The ultimate guide to the US Constitution—and the history of the US through the law of the land—for middle grade readers ages 8+. The book decodes the original document with a direct translation of the text, dissecting every word, phrase and idea. Then it connects the document to major historical figures and events using full-color illustrations and examples of how the document works in practice.
This is a great reference for kids (and frankly, adults too) that spells out what every part of the constitution says and what it means. The original text is on one page and a clear translation on the next, interspersed with interesting facts, illustrations and more information. This is a very thorough look at every article, amendment, etc. with dates, background and further knowledge. A great resource.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
The Constitution Decoded A Guide to the Document That Shapes Our Nation by Katie Kennedy Back of the book: “Be an active citizen. Know your Constitution! 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. Written with impeccable clarity and illustrated in a style that brings America’s early days to life, this fascinating guide goes through the Constitution literally word by word, sentence by sentence, and idea by idea to give readers a true understanding of not only how the Framers envisioned the United States, but also why they made the choices they did. Here’s why, for example, the United States has three branches of government—legislative, executive, and judicial. It explains how bills become laws, why we have the right to free speech, how we can change the Constitution as our country evolves, and so much more. Packed with historical context and figures, vocabulary, anecdotes, and trivia, this book is an accessible yet richly layered work that belongs in every family library.” Impressions: This book is a mouthful! It was soooooo long. To be fair it was comprehensive which is different from soooooo long. Because the commentary is literally rewriting the Constitution in layman’s terms it felt repetitive making it feel overly long. Its contents are important and the commentary was helpful in understanding the Constitution for young readers but I struggled to make it through this book. I also think the graphics could have been better. More comparative and organizational charts or visuals would have broken things up a bit. This could have been an issue from reading it on an iPad vs. reading a physical copy. I find educational books best read in physical form. I will have to give this book another try perhaps in person. I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion shared here.
I received an electronic ARC from Workman Publishing Company through NetGalley. Kennedy breaks apart the U.S. Constitution and explains it in simpler language for younger readers. The book begins with a brief history of why it was written then shares each Article and Amendment in the original and more modern language. The sidebars and additional paragraphs provide context and further information on our government. In addition, The Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation are included at the end. The author talks about how important these three documents are to the United States. A glossary and bibliography provide further information for readers to continue learning.
*I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
I have mentioned before, in a previous review, that textbooks are a favorite genre of mine. All kinds of textbooks, really, even for subjects that generally bore me (not that boredom applies here; politics don’t bore me, at all). The thing is, I love reading writing meant to teach, meant to educate —more, when the intended audience is middle schoolers. “The Constitution Decoded”, by Katie Kennedy, strives to do this, for arguably the most important document in the history of the United States of America. I believe it achieves its goal admirably.
The Constitution is not a simple document. The book doesn’t shy away from this reality, but it doesn’t talk down to its intended audience, either. Instead, it includes the original text —in full— and a modernized “translation”, that eliminates the verbosity from the original text while withholding its importance. This translation is numbered, so readers can see exactly which part of the document is being simplified and how. Children are smart and curious; they should get to confront the document that made America, with its virtues and flaws, but it should be explained to them, too. The book’s layout and presentation allow for this. Kids can read the original text, figure out what stumps them, and find explanations to their doubts and questions in the translation.
The illustrations, too, are great! Each section is bright, and the colors and textures make the whole book look more entertaining than the subject matter would suggest.
However, the book doesn’t stop there, but its full of additional tidbits and explanations, expanding on each section of the Constitution with interesting and age-appropriate commentary. I thought there was little bias across these sections, but the book also presents —honestly and without fanfare— the uglier truths of America’s political history. This, too, won my praise and couldn’t be more prescient, given the times we are living through. Confronting the human errors in the foundation of the United States will give young readers the knowledge needed to start demanding a better future for the Republic.
Recommended audiences: This book would be particularly perfect for middle schoolers already interested in History and Politics or for the teachers giving them said classes, and for parents and/or guardians trying to get their children into these topics.
Excellent Book to Dive Deeper into the Constitution
What a great way to learn about the Constitution! This book contains the actual words of the original articles of the Constitution as well as its amendments. Plus, they also include the full text of the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation in the back. As the publisher intends this for kids, the pages are moderately colorful with illustrations and cartoons of key people in American history.
What I liked is not only were the precise words of these documents shared, but for all parts of the Constitution, the authors also included a “translation” section (for lack of a better word). The original text is marked up with numbers that the child can then refer to if she or he needs a simple explanation for what the original words of the document mean. Most pages have a short section that gives insight into why the framers included a particular idea in the constitution. Where needed, the author provides definitions of constitutional words and phrases like ratification and writ of habeas corpus. Most parts of the Constitution had a section called Constitution in Action that showed how the particular article, section, or amendment has been applied, explains a key part of it, or how parts have been argued in the Supreme Court. Topics are wide ranging, including executive privilege, impeachment, juries, creating new states, repealing an amendment, and the Dred Scott decision—just to name a few.
