Running for Office

Children's Literature

The cover shows John Kerry and George W. Bush, so readers can be pretty confident that this book contains current information. More than 500,000 Americans are chosen for their jobs through elections, but we usually hear the most about the presidential election. The process of qualifying as a candidate is explained as well as the role of political parties. There is a simplified description of what the major parties stand for as well as a mention of third parties. Next the process of establishing a position, running a campaign, raising funds and the hard work required to respond to issues and participate in debates are explained. The culmination is the election of the candidate through primaries and national conventions. "Getting involved in the government is one way people can make a difference. And, running for office is just the first step." Also included are a glossary for the bolded words, web sites with more information and an index. This book is part of the "Government in Action" series. 2005, ABDO, Ages 5 to 8.
—Marilyn Courtot

School Library Journal

Gr 3-5-Straightforward explanations of how our government works and the rights and duties of citizens. Each book has an interesting assortment of vintage and recent color photos, all well captioned, and is logically arranged. Citizen includes facsimiles of a birth certificate, resident card, application for naturalization, sample questions from the citizenship tests, and the text of the "Oath of Allegiance." Bill focuses on passage of federal laws, and the narrative is enhanced by a spread that graphically indicates the steps in passing legislation. Office shows the various stages in a campaign and discusses basic differences between Republicans and Democrats. All of these books refer readers to the publisher's Web site, which contains links to information about the subjects in each title. Mike Bonner's How a Bill Is Passed and How to Become an Elected Official (both Chelsea House, 2000) are more detailed accounts for slightly older readers. Hamilton's books are solid purchases where basic civics books are needed.-Lynda Ritterman, Atco Elementary School, Waterford, NJ Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.