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What Would the Founding Fathers Think: A Young American's Guide to Understanding the Mess Our Country is in and How We Get Out
History, politics, government they're not just for grown-ups anymore. Today's teens are about to be handed a collapsing nation and it'll be their job to fix it. Enter David Bowman. With wit, humor, and sound judgment, he skillfully illustrates America's biggest problems and presents an interactive guide to understanding them that's so much fun adults will want to read it too
128 pages, Paperback
First published May 8, 2012
4 people are currently reading
137 people want to read
About the author
David Bowman
13 books21 followersAs a Christian and as a patriot, David Bowman glorifies his Savior and his nation through his fine art, his
books, and his motivational speaking.
His "Expressions of Christ" series is unlike any other Fine art depictions of Jesus available. His intimate,
up-close portrayals show Jesus in a variety of "real emotional expressions". Whether it is a tender,
compassionate embrace (Security) or playful laughter at the innocence of children (Innocence), David's
pastel drawings truly capture the indescribable love of our Savior. As one admirer put it, "In your art, I
love that Christ is smiling and laughing. He is so rarely depicted that way. Our home is full of His spirit
thanks to you."
David also writes and illustrates a variety of books for young audiences. Combining his cartooning skills
and his experience teaching at a high school level, David knows how to engage kids, pre-teens, and
teens with books that are both entertaining and enlightening. His best-selling Who's Your Hero series
helps kids want to become modern day examples of heroes from the scriptures. The Great Plan of
Happiness teaches them of God's plan for their lives and Dude, Don't be a Lemuel helps older kids and
teens avoid negative, faith-destroying attitudes.
In the political realm, David's latest work is quickly becoming THE Constitutional/conservative book
for young Americans. In What Would the Founding Fathers Think? A YOUNG American's Guide to
Understanding What Makes Our Nation Great & How we've Strayed, David uses wit, humor, and a
variety of visuals to skillfully teach preteens and teens alike the wisdom of returning to our nation's
founding principles, and in a way that they will actually "get it". Even adults will enjoy the simplicity
of its explanations. As Barbara Stowell, Vice President of Constitution Week USA, puts it: "I've learned
more from this book than all the other government and constitutional course material I've studied."
And David loves to teach! He speaks to youth groups on religious and political topics all over the
country. His fun, engaging style, on a variety of topics, helps motivate them to be all-around better
Christians and patriots. Your kids won't soon forget a David Bowman presentation!
David Bowman and his wife, Natalie, live in the mountains of Arizona with their four children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
April 26, 2012
I am an educator by profession, and social studies/history is probably what I am most passionate about. I have taught long enough to realize that the generation coming up does not know U.S. history. All too often, when it is taught, the students hate it because it is taught in such a boring manner. I have been absolutely appalled at the misinformation and lack of knowledge out there about our country's origin. It is said that the majority of Americans would not even be able to pass the test for becoming an American citizen.
David Bowman has indeed written an exquisite book that fits a real need that is often overlooked. Due to all the mandated state testing, history usually gets swept under the carpet. And on the off chance that U.S. history is mentioned, the textbooks only barely scratch the surface. They try to take religion and God completely out of the history of our country. This book fills in the gap in a fun way. As I was reading, I was enjoying it, and I realized that my nearly nine-year-old daughter would like it as well. How nice to read about the real history of the U.S. in a fun and entertaining way.
I am sure there are those who feel that Bowman writes with a biased agenda. Well, I guess if you call pointing out the problems with America a biased agenda, you just might be right. I think everyone can agree that there is something wrong with our country, and if things continue the way they are going, America as we know it will truly pass away.
I highly recommend this book to children, educators, and parents. It is book that will truly give you a balanced perspective on the history of our wonderful country. Our founding fathers would be both amazed and horrified if they saw us now, and it is up to the younger generation to see that we go in the right direction!
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
David Bowman has indeed written an exquisite book that fits a real need that is often overlooked. Due to all the mandated state testing, history usually gets swept under the carpet. And on the off chance that U.S. history is mentioned, the textbooks only barely scratch the surface. They try to take religion and God completely out of the history of our country. This book fills in the gap in a fun way. As I was reading, I was enjoying it, and I realized that my nearly nine-year-old daughter would like it as well. How nice to read about the real history of the U.S. in a fun and entertaining way.