Honestly, this book is exceptionally well done, breaking the Constitution down clearly and succinctly—and without bias. I love that it includes both the original text and the framers’ reasoning for it, as well as fascinating side stories and explanations that make the Constitution come alive. This is still a living, breathing document that guides (or should guide) our federal government. I think it would be an appropriate read for any American, child or adult. Those of us north of our majority should be reminded now and then about what precisely is in this landmark and foundational document of our country.
I received a free copy of this book, but that did not affect my review.
This was a great idea, but I wasn't sold on the execution. It slowly walked through the entire US constitution and explained what each phrase meant, and then through in some explanation and cute facts and stuff.
The problem was that often the explanation wasn't much clearer than the original text -- I wanted something fresher; a better translation. And sometimes things I knew were actually a bit fuzzy were presented as clear -- there's a lot more confusion about what the 2nd Amendment means, especially with its bizarre punctuation.
And I was cranky when the book suddenly forgot about women's right to vote in a sentence on the 24th Amendment explaining that poll taxes "were a way of keeping Black men ... from voting." Humph. Black women were supposed to be able to vote too! But mostly I wanted more from the supporting boxes -- we get a box explaining how there's a square of land in Idaho were it may be impossible to try people for crimes because there's no one to put in a jury, which I don't believe is a firmly accepted piece of law, but then ignore more significant controversies over other bits. So I want this book, but I want Kennedy to go back and do it again. You know, more like how I want it (Yes, I know how unreasonable I am. ).
This book has a bit of wokeness in it (see the bottom of p. 7 where it states, "And some immigrants, like the Chinese and Irish, and gay and transgender people have been kept from fully using their constitutional rights). There is no clarification or details about this. I'm not even sure why it's there because it's in a section about "the people" being defined and explains a bit how slaves didn't have rights and couldn't vote as well as info about women being not being able to vote until 1920. What *constitutional* rights or voting issues were denied to gay and transgender people? The book also mentions Trump in 2 places associated with negativity (I've noticed all the modern books have to get some sort of dig in about him somehow, even if it's subtle), and although The book translates the 2nd amendment correctly (the right of the people to own and carry guns will not be limited), it muddies the waters (in my opinion) with a paragraph about militias. If you aren't there to explain this amendment in more detail, I can see a child coming away with the idea that the idea to bear arms is an outdated right. Other than the above issues, I think this book is easy-to-understand and has nice illustrations. I would use it with caution, but do like the format quite a bit.
What worked: Easy-to-follow book on decoding the Constitution. What I loved about this book was how easy it is to decode the archaic meanings of each part of the US Constitution. The author does a great job making an important document in our country easy to understand.
The illustrations also help as they're engaging and pull readers right in. The translations are in plain English. Also, key vocabulary words are bold and in the text.
The book breaks down each of the Constitution Amendments. For example: The Nineteen Amendment was ratified on August 18, 1920. This amendment gave women the right to vote. There is a 'Constitution in Action' that mentions Black Women's Rights. Did You Know? That goes over The Seneca Falls Convention in Seneca Falls in 1848.
This important book also includes the articles in the Constitution; the powers of the President of the US; Executive Orders: and much more!
Informative guide that helps young readers understand and navigate the Constitution and is a perfect addition to any school and classroom library. This guide is even more important now with all the changes occurring in our government.
Hot topic book for children. I personally have recently bought two books on this subject, and plan to buy this one as well. I was given a preview ARC and therefore didn't see the completed book, as there were many images missing or pencil drawn. When viewed on the kindle, the images were not complete and fragmented, so I don't suggest that edition at this point. The hardcopy will be more user friendly and handy when questions arise. Each section of the constitution is broken down and discussed/explained/translated. I really like the details added within the book like line by line translation. Child readers will appreciate the break downs of each article with both words and graphics. There is a table of contents, index, and glossary for quickly finding your answers! This one isn't for those getting and introduction but for those who are looking to dive deeper into each line and understand with greater context. Suggested for reading together and discussing, as even adults will learn more about history of how the document was written and amended. #NetGalley gave me an ARC for my honest review.
The Constitution So We Can Understand It I love this book! It is a simplification of our Constitution and it's amendments that anyone can understand. It is all there with historical points, original language, modern retelling, and definitions. Here is an occasional discussion of controversial items like 'Executive Privileged'. This is as good as, or even better than what we learned in 9th grade Social Studies. It clearly lays out our Government as the Constitution delineates it. It also clearly talks about truths that fly in the face of the urban folklore like the separation of church and state which is never mentioned in the Constitution. I also found the source of the term 'grandfather clause' to be very interesting. It is written for the middle grades but is not bad for us adults, either. This is the kind of book that I would love to see in every household, schoolroom, and library. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.
