diana m cook

Discover the story of Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Shirley Abrahamson

Shirley Abrahamson, the daughter of immigrants, overcame barriers to women and became a role model and Wisconsin’s longest-serving supreme court justice. As chief justice, she created outreach programs to demystify the work of the courts and make them more accessible to the public. Now teen and preteen readers can meet the woman whose reputation is well known in the legal profession--her dedication to law, her work ethic, intellect, and national recognition. Little has been written about her world travels and other interests, her humor, her messy desk, and her kindness--these are told here as well, along with family photos. The cover carries an artist’s rendition of a young Shirley, as if early in her career and surrounded by mementos from her past, with a future to be made--food for thought for young people, as is the story of this remarkable woman told inside. The stories of other women and men important in Wisconsin history, from Golda Meir to Tommy Thompson, are featured in the book’s sidebars.