I am sure there are those who feel that Bowman writes with a biased agenda. Well, I guess if you call pointing out the problems with America a biased agenda, you just might be right. I think everyone can agree that there is something wrong with our country, and if things continue the way they are going, America as we know it will truly pass away.
I highly recommend this book to children, educators, and parents. It is book that will truly give you a balanced perspective on the history of our wonderful country. Our founding fathers would be both amazed and horrified if they saw us now, and it is up to the younger generation to see that we go in the right direction!
I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated and all opinions are 100 percent mine.
October 8, 2012
Imagine seeing the modern day US government through the eyes of the founding father's. In this book David Bowman imagines what George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and James Madison would think about our current situation.
The book does a brilliant job of discussing the role that Government "should" be taking in the life of the American citizen. He illustrates how the Government was organized and how it works best. He then shows how far off track we have gotten as a nation and how inefficient the current role of Government is.
He does all of this in a language that youth will understand. He has fun illustrations and situations that we would see today. This book is really a wake up call. I really appreciate it in the climate that we live in today.
A great and practical resource to learn about the Constitution.
I met Mr. Bowman at LDSBA. It was there that he gave me an autographed copy of this book for my family. Thanks Mr Bowman.
The book does a brilliant job of discussing the role that Government "should" be taking in the life of the American citizen. He illustrates how the Government was organized and how it works best. He then shows how far off track we have gotten as a nation and how inefficient the current role of Government is.
He does all of this in a language that youth will understand. He has fun illustrations and situations that we would see today. This book is really a wake up call. I really appreciate it in the climate that we live in today.
A great and practical resource to learn about the Constitution.
I met Mr. Bowman at LDSBA. It was there that he gave me an autographed copy of this book for my family. Thanks Mr Bowman.
May 9, 2019
Very well done. It explains things clearly and in a way appealing to young people. I loved the quotes from founding fathers and also the logic used in teaching about religious freedom. The stove analogy is brilliant. I like how even though it’s a bit bleak looking at the current problems with our government the book ends on a high note with specific ideas of what we can do to retake our freedom and strengthen the country. Really fun to read and makes me want to go to all the primary sources cited to learn more.
August 3, 2021
I appreciated this short book to introduce what the intentions were of the founding fathers for the government of our nation. It's a fun style and a quick and easy read for middle schoolers to understand the importance of a moral citizenship who is capable of self-government and a limited federal government. Easton especially appreciated the point that a good government provides the opportunity for all to work, but does not guarantee equal outcome.
June 18, 2012
What Would The Founding Fathers Think?
By David Bowman
In a fun twist of history, technology and graphics David Bowman looks at the founding of America and wonders what our Founding Fathers would think of today’s America.
When our Founding Fathers signed the Constitution they began a new form of government, one based on giving freedom and power to the people. America was to be a rising sun in a dark world. But would the founding fathers be pleased with the direction that America has gone? Have we stayed true to the principles that our nation was founded on?
Today, the United States of America is in serious trouble. We are facing problems that could destroy us – problems that include taxes, the federal deficit, healthcare issues, and mortgage crises. But how did we get into this mess and what is the true problem?
In just a few years America’s youth will be face-to-face with these problems. So it is important to learn early in life the wisdom that our nation was founded on and to understand the true nature of the problems that we face today. Then we will be ready to solve our problems because we will have returned to our root beliefs.
America was founded on belief in God and a desire for religious freedom. Religious beliefs were an important foundational stone in America's early days, “religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged” (northwest Ordinance, Article 3). The common beliefs in God were what held the country together, religious differences were not points of contention driving us apart.
Values and virtues were the second level in America's foundation. For this country to work the way it was intended there are certain values and virtues we all must have. These include being responsible - hard workers, honesty, and generous. We must strive for excellence in all that we do.
The third level is that we govern ourselves, but we do not govern by whatever we feel like but by the Ten Commandments of God. Freedom without regard for the consequences of our action is the reason America is being crippled by its problems today.
By limiting the power of the government, the rights of the people are protected. The government is suppose to protect our right to pursue life, liberty, and happiness – the rights given to us by God. The government receives its power from the people. The people choose representatives who have values similar to their own to be a part of the government. The government is broken into three parts so the powers are further limited, so that it is not controlled by just one person or group of people. Power must rest with the people and trickle up to the federal level from the local level.
