Hispanic Star: Sonia Sotomayor

by Claudia Romo Edelman, Nathalie Alonso, Alexandra Beguez (Illustrator)

Overview

Read about Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, one of the the most groundbreaking, iconic Hispanic and Latinx heroes that have shaped our culture and the world, in this gripping biography written by Claudia Romo Edelman and Nathalie Alonso, with black-and-white illustrations by Alexandra Beguez, perfect for fans of the Who Was and She Persisted series.

Meet Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, once just a girl growing up in The Bronx, New York, with her brother and Puerto Rican-born parents. From a young age, her mother emphasized the value of education. Sonia would eventually graduate summa cum laude from Princeton University, receive a Juris Doctor from Yale Law School, and later begin working as an assistant district attorney for New York County. Throughout her decades-long career, Sonia Sotomayor has been driven by her commitment to justice, inspiring young people to follow their dreams and strive to make them reality.

Hispanic Star proudly celebrates Hispanic and Latinx heroes who have made remarkable contributions to American culture and have been an undeniable force in shaping its future. If you can see it, you can be it.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250828231
Publisher:	Roaring Brook Press
Publication date:	09/05/2023
Series:	Hispanic Star
Pages:	112
Product dimensions:	5.45(w) x 7.95(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Claudia Romo Edelman is a global mobilization expert, catalyst for social change, and marketer for social causes. She is a recognized speaker, activist, thought leader & author, and upcoming entrepreneur. Claudia is the founder of the We Are All Human Foundation and co-host of the podcast “A la Latina: The Playbook to Succeed Being Your Authentic Self.” She is also currently starting a family business. She is a Mexican-Swiss diplomat with more than 25 years of experience leading marketing and advocacy for global organizations, including the World Economic Forum, UNICEF, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and the United Nations. She speaks 6 languages, has two children, and enjoys sports and traveling.

Nathalie Alonso is a Cuban American journalist and children's author from Queens, New York. She is the author and translator of Hispanic Star: Sonia Sotomayor and Hispanic Star: Ellen Ochoa, as well as several picture books, including Old Clothes for Dinner?! (Barefoot Books, 2024), Call Me Roberto! (Calkins Creek, 2024), Take Me Out to the Ball Game! (Barefoot Books, 2025), and ¡Viva Valenzuela! (Calkins Creek, 2026). Since 2006, Nathalie has been part of the Spanish editorial team at MLB.com, the official website of Major League Baseball. She is also a freelance journalist with bylines in TIME for Kids, National Geographic, Refinery29, Well + Good, AFAR and Outside, among other publications. Nathalie holds a bachelor's in American Studies from Columbia University.

Editorial Reviews

09/01/2023

Gr 2–5—The chapter book nonfiction series on Hispanic heroes continues with exciting entries on stars Sonia Sotomayor and Ellen Ochoa. Both volumes open with a pivotal moment in the life of the subject—Sotomayor attending a ceremony in which they name the projects in the Bronx, where she grew up, after her, and Ochoa playing a flute in space. Each series installment conveys the challenges, struggles, and triumphs of each living role model. Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor grew up with very modest means and Type 1 Diabetes. Astronaut Ochoa never learned Spanish because of the stigma that came along with being Mexican. The women have many aspects in common—for example, strong mothers who believed in education. They also faced many obstacles to their success, sexism, racism, classism, and constantly being questioned on whether they were truly deserving of it. The coauthors use primary sources, including radio interviews and autobiographies to flesh out each narrative. The books have short sidebars giving more context to the subject's time period, such as important moments in Puerto Rican history and the establishment of NASA. With plenty of white space and illustrations sprinkled throughout, these titles are accessible for young researchers. The Ochoa installment's images were created by Gutierrez, whose pencil-like illustrations are especially photorealistic. The books end with "Did you know" sections that share cool facts and relevant web links. VERDICT This series continues to impress. Purchase for elementary school libraries and where biographies for kids circulate well.—Shelley M. Diaz

School Library Journal