America's Government:
 An Annotated Bibliography
Created By: Michele Fara

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Chapter Books (Novels)

Presidency:

Gutman, Dan. The Kid Who Ran For President. New York: Scholastic, 1996.

            A twelve-year-old boy named Judson Moon runs for President of the United States, believing that a kid would be better than a grown-up in leading the United States into the new millennium.  This sixth grader runs a whimsical campaign and promises to abolish homework, among other things, if his classmates can get their parents to vote for him.  This humorous book entertains students while teaching them about our country’s government.    

 

Gutman, Dan. The Kid Who Became President. New York: Scholastic, 1999.     

            This is the hilarious sequel to The Kid Who Ran For President.  Twelve-year-old Judson Moon wins the 2000 election and takes on his role as President of the United States.  He discovers what presidency is all about as he takes on the amusing task of being the nation’s first kid President.  From his witty Inaugural Address to battling wars through video games, this book is sure to make students laugh.  Not only is this book entertaining, it also gives insight into the duties of the President.


Picture Books

Declaration of Independence:

Fink, Sam. The Declaration of Independence: The Words That Made America. New York: Scholastic, 2002.

            This book presents the content of the Declaration of Independence as illustrated phrases and as a single, fluid document.  It allows students to visualize the ideas portrayed in this historical document.  The reader will also find the chronology of events leading up to the creation of the Declaration of Independence as well as a glossary of terms at the end of this book.  This is a great book to refer to when studying the Declaration of Independence because it presents the document in phrases and as a whole.  The illustrations are catchy and memorable, which will help students comprehend the concepts in the document. 

 

Constitution:

Catrow, David. We the Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States.  New York: Penguin Putnam, 2002.

                        This book illustrates the phrases of the Preamble of the Constitution.  The illustrations are very colorful and represent everyday images.  This book serves to teach its readers the meaning behind the Preamble in such a way that children can understand. 

 

Fritz, Jean. Shh! We’re Writing the Constitution. New York: G. P. Putnam’s Sons, 1987.

            This book tells the history of the creation of the Constitution.  It thoroughly discusses the historical information and purposes associated with writing this document.  There is a lot of narrative text in this book, so it is a slightly lengthy picture book, but very informative.  This book gives the reader some general background about how and why the Constitution was written. 

 

Maestro, Betsy and Giulio. A More Perfect Union: The Story of Our Constitution. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1987.

            This book traces the history of the creation of the Constitution.  It tells the story of how this important document came to be.  The illustrations effectively represent the text, and this book would benefit any student studying the creation of the Constitution.  It is a simple, yet thorough and accurate read.

 

Spier, Peter. We the People: The Constitution of the United States of America. New York: Doubleday & Company, 1987.

            This book also illustrates the various phrases of the Preamble of the Constitution.  Each phrase has many different illustrations, representing different ideas and different time periods, all related to the particular phrase.  The illustrations are very interesting and portray events and ideas to which children can easily relate.   The illustrations truly capture the meaning behind the words of the Preamble. This book would benefit any student studying the Preamble.


Presidency:

St. George, Judith. So You Want to be President?. New York: Penguin Putnam, 2000.

            This is a humorous book that touches on the lives and quirks of various Presidents.  The book provides comical information about the Presidents—it is informative in a witty sort of way.  This book is sure to bring smiles to the faces of its readers.  Students will enjoy the humor presented in this book as they learn about the lives of the Presidents.  It is a fun approach to studying our nation’s leaders.   

 

Stier, Catherine. If I Were President. Morton Grove: Albert Whitman & Company, 1999.

            A young girl tells what she would do if she were President.  The story is written very simply from the point of view of a child.  It gives insight into the President’s duties and life in the White House.  Students can easily relate to this simple story by sharing what they might do if they were the President.  The book is a fun, quick read and educational at the same time.

 

Other Books:

Katz, Bobbi. We the People. New York: HarperCollins, 2000.

            This book is a collection of poems about the United States during different eras.  The poems cover a wide variety of historical topics relating to America’s history and independence.  The poems are somewhat challenging, but they provide a different approach to the study of our nation.  Poems are great to use since they are short and concise, which is why I like them.

 

Martin, Jr., Bill, and Michael Sampson. I Pledge Allegiance. Cambridge: Candlewick Press, 2002.

            Phrases of the Pledge of Allegiance are illustrated in this patriotic picture book.  This book helps students learn the Pledge and the meaning behind its words.  The illustrations represent the lines of text very well, helping the readers visualize each phrase of the Pledge of Allegiance. This book serves to teach students the meaning behind the Pledge of Allegiance, which is an important declaration that we make as citizens of this country.


Folktales

American Tales:

Durell, Ann. The Diane Goode Book of American Folk Tales and Songs. New York: E. P. Dutton, 1989.

            This is a collection of folktales and songs exclusive to the history of the United States of America.  From Davy Crockett to Yankee Doodle, a wide range of our nation’s cultures and regions are represented in this book.  Whether studying the nation’s government or its history, this book adds wonderful flavor to learning.  With its colorful and expressive illustrations, this book is sure to captivate its readers and provide them with insight into stories exclusive to our country.

 

Biographies

George Washington:

Giblin, James Cross. George Washington: A Picture Book Biography. New York: Scholastic, 1992.

        This 48-page picture book outlines the life of our nation’s first President.  The thoroughly written text is complimented with rich oil-painted illustrations of Washington’s life experiences.  In addition to telling about Washington’s life, this book also has a separate section which shows a map of the U.S. in 1797, a timeline of important dates in Washington’s life, an anecdotal story of Washington’s encounter with the cherry tree, Washington’s rules for good behavior, and synopses of the monuments built in his honor.  This book is a quick read which provides a brief overview of  Washington’s life. 

 

John Hancock:

Koslow, Philip. John Hancock: A Signature Life. New York: Grolier, 1998.

            Remembered best for his signature on the Declaration of Independence, this book is about the founding father whose bold signature has withstood the test of time.  The life and accomplishments of John Hancock are written and illustrated in this biography.  Furthermore, this biography provides the reader with a timeline of relevant events from Hancock’s life and provides a list of additional resources about this renowned historical figure.  This book is great for anyone wanting to know about the life, accomplishments, and influences of John Hancock.  

          

Informational Books 

Presidents:

Barber, James. Eyewitness Books: Presidents. London: Dorling Kindersley, 2000.

            This book gives short biographical sketches about each of the Presidents from Washington to Clinton.  The book is packed with interesting information, facts, and colorful illustrations relating to the Presidents.  It is a great asset to use when students are learning about the Presidents and need to find information about a particular President’s influences and accomplishments.  The sketches are brief yet informative, making the book handy and easy to use.


National Government:

Giesecke, Ernestine. Kids’ Guide: National Government. Chicago: Heinemann Library, 2000.

            This non-fiction book informs students about what government is and how the government of the United States is set-up.  It discusses the branches of government, how it is funded, how laws are made, various committees, and much more.  There are numerous diagrams and real-life photos to complement the text.  The text is brief yet informative—perfect for students who want to get the gist of how our nation’s government works.
Professional Resources

NoveList

This is a great resource for finding information about books.  A person can easily find a synopsis of a particular book, reveiws, and a listing of related books among other things.

Amazon.com

Find and order various titles right through the internet.  This a great place to find reviews and information about particular titles.

Yahooligans

This is an internet search engine designed especially for kids.  Kids can type in a search to find information on just about anything.  There is even a book club associated with this site. It is easy to use and also a great resource for teachers.


Links for Kids

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PBS Kids

Kids can visit this site and explore how government affects their everyday lives.  They can also become President for a day, check out the voting booth, and adventure through the branches of government.


Ben's Guide to U. S. Government for Kids

This site provides age-appropriate activities to help children learn about U. S. Government.


White House Kids

Kids can find out what is currently happening in the White House.  They can get to know the President and his family in addition to obtaining valuable information about our nation's government.

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