We need to remember that the Constitution is our instruction manual on how the government is suppose to be run. The Constitution limits government, protecting the rights of the American people to govern themselves based on their religious beliefs, values, and virtues. These checks and balances were put in place to safe-guard the country from power hungry individuals.
But America of today has decided that God and religion are not necessary in today's modern world, it is an antiquated idea that needs to be kept from the public life. This separation of God has brought about a lack of values and virtues in today’s America. The family unit has been weakened and with it the moral fiber that was America's backbone. As America loses its foundational stones, freedoms are lost because people need to be controlled and taken care of. People now have a distorted view of their rights and what these rights entail. We have the right to pursue happiness. Our happiness is not nor was it ever a guarantee.
Unfortunately, the federal government claims it can cure all problems. It takes more power from the local government and freedoms are slowly eroded. But the bigger government gets the more it costs. These costs are paid through taxes, borrowing money, and printing money all of which weaken the country.
America’s government has forgotten its purpose to be of, by, and for the people. Instead it has determined its role to be over all and for its own purpose. If we don't reverse the course we are on America will soon collapse in on itself. We must return to the Constitution, to the spirit in which it was written.
This book would be an excellent addition to any library’s juvenile history section, it would also be a title of interest to home-schoolers.
I received a Digital copy of this title for the purpose of this review.
By David Bowman
In a fun twist of history, technology and graphics David Bowman looks at the founding of America and wonders what our Founding Fathers would think of today’s America.
When our Founding Fathers signed the Constitution they began a new form of government, one based on giving freedom and power to the people. America was to be a rising sun in a dark world. But would the founding fathers be pleased with the direction that America has gone? Have we stayed true to the principles that our nation was founded on?
Today, the United States of America is in serious trouble. We are facing problems that could destroy us – problems that include taxes, the federal deficit, healthcare issues, and mortgage crises. But how did we get into this mess and what is the true problem?
In just a few years America’s youth will be face-to-face with these problems. So it is important to learn early in life the wisdom that our nation was founded on and to understand the true nature of the problems that we face today. Then we will be ready to solve our problems because we will have returned to our root beliefs.
America was founded on belief in God and a desire for religious freedom. Religious beliefs were an important foundational stone in America's early days, “religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged” (northwest Ordinance, Article 3). The common beliefs in God were what held the country together, religious differences were not points of contention driving us apart.
Values and virtues were the second level in America's foundation. For this country to work the way it was intended there are certain values and virtues we all must have. These include being responsible - hard workers, honesty, and generous. We must strive for excellence in all that we do.
The third level is that we govern ourselves, but we do not govern by whatever we feel like but by the Ten Commandments of God. Freedom without regard for the consequences of our action is the reason America is being crippled by its problems today.
By limiting the power of the government, the rights of the people are protected. The government is suppose to protect our right to pursue life, liberty, and happiness – the rights given to us by God. The government receives its power from the people. The people choose representatives who have values similar to their own to be a part of the government. The government is broken into three parts so the powers are further limited, so that it is not controlled by just one person or group of people. Power must rest with the people and trickle up to the federal level from the local level.
We need to remember that the Constitution is our instruction manual on how the government is suppose to be run. The Constitution limits government, protecting the rights of the American people to govern themselves based on their religious beliefs, values, and virtues. These checks and balances were put in place to safe-guard the country from power hungry individuals.
But America of today has decided that God and religion are not necessary in today's modern world, it is an antiquated idea that needs to be kept from the public life. This separation of God has brought about a lack of values and virtues in today’s America. The family unit has been weakened and with it the moral fiber that was America's backbone. As America loses its foundational stones, freedoms are lost because people need to be controlled and taken care of. People now have a distorted view of their rights and what these rights entail. We have the right to pursue happiness. Our happiness is not nor was it ever a guarantee.
Unfortunately, the federal government claims it can cure all problems. It takes more power from the local government and freedoms are slowly eroded. But the bigger government gets the more it costs. These costs are paid through taxes, borrowing money, and printing money all of which weaken the country.
America’s government has forgotten its purpose to be of, by, and for the people. Instead it has determined its role to be over all and for its own purpose. If we don't reverse the course we are on America will soon collapse in on itself. We must return to the Constitution, to the spirit in which it was written.
This book would be an excellent addition to any library’s juvenile history section, it would also be a title of interest to home-schoolers.
I received a Digital copy of this title for the purpose of this review.
July 6, 2012
Travel with George Washington, James Madison & Benjamin Franklin as they hop into one of Ben's inventions - Franklin's Fantastic Future Forecaster. The expression on their faces as they look into our time is illustrated on the cover of the book. Then Benjamin shows them a contraption in his time machine - They will be able to Share Knowledge w/Young People Everywhere - Benjamin says he calls that (SKYPE) for short. As the young people have questions, they Can Have A Turn and their words will appear for this Trio - Benjamin calls this "CHAT"-ing. You'll learn some valuable information and some fun facts (know as the side order of fries). ARE YOU SMILING YET? And while David's focus was to enlighten and entertain the youth, I'm glad to know that I'm still "young" at heart because really enjoyed it and actually learned some stuff myself. David's wit and wonderful art work that are present throughout the book, takes this important subject and explains it in a way that is easily understood and will keep your teen (and you) smiling and at times laughing out loud at other times. Definitely a 5 start read
April 16, 2012
What a fun book to read. The author uses wit and humor to tackle todays monumental problems. America is a crumbling nation. Do we sit by and hand it to are children or do we try to fix it? What would the founders of this nation think? Would they be proud of what we have become or would they cry because they worked so hard and we've destroyed all they accomplished?
This book features marvelous illustrations. It is a very quick read and should be given to every young child. After all, they are our future.
This book features marvelous illustrations. It is a very quick read and should be given to every young child. After all, they are our future.
February 11, 2013
This book was very interesting because in the beginning all of the founding father got into a time machine and traveled to the 21st century. They described what our founding father wanted for our country and what we have made of that. They said what we can improve in the United States and things that are very well and don't need to be changed. The author was very creative when writing this book and he also probably felt very strongly about how our country has developed.
June 7, 2013
When I was younger this sort of thing was boring and over my head, but this made it very fun and easy to understand. It's approached conservatively, mostly reminding us to be moral people and not try to take over everything, because a lot of problems stem from overstepping our bounds.
October 15, 2012
This was a distinctly unique but old school values book that my children not only understood but needed to hear and really enjoyed.
July 1, 2021
My 5th grader read this as a homeschool assignment this last year, and he shared with me things he had learned. It intrigued me enough that I wanted to read it too, but I got to it later than I wanted. Bowman has a lot of creativity in the way the book is written and of course his illustrations. I thought he did a great job teaching harder concepts and breaking it down so that a youth can understand. Despite the bleak outlook of where we are today and what the Founding Fathers set up, I appreciated that he ended on a hopeful note.
March 14, 2013
My children and I just finished studying about Ancient Rome last month, so I thought it was quite a coincidence that I received a message from David Bowman asking if I'd like to review his book since it was on my tbr list. What does Ancient Rome have to do with this? Well, if you don't know or remember anything about Ancient Rome (it had been a long time for me and I didn't remember much before we studied it again) it influenced our country's formation quite a bit. You see, those in Ancient Rome also built up this great government (at least they thought) that they called a republic. There is a famous historical figure, named Cicero, who even wrote about how things were going and the different types of government and titled it The Republic (you can read my brief review on Goodreads). He wasn't very happy because Julius Caesar had become immensely powerful and it looked like his beloved government was going to turn into a dictatorship.
Our country's founding fathers studied Cicero's writings, along with many others. You can tell that they agreed with a lot of what Cicero said because parts of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and our basic form of government is directly based upon Cicero's studies as well as the founding fathers' own experiences.
The thing is, our country is based upon some core values and beliefs. It was formed with the purpose to establish and maintain freedom and balanced power between leaders and the people (the people were to have most of the power). It was also formed to promote opportunities or capitalism, you could say. I should mention that my B.A. is in Political Science, or PoliSci as we call it, and so most of this information and the structure of our government aren't ideas or concepts that are new to me.
