The U. S. Constitution

by Norman Pearl, Matthew Skeens (Illustrator)

Overview

It's 1787, and a handful of men are about to sign the United States Constitution. In a few minutes, a newly free country will have a set of rules made by the people, for the people. Join lawmaker James Madison as he picks up a pen and makes history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781404826465
Publisher:	Capstone
Publication date:	01/09/2006
Series:	American Symbols
Pages:	24
Sales rank:	1,116,599
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 11.00(h) x 0.12(d)
Age Range:	6 - 9 Years

About the Author

Norman Pearl has written 10 children’s books. He writes on both science and social studies topics and can’t decide which he likes better. Norman lives in tropical Miami, Florida, with his wife and son. They have a small, white, fluffy dog named Max. Max thinks he is human, so the four of them go just about everywhere together. Norman usually writes his books under a palm tree while sipping lemonade. When he needs a break, he jumps in the pool for a swim. Usually, the rest of the family follows him in.

Table of Contents

What is the US constitution? — The first rules of the United States — Who wrote the constitution? — Many different ideas — The parts of the constitution — The constitution and you.

Editorial Reviews

Both real and fictional narrators serve as your tour guides on this fun and factual trip inot American Symbols. Francis Scott Key, Ben Franklin, and James Madison offer insight on their roles in history and the resulting symbols, such as the National Anthem, that are still honored today. Designed for school library use in grades K-2, each book includes labeled diagrams, stanzas and melody line, glossary, biographies of Constitutional Signers, fun facts, index, booklist, and safe internet sites for further research. Other titles in the series are: The Great Seal of the United States, Our American FLag, Our National Anthem, The Statue of Liberty, and The White House.

The Midwest Book Review

Distilling the U.S. Constitution into 24 pages isn't easy, but this volume in the American Symbols series is so attractive that kids may be drawn in by the pictures and learn something about American history in the process. Colored in deep hues, Skeens' images look so sturdy that they seem to be carved from wood. The text begins with James Madison introducing himself (he never appears again) and presumably asking the question the text poses: "What is the U.S. Constitution?" Each spread offers a few paragraphs of information about the document and its sections, the framers and how they worked together ("there was a lot of arguing"), and a little more about the branches of government. There's over simplification; it's a shame Pearl didn't list the individual amendments in the Bill of Rights; and snippets of information are embedded in the spreads in type that is easy to miss. Still, the book's good points outweigh its minuses. Several books and Web sites are appended.

Booklist

PreS-Gr 2
What sets these series titles apart from the many other books on the same topics is their simplicity. Each volume briefly explains the history and significance of its symbol. A guide, either a historical figure important in the development of the symbol or a fictional character involved in its day-to-day operation, introduces each icon. This personal tone and the clear language make these titles accessible to young listeners. Large, richly colored and highly stylized artwork flows across the covers and pages with figures that resemble plastic toys. Unfortunately, there are no photos of the actual sites, monuments, or symbols. Each volume includes a list of facts. Most collections already have more complete titles about these topics. Purchase if there's a need.
—Carol S. SurgesCopyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal