Retired Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor grew up on a cattle ranch surrounded by open desert, cattle and wildlife. So does the Sandra in her new children’s book, “Finding Susie “(Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2009). The character is drawn from O’Connor’s childhood memories of living on a ranch that sprawled over parts of both Arizona and New Mexico.
The book, with illustrations by Tom Pohrt, tells the story of Sandra’s search for a pet. She quickly discovers that wild animals—like the desert tortoise, cottontail, coyote and bobcat—do not make good companions. Sandra eventually meets a lost dog named Susie, who is more than happy to fill some of the empty space and time on the ranch.
The book is meant for ages 4 to 8 and might provoke a good discussion about why wild animals should not be kept as pets. It retails for $16.99.
RELATED:
- PODCAST: Listen to our 2009 interview with Justice O’Connor.
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