What Would the Founding Fathers Think? is gaged to a pre-teen and teen audience. There are these great cartoon caricatures and graphics (it helps that Bowman is an illustrator in his own right). Bowman uses conversations involving questions and answers that cover the foundation of our government and why it was organized as it was. There is also quite a bit of corny humor, but it is all in good fun and to keep readers engaged. There is a discussion on values (not religious specific) and responsibility and how these allow us our freedom, which I would have to agree is definitely needed and important in the society we live in today. The more a people cannot govern themselves (make good choices and be responsible) the more laws are made and the more powerful government becomes. There is also a discussion about removing God from the Pledge, coins, buildings, etc. He obviously is against this and explains why. Towards the end there is a discussion about entitlement, socialism versus capitalism, and then a challenge to readers to get involved.
One of the negative reviews I saw regarding the book brought up a point that I thought might be good to discuss. Bowman is a conservative and a Christian and that comes across in his writing. I am as well, so I'm sure that comes across in my opinions, but I love liberals too and my husband is from a different political party than I am (we have some great discussions and I think that is a very good thing). However, Bowman is actually very factual in his writing and has several direct quotes from the founding fathers and other historical figures. I'm sure there are many that might disagree with what they thought or believed and that's perfectly fine. However, that isn't the point. The point is that among all religions and even people there are certain values or beliefs, and this country was created to uphold and protect those, particularly religious freedom (that was one of the main reasons our country broke off from England). However, this was with the understanding that the people would live in such a way that they could govern themselves with a limited government. From what the founding fathers studied and knew they figured this was the only way that this country would work, would be balanced, and the people could be free. You don't have to belong to a specific religion or believe in a god to have values, but you do have to live some basic values in order for freedom to work. For many those values are taught in concordance with religion or religion encourages those values. I suppose I might be biased a little since I believe that most old-fashioned values never go out of style. ;) Let me just add the values Bowman lists in his book: be responsible, be a hard worker, be generous, and be honest. Sounds good to me.
This is probably the easiest book I have read on the subject. It is only 119 pages, so not overwhelming for the age group and something they can read rather quickly. It was a good way to learn some of the basics of the foundation of our country. It encourages readers to learn more, to become more aware and responsible, and to get involved. It made me think a little bit more about our government and I think that is a good thing. It is true that the following generation will run the country in the not so distant future. I would definitely recommend them reading this and also parents who may need to brush up on some of the basics as well.
Content: Clean
Source: Received free copy from author in exchange for my honest review.
Our country's founding fathers studied Cicero's writings, along with many others. You can tell that they agreed with a lot of what Cicero said because parts of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and our basic form of government is directly based upon Cicero's studies as well as the founding fathers' own experiences.
The thing is, our country is based upon some core values and beliefs. It was formed with the purpose to establish and maintain freedom and balanced power between leaders and the people (the people were to have most of the power). It was also formed to promote opportunities or capitalism, you could say. I should mention that my B.A. is in Political Science, or PoliSci as we call it, and so most of this information and the structure of our government aren't ideas or concepts that are new to me.
What Would the Founding Fathers Think? is gaged to a pre-teen and teen audience. There are these great cartoon caricatures and graphics (it helps that Bowman is an illustrator in his own right). Bowman uses conversations involving questions and answers that cover the foundation of our government and why it was organized as it was. There is also quite a bit of corny humor, but it is all in good fun and to keep readers engaged. There is a discussion on values (not religious specific) and responsibility and how these allow us our freedom, which I would have to agree is definitely needed and important in the society we live in today. The more a people cannot govern themselves (make good choices and be responsible) the more laws are made and the more powerful government becomes. There is also a discussion about removing God from the Pledge, coins, buildings, etc. He obviously is against this and explains why. Towards the end there is a discussion about entitlement, socialism versus capitalism, and then a challenge to readers to get involved.
One of the negative reviews I saw regarding the book brought up a point that I thought might be good to discuss. Bowman is a conservative and a Christian and that comes across in his writing. I am as well, so I'm sure that comes across in my opinions, but I love liberals too and my husband is from a different political party than I am (we have some great discussions and I think that is a very good thing). However, Bowman is actually very factual in his writing and has several direct quotes from the founding fathers and other historical figures. I'm sure there are many that might disagree with what they thought or believed and that's perfectly fine. However, that isn't the point. The point is that among all religions and even people there are certain values or beliefs, and this country was created to uphold and protect those, particularly religious freedom (that was one of the main reasons our country broke off from England). However, this was with the understanding that the people would live in such a way that they could govern themselves with a limited government. From what the founding fathers studied and knew they figured this was the only way that this country would work, would be balanced, and the people could be free. You don't have to belong to a specific religion or believe in a god to have values, but you do have to live some basic values in order for freedom to work. For many those values are taught in concordance with religion or religion encourages those values. I suppose I might be biased a little since I believe that most old-fashioned values never go out of style. ;) Let me just add the values Bowman lists in his book: be responsible, be a hard worker, be generous, and be honest. Sounds good to me.
