliant mind, compelling arguments and staunch commitment to truth and justice have convinced many to stand with her, and her fight continues.

About her legacy, she said, “To make life a little better for people less fortunate than you, that’s what I think a meaningful life is. One lives not just for oneself but for one’s community.” 

The pioneering Supreme Court Justice has passed on, but her words remain to inspire us all. 

Books to Teach Your Students About Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark 

By Debbie Levy 
Interest Level: P-3 

Get to know celebrated Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in this picture book. She has spent a lifetime disagreeing with inequality, arguing against unfair treatment, and standing up for what’s right for people everywhere. This biographical picture book about Ginsburg tells the justice’s story through the lens of her many famous dissents.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg 

Series: My Itty-Bitty Bio 
By Sara Spiller and Jeff Bane 
Interest Level: K-1 

The My Itty-Bitty Bio series are biographies for the earliest readers. This book examines the life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg in a simple, age-appropriate way that will help children develop word recognition and reading skills. Includes a timeline and other informative background. 

Ruth Objects: The Life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg 

Series: Big Words Biographies 
By Doreen Rappaport 
Interest Level: 1-3 

Ruth graduated first in her class at Cornell University and tied for top of her graduating class at Columbia Law School. But she faced prejudice as both a woman and a Jew, making it difficult to get a job. Ruth eventually found work as a law clerk, and her determination, diligence, and skill led to a distinguished career as a lawyer. In 1993, she became the second woman ever appointed to the United States Supreme Court. 

Ruth Bader Ginsburg 

Series: You Should Meet Ready to Read 
By Laurie Calkhoven 
Interest Level: 1-3 

Get to know Ruth Bader Ginsberg, the inspiring Supreme Court justice. She is only the second female Supreme Court justice in America’s history. She has spent her entire life fighting for equal rights for all, especially women. A special section at the back of the book includes extras like the history of the Supreme Court and how to become a lawyer. 

Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The Case of R.B.G. Vs. Inequality

By Jonah Winter
Interest Level: 1-4

To become the first female Jewish Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg had to overcome countless injustices. Despite discrimination against Jews, females, and working mothers, Ginsburg become Columbia Law School’s first tenured female professor, a judge for the US Court of Appeals, and finally, a Supreme Court Justice. Structured as a court case in which the reader is presented with evidence of the injustice that Ginsburg faced, this book is the true story of how she bravely persevered to become the remarkable symbol of justice she is today. 

Ruth Bader Ginsburg 

Series: Superwomen Role Models 
By Heather Moore Niver 
Interest Level: 3-5 

Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a lawyer, a professor, and a Supreme Court Justice, has worked tirelessly for women’s issues on a national level. Her life story is presented to readers through accessible text meant to encourage them to fight for their beliefs as Ginsberg has. Detailed sidebars, a biographical timeline, and direct quotes from Ginsburg provide additional information. 

Who Is Ruth Bader Ginsburg? 

Series: Who Is…? 
By Patricia Brennan Demuth 
Interest Level: 3-7 

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is famous for her stylish collars (called jabots) and her commanding dissents. She has always spoken her mind. As a young lawyer, RBG advocated for gender equality and women’s rights when few others did. She gained attention for the cases she won when arguing in front of the Supreme Court, before taking her place on the bench in 1993. This book answers all the questions about what makes RBG irreplaceable.

Becoming RBG: Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s Journey to Justice

By Debbie Levy
Interest Level: 5-9

Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg blazed trails to the peaks of the male-centric worlds of education and law, where women had rarely risen before. Step by step, the shy little girl became a child who questioned unfairness, who became a student who persisted despite obstacles, who became an advocate who resisted injustice, who became a judge who revered the rule of law, who became RBG.

Who are your favorite female role models, and what books about them do you love teaching? Share in the comments below!