5 Books to Teach Kids About Democracy in Action

It is surprising how aware children are of the siege at the Capitol on January 6th, 2021. They may need a safe space to speak and ask questions. Engage in a democratic dialogue with this booklist, specially curated by Book Passage, to spark healthy conversations about democracy and civic engagement.

What's The Big Deal About Freedom

From the Constitution to abolition, from voting to civil rights, this chapter book for civic-minded young readers filled with fun facts and historical trivia shows how America got the nickname "land of the free." It's a "free country"! Why? Because in America we're free to speak our minds, choose our leaders, and set the rules. Since way back when Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, Americans have stood up for freedom again and again--but it wasn't always easy!

What's the Big Deal About Elections

From campaigns to voting booths, from local elections to national races, this fun and fact-filled book--now in chapter book format!--celebrates the fundamental American idea that "we the people" get to decide who runs the show. Did you know that we have more than ninety thousand state and local governments in the US? Or that Election Day celebrations two hundred years ago featured marching bands and bonfires? How about that George Washington was our only president who ran unopposed?

This Is Our Constitution: Discover America with a Gold Star Father

From Gold Star father and beloved Democratic National Convention speaker Khizr Khan comes a book for young people about the Constitution—what it says and why it matters for everyone. Our Founding Fathers created the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights as a blueprint for American government and the rights of American citizens. This document is not merely a piece of parchment but a living, breathing promise of our deepest democratic values.

Votes Of Confidence: A Young Person's Guide to American Elections

Every four years, coverage of the presidential election turns more into a horse-race story about who’s leading the polls and who said what when. Younger readers, who might be old enough to remember only one or two other elections, aren’t provided with much information about how the election process actually works, why it matters, or how they can become involved. With civics education becoming less common in schools, it’s important for teens to know what’s going on. With the 2016 election behind us and the upcoming 2018 mid-term election just around the corner, Votes of Confidence will be a timely resource that can generate news coverage, while written in an evergreen way that can remain relevant after the next president is chosen. Using a fun, casual voice and interesting sidebars and anecdotes that tell stories rather than just list facts, this book will provide teachers with a supplemental resource and readers with an engaging way to better understand their government.

The Constitution Decoded: A Guide to the Document That Shapes Our Nation

Ever wonder why the president has a Cabinet? Why there’s such thing as trial by jury? Why someday you’ll have to pay income tax, or why there are no Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, or Countesses in the United States? Because the Constitution says so––and so much more. And now, in The Constitution Decoded, the ideas, concepts, and rules that make America are unpacked and explained in detail to help all of us, kids and parents too, become more informed citizens.