This is probably the easiest book I have read on the subject. It is only 119 pages, so not overwhelming for the age group and something they can read rather quickly. It was a good way to learn some of the basics of the foundation of our country. It encourages readers to learn more, to become more aware and responsible, and to get involved. It made me think a little bit more about our government and I think that is a good thing. It is true that the following generation will run the country in the not so distant future. I would definitely recommend them reading this and also parents who may need to brush up on some of the basics as well.
Content: Clean
Source: Received free copy from author in exchange for my honest review.
September 17, 2017
EXCELLENT BOOK! One of the best for learning how our country was set up and how our government works - without realizing you're even learning! Great for kids from about age 5 on up to adults. Anyone could read this and it will make sense. You'll finish it with a greater sense of appreciation for the amazing idea the founding fathers had, and for the miracle America really is.
September 12, 2018
I love this book! Especially the pyramid; God & religion, values & virtues etc 👍🏻
October 24, 2023
I wish Rush Limbaugh's young adult books were this good!
March 5, 2022
Not everyone will agree with this book, but I do for the most part. It taught some really vital, foundational principles upon which our country was founded in a fun, but approachable way for an upper elementary/middle school audience. It helped to explain, using quotes from the Founding Fathers, what role the people, the government and the Constitution were meant to play when our country was established. It ends with simple but doable invitations to the young people of this generation to do their part. I was previewing it for a class I’m teaching on the Constitution. My 12 year old son had already grabbed it and read some of it, and unsolicited, he said, “That book is really great, Mom.” Decision made.
June 14, 2013
My Review: What would the founding fathers think? This is just the right question anyone would ask due to the country’s current crisis. According to history, the founding fathers signed the constitution forming a nation unlike anything the world had ever known. The founding fathers Benjamin Franklin, George Washington and James Madison inspired by God, created the United States of America and the signed constitution it to protect certain God given rights and offer freedom.
The author listed three facts that every young American needs to realize…
1) The United States of America was and is the greatest nation on Earth.
2) Today the United States of America is in serious trouble.
3) You will inherit the USA and its problems in just a few short years.
Now, if you are a founder of a company you would from time to time visit the company for progress reports. What if the founding fathers could see what is going on in the present day, would they be pleased or not? Well, with wit and humor, and the occasional serious note, the author David Bowman brings the founding fathers back to life in this comic strips book.
Benjamin Franklin invited George Washington and James Madison to see his latest invention, the Fantastic Future Forecaster a time machine which can transport them to the future to see the destiny of America. So they stepped into the time machine and traveled to the 21st century. You can see the excitement on their faces, “Have they stayed true to what we intended for this nation? Have they “kept” the Republic we gave them? Have they honored the Constitution and what is stands for?” They couldn’t wait to see as the time machine lands and they open the door and the expression on their faces dropped. They wanted to know what happened to the ideals and principles, have the American people forgotten their roots?
They decided to equip the young generation with knowledge by using what Benjamin calls SKYPE to answer questions by chatting to young people.
They chat about God and Religion leading to Values and Virtues to People Govern Themselves and more. This book may or may not help young people understand why America is great or what has gone wrong with America, but it will inspire them to think what they want their America to become.
FTC Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book from Mediaguests in exchange for a fair and honest review. I was not monetarily compensated for my opinion in any way.
April 19, 2013
The book starts out by giving three facts every young American needs to realize:
1) The United States of America was and is the greatest nation on Earth
2) Today, the United States of America is in serious trouble
3) You will inherit the USA- and it’s problems- in just a few short years
This start may seem scary to some of you, but I think it’s very straight forward and will gear the children up for what they are about to read. Hopefully, that leads them to absorbing the words they read! I know my kids have that problem. They read and don’t retain anything. Makes no sense!
