Our Congress

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

Michael Weber provides a very current look at this branch of government. In five chapters, Weber discusses the roots of the present day Congress, looks at the House of Representatives and the Senate and how the members are elected, discusses the powers of Congress, describes how the legislative process works and explains how one can influence Congress. Color photographs, fact boxes, and a clean large typeface make this text attractive and eminently readable. A very good choice for the school or home reference shelf, and for any young reader who wants a factually correct, but not overwhelming introduction to the Congress. Part of the "I Know America" series. 1996 (orig.

School Library Journal

Gr 3-6-Two readable, up-to-date series entries that describe the history, powers, and workings of the Supreme Court and U.S. Congress respectively. Both are written in clear, concise language; they feature short chapters with subtopics in bold type, generous white space, and numerous archival and contemporary photographs. Colored blocks of print present additional information, adding visual appeal that invites browsers to start reading. Gary Stern's The Congress covers much of the same material for the same age group. Lila Summer and Samuel Woods's The Judiciary (both Steck-Vaughn, 1993) is broader in scope than Our Supreme Court.-Eunice Weech, M.L. King Elementary School, Urbana, IL