So What Is Citzenship Anyway?

School Library Journal

Gr 5-8-Luthringer defines the role of citizenship in a democracy and encourages young people to become active voters and volunteers in their community. Unfortunately, the writing is dry and simplistic. Phrases such as "A group of men" or "A large number" are used with no further edification. The author refers to Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and Medgar Evers as famous civil-rights leaders, with no further explanation of them. Though it states that Frederick Douglass's birthplace was Maryland, Harriet Tubman, also a native of that state, is said to have been born in the "South." There is a good section on the responsibilities of citizenship, but the paragraph on military service implies that all should serve: "Most good citizens think of military service as `the price of freedom.'" The color photographs and reproductions interfere with the text and the captions are not always clearly defined. The red, white, and blue borders are also distracting. A quick introduction and discussion starter.-Margaret C. Howell, West Springfield Elementary School, VA Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|