Anyway, the book continues by explaining the principles our nation was founded upon and how we’ve strayed from many of those principles. To demonstrate the differences, the author uses George Washington and other very familiar names from history to give readers insight to how the country was when it was founded compared to how it is now.
The author uses illustrations and easy examples to help readers understand what could be quite complicated. He makes it easy for young people to really see how the country has strayed from the original intentions of our founding fathers.
I enjoyed this book. My daughters enjoyed it as well. This book is written so that an 8 year old, 13 year old, and 30 year old enjoyed it. It’s simple so children can understand it, but it’s not simple in a way that loses the interest of teenagers or adults. While the topic is very serious, there is humor involved to help keep interest. It’s really very entertaining while teaching.
1) The United States of America was and is the greatest nation on Earth
2) Today, the United States of America is in serious trouble
3) You will inherit the USA- and it’s problems- in just a few short years
This start may seem scary to some of you, but I think it’s very straight forward and will gear the children up for what they are about to read. Hopefully, that leads them to absorbing the words they read! I know my kids have that problem. They read and don’t retain anything. Makes no sense!
Anyway, the book continues by explaining the principles our nation was founded upon and how we’ve strayed from many of those principles. To demonstrate the differences, the author uses George Washington and other very familiar names from history to give readers insight to how the country was when it was founded compared to how it is now.
The author uses illustrations and easy examples to help readers understand what could be quite complicated. He makes it easy for young people to really see how the country has strayed from the original intentions of our founding fathers.
I enjoyed this book. My daughters enjoyed it as well. This book is written so that an 8 year old, 13 year old, and 30 year old enjoyed it. It’s simple so children can understand it, but it’s not simple in a way that loses the interest of teenagers or adults. While the topic is very serious, there is humor involved to help keep interest. It’s really very entertaining while teaching.
June 10, 2013
I am not a fan of politics in children's books. Children are very impressionable and believe everything they see, hear, and read. They don't have the power to know both sides and choose what they believe the best argument to be. It doesn't matter which side of the aisle you are on, politics do not belong in children's books. History, on the other hand, is another story. I think it's very important that children learn our history and know what has happened in the past to bring us to where we are today. That being said, this book is written with a conservative bias. It is a little bit of really good history, with a huge side order of politics. For what it is, it is well written, engaging, humorous, and the pre-teens and teens will relate to the language. He uses acronyms like "SKYPE" and "CHAT," and texting language like "LOL" to engage the reader. The illustrations are really good and bring humor to the book. I think it could be used as a good start for a discussion with parents. It could also be used at a high school level, along with a book written from the nonconservative side, to compare and contrast beliefs. If you are a conservative you will most likely really enjoy this book. If you are not conservative, it may not be the book for you. You may read my full review on my book blog: www.the-readathon.blogspot.com.
June 27, 2016
This book was a fun and well presented look at American values and politics intended for younger readers.
It was very conservative leaning, but overall tried very hard to remain based in facts and balanced information. What that means is that the book is biased toward a Christian value viewpoint but makes efforts to avoid pushing it down your throat. By understanding this from the beginning, I can see this as a great teaching tool for Christian families to introduce politics to their children.
I think the only flaw is that this book is not something a liberal-minded or moderate person will want to give to their children. Why? Because it espouses conservatism more as the chapters progress. Even though there are lots of great points made and it is a super look at how we differ from the days of the Founding Fathers, people may take the bias as an indoctrination attempt.
Even with the skewed viewpoint, I think this author has put something very valuable out there for the next generation. I recommend it for the sole purpose of instilling purposeful civics in our children's thought processes.
It was very conservative leaning, but overall tried very hard to remain based in facts and balanced information. What that means is that the book is biased toward a Christian value viewpoint but makes efforts to avoid pushing it down your throat. By understanding this from the beginning, I can see this as a great teaching tool for Christian families to introduce politics to their children.
I think the only flaw is that this book is not something a liberal-minded or moderate person will want to give to their children. Why? Because it espouses conservatism more as the chapters progress. Even though there are lots of great points made and it is a super look at how we differ from the days of the Founding Fathers, people may take the bias as an indoctrination attempt.
Even with the skewed viewpoint, I think this author has put something very valuable out there for the next generation. I recommend it for the sole purpose of instilling purposeful civics in our children's thought processes.
June 7, 2013
David Bowman is AMAZING!
