Description

Orders now open! This book is scheduled for release on September 8, 2026. Orders placed before then will ship by release date.

Shirley for Justice (hardcover)

Written by Colleen D. Ball

Illustrated by Alison McDole

ABOUT THE BOOK

Books are for everyone. So is justice.

In 1937, four-year-old Shirley Abrahamson, the daughter of Polish Jewish immigrants, announced that she wanted to be president of the United States. At age six, she changed her mind. She wanted to be a lawyer. But it was the day a New Jersey librarian refused her a library card—just because her parents didn’t own property—that the bookish eight-year-old Shirley learned what fairness really means, and what injustice feels like.

Shirley later became a lawyer and made history three times: as Wisconsin’s first woman justice, its first woman chief justice, and its longest-serving justice at forty-three years. She spent her career standing up for justice and implementing award-winning programs to demystify courts. Her programs engage children and adults alike, helping them understand what judges do and the importance of an independent judiciary. Today, in honor of her legacy, the doors of a library swing open beneath her name, welcoming everyone who loves books—no matter who they are or where they live.

Shirley for Justice releases on September 8, 2026, marking the 50th anniversary of Shirley Abrahamson’s investiture as Wisconsin’s first woman justice. September is also National Library Card Sign-Up Month—a fitting time for her story to reach young readers. Get your copy!

Author Colleen D. Ball is a lawyer and historian who argued many cases before Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson. She researched Abrahamson’s personal papers at the Wisconsin Historical Society and helped create both a traveling exhibit and the website shirleyabrahamson.org. She also helped develop statewide programs marking the 150th anniversary of Lavinia Goodell’s admission to the bar, making her Wisconsin’s first woman lawyer. That work earned Colleen a 2025 Wisconsin Historical Society Board of Curators Award. Shirley for Justice is Colleen’s first picture book biography. Visit Colleen online at www.colleendball.com.

Illustrator Alison McDole is an artist and illustrator from Stoughton. She earned both a B.F.A. in Drawing & Painting and an M.A. in Arts Education from University of Wisconsin–Madison. Inspired by nature, children’s books, quilting, and handmade art, Alison creates whimsical, detailed illustrations and paintings that reflect warmth and storytelling. She works as an elementary art teacher, drawing daily inspiration and energy from her students. Explore her artwork and illustrations online at www.alisonmcdole.com