So .... about time I learned again, exactly what's in our constitution and why, before someone tries to make it obsolete. No really, it was pretty interesting to read now as an adult, when I was ready to "listen" at my own pace, and not having had to "listen" wbw in school. I still read it in phases, just worked better for me, and now, I can always use it for future referencing, easily looking up just by word or phrase. I think this is for any age--middle school age to--well, my age. Very informative, with breaking it down, and adding explanations, which were helpful. I thought opinions need not be added as we all have them, and wouldn't want anyone to be swayed on the basis of our country. I recommend this if anyone is the least bit interested in the USA and it's inception. I received an advance reader copy through Netgalley. I am voluntarily giving my own thoughts
In Ms. Kennedy's generously hefty paperback, each piece of our American Constitution, in its original text, is followed by a crisp, concise "Translation," in addition to vocabulary definitions of tricky terms therein, and case-specific real-life examples of (those parts of the) "Constitution in Action." Appealing graphics on every page and punchy "Did You Know?" sidebars for every chapter, as well as a master glossary and index at the end of the book, add up to a clear overall explication of this integral American document. Sure to be a strong asset for middle-school social studies teachers and their students.
Wonderfully written treatise on the origins of our government It simply and directly states what exactly our Constitution, Bill of Rights, and other important documents that everything we hold dear today what and why it was written. Yet it does not skimp on what all these documents stand for. Great reminder for adults to remember what the truth of what these documents mean as opposed to what has been assumed. Great reference book that should be in every household. I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for my volunteer review.
*I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
What a fabulous book! Kennedy took an incredibly complex document and broke it down for kids, and adults, to understand better. Each part has the actual words from The Constitution, but words are highlighted for vocabulary reasons and difficult concepts are broken down to explanations that kids are more likely to understand. The book is full of colorful illustrations to lure in younger and more visual readers, but the information is great for anyone 8+
Read it. This tome is written for the comprehension and reading level for older younglings but even adults can learn something from it. Have you ever read the entirety of the Constitution of the United States? Here is a book that "decodes" the language from 200+ years ago into modern language that younglings can understand and gives examples and historical background facts.
Would highly, highly recommend to any youngling living in the United States to better understand the laws governing their country.
This book made it easy for my daughters to understand The Constitution. I have to confess that it helped ME an adult to understand it better. This is a great reference book. A must in the shelf of every family with children of school age and every community library. My high school daughter have also used this book as a reference. The illustrations are really cute, I specially love the pencil drawings. I will get as well the paper edition to keep in our homeschooling room.
An easy-to-read explanation of the Constitution for teens and tweens. Much like No Fear Shakespeare, Constitution Decoded places excerpts of the Constitution across from explanatory text. "Did You Know" and "Constitution in Action" boxes add interesting tidbits and modern applications.
The pictures are a bit kitschy but fine for young readers.
I will be purchasing a copy of this for my public library.
I received an advance digital copy of this in exchange for my honest review.
As a PDF, this didn't translate well onto a Kindl.e. The spacing was off, there were no pictures so the captions for them made absolutely no sense, it wasn't formatted well so it was exceptionally hard to read.. I'm sure it would be lovely in physical form. I couldn't follow the PDF with the layout, so I can't really give a great review on the content or the aesthetics of it. I'm sure it's pretty good.
This book constitution is well written and a great reference resource. I’d say for ages 8+. This book is beautifully written and illustrated and it makes it easy to understand the US constitution. Thia book is especially brilliant in the UK where nothing comparable really exists. Perfect for the classroom and library.
This book was a great resource for teaching my children about the constitution and government. It is packed full of information. It gives children vocabulary, historical figures and other governmental facts. It is such a great resource to have handy. I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
I used this to help teach my kids about the constitution and amendments. I loved that it included original wording of the constitution and then broke down each line into easy to understand terms. It also had relevant side notes and definitions.
Highly recommend for kids wanting to learn about the constitution.
The Constitution Decoded is a great tool to help educate young people in the U.S. about their country. The book’s large print and colorful illustrations draw the reader in as they learn about the origins of the document that founded the U.S. government. Diverse and inclusive illustrations present an accurate representation of the nation’s population.
What a great guide to the Constitution. It has the full text as well as a translation on the right hand side. I learned a lot of things by reading this. The graphic design is great and the people pictured are very diverse.
This is a thoughtful and well-written explanation of the Constitution. The illustrations and sketches were integrated well, complimenting the topics. This is a good resource for all ages. (I know a lot of y'all haven't read, or understood one of America's important documents.)
I received a digital review copy from the publisher through netgalley. Expected publication date is August 18, 2020.
There are a couple of typos in here (George Washington didn’t convene anything in 1971!) but overall this is a pretty decent book about learning about the US Constitution. I’d recommend the print over ebook because of the layout but adults should read this, too.
This is an excellent book - clear, organized, and thorough look at the Constitution and it's amendments. Voting rights, slavery, and impeachment are all discussed. The pictures and examples are inclusive. Excellent book.
I have always struggled with reading our Constitution because of the old-style language. However, this book was perfect at using modern language and explaining how the Constitution was used in our country's history. Highly recommended!
I appreciated the simplicity of this little book. Since it was in the Jr/Children's Section of the library, I knew it would be easier for me to understand more about our government and how it works and the Constitution, Articles of Confederation, Declaration of Independence. It did help a lot.