He writes ideas in such a fun way that you ENJOY learning!
And his pictures are so ENTERTAINING!
This book is REALLY REALLY GOOD!
While this book has been written specifically for the youth...
I believe EVERY person living in the United States should read it.
This book teaches why we need to:
1. Grow closer to God instead of taking him out of our home, money and schools.
2. Have values like being responsible, instead of having attitudes like "do whatever you want".
3. Learn how to govern ourselves instead of feeling entitled to have the government give us hand-outs.
We have turned what the founding fathers gave us upside down!
We need to turn it around...and this book will show you how!
SO GOOD!
He writes ideas in such a fun way that you ENJOY learning!
And his pictures are so ENTERTAINING!
This book is REALLY REALLY GOOD!
While this book has been written specifically for the youth...
I believe EVERY person living in the United States should read it.
This book teaches why we need to:
1. Grow closer to God instead of taking him out of our home, money and schools.
2. Have values like being responsible, instead of having attitudes like "do whatever you want".
3. Learn how to govern ourselves instead of feeling entitled to have the government give us hand-outs.
We have turned what the founding fathers gave us upside down!
We need to turn it around...and this book will show you how!
SO GOOD!
September 20, 2013
David Bowman makes history and government fun for young readers. His illustrations capture their attention while the format he has chosen for delivering the information is easy-to-follow and fun. By using time travel a computer chat room he is providing important concepts in a way that is pertinent and relevant for kids of today. Adults also will benefit from reading this slim volume. I know I learned a lot about the foundation our country's government is built upon. I hope that Bowman gives his unique touch to other items of historical importance as he makes learning fun.
January 31, 2013
What would the Founding Fathers Think is an okay book about how to fix our country but the author is a little too consevatist for me. Although there are some true facs so many things are altered by personal opinions that it's hard to know what's true. The biggest thing in there that was wrong was the "Lack of god an religion leads to lack of virtues and values." I'm guessing the author has never met anyone who isn't a super christian because I have friends who are not religious and they are very nice. So over all I do not recommend this book for anyone.
June 2, 2014
I read this book a while ago. It was written with teenagers in mind, but I feel that it is a book everyone should read.
It is written in a simple, yet entertaining way. That's what engaged me. And the best part is that it made sense. Everything he wrote was clear and I felt the same way about our country that he does.
Overall, I feel like this is a great way to review some history, learn about our responsibilities as citizens of this wonderful nation, and learn how we can be better in those responsibilities.
It is written in a simple, yet entertaining way. That's what engaged me. And the best part is that it made sense. Everything he wrote was clear and I felt the same way about our country that he does.
Overall, I feel like this is a great way to review some history, learn about our responsibilities as citizens of this wonderful nation, and learn how we can be better in those responsibilities.
March 19, 2014
I wish I could give more stars than five. This book is entertaining, well-written, and direct. It does a fantastic job of explaining the differences between how our country started and how our country is now. It's accompanied by some great illustrations. Encourage all the young people in your life to read it. :) It is quite motivating.
February 26, 2016
This is a very simple, easy to understand book. I think it's a bit young for my level, but it'd be great for preteen and those in their early teens. For any young American who wants to have a better understanding of what's going on in our country. It takes what it is often thought of as an adult topic and explains it for us. It's a really good book.
October 3, 2015
Totally get this book
This is a wonderful book. It teaches kids in a fun way about America's failing health in the government and shows them what they can do about it. This is a wonderful book, I highly recommend it to readers of all ages!!
This is a wonderful book. It teaches kids in a fun way about America's failing health in the government and shows them what they can do about it. This is a wonderful book, I highly recommend it to readers of all ages!!
March 24, 2015
This is a great, fun read for today's youth. It helps them understand the principles our country was founded on...and how America has strayed from them...and what they can do about it. It has fun drawings and is told in an easy-to-understand way. Definitely recommend!
May 24, 2015
Fun book to help youth (and adults) understand principles that our country was founded upon. I gave a copy to each student in my Key of Liberty class as an end of year gift and reminder of the most important principles that we had studied together over the year.
July 23, 2015
We borrowed this book from a neighbor. I enjoyed it more than the kids. It does a great job of explaining in very simple language some of the systemic problems our country faces. Granted it's very simplified, but for a kids book is surprisingly insightful. Worth a read, even for adults.
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