The Declaration of Independence

This social studies series for juveniles gives insight into the foundations of the U.S. and the workings of our government. Each book has the same format, featuring four chapters, vocabulary words highlighted in the text, and a ‘To Learn More’ page at the end of the book. Each of the three branches of government is explored in depth, and important documents are examined. The large font, wide line spacing, and generous margins contribute to the visual appeal. The historical photographs, illustrations, sidebars, and infographics will also appeal to students. This series would be a great addition to a library or classroom or as textbooks for a remedial reader group in junior to senior high school levels. Additional Resources. Glossary. Index. Table of Contents. Websites

With 24 pages per book, these titles are brief. Even so, elegant design and substantive content make them strong contenders. Each one tackles a specific component of U.S. government and describes, in brief, the influences and other formative issues surrounding it. For instance, in How the Government Works, the author explains that even though the original 13 colonies technically rebelled against Great Britain, they still borrowed ideas from the British government when forming their own. Contemporary aspects of each subject are described as well, such as the ongoing debate about the merits and demerits of the electoral college in How Elections Work. The nature of how the U.S. government is structured means that some content overlaps (the need for a constitutional convention is described in The Bill of Rights and The U.S. Constitution), but not so much that one title can be overlooked when ordering. The illustrations are a solid balance of archival paintings, maps, photographs, and graphics. VERDICT Just in time for the election season, a great primer for U.S. government classes.