Lovely One (Adapted for Young Adults)

The New York Times bestselling memoir now adapted for young adults! Ketanji Brown Jackson, the first Black woman to ever be appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court, chronicles her life story and her extraordinary path to becoming a jurist on America's highest court in this inspiring, intimate memoir.

Growing up, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson's parents taught her that she could achieve anything she wanted, and be whoever she wanted to be. In high school, she dreamt of being a Supreme Court judge. In 2022, her dream came true: she was sworn in as the first African American woman judge.

Lovely One is Justice Jackson's journey to making her dreams a reality, the hurdles she faced, and the lessons she learned along the way. She recalls feeling different and lonely as one of the few Black kids at her high school. At Harvard University, she was homesick and grappled with imposter syndrome. She took on the difficulties of working in the legal field as a Black woman, and the challenges of balancing a career and relationships.

But Justice Jackson persevered. She found like-minded people at her high school's speech club and Harvard's musical theatre group. With support from her family and strength from friends, she took on the world with optimism, determination, and hard work. Justice Jackson's story will resonate with dreamers everywhere, spreading hope and inspiration for generations to come.

This young adult adaptation has a brand-new preface and epilogue and includes an exclusive prize-winning speech the justice delivered as a high school student.

Author: Ketanji Brown Jackson
Publisher: Bright Matter Books
Published: 01/20/2026
Pages: 368
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.17lbs
Size: 9.15h x 6.35w x 1.29d
ISBN: 9798217117772
Audience: Young Adult


Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 11/15/2025
Booklist 12/01/2025
School Library Journal 01/01/2026 pg. 60

About the Author
Ketanji Brown Jackson was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in Miami, Florida. She received her undergraduate and law degrees, both with honors, from Harvard University, then served as a law clerk for three federal judges, including Associate Justice Stephen G. Breyer of the Supreme Court of the United States. Jackson subsequently practiced law in the private sector, worked as an attorney, and later as Vice Chair, at the U.S. Sentencing Commission, and served as an assistant federal public defender. In 2013, President Barack Obama appointed Jackson to the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Elevated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 2021, Jackson made history in 2022 when President Joseph Biden nominated her as an Associate Justice. The first Black woman ever confirmed to the Supreme Court of the United States, she took her seat on June 30, 2022.