School Library Journal

In a conversational style, Fleischer attempts to make Civics 101 a little more interesting. He breaks down many terms and aspects of the election process to bring some clarity to what seems to be a long, convoluted method of choosing our nation’s leaders. The author provides many historical examples to illustrate his discussions of how and why elections work the way they do. This method, at times, proves to be quite tedious to read, as the true focus of the title is on promoting political participation in young people. The logic is that older adults vote more consistently; therefore, their issues and problems get more attention. Fleischer makes a strong case that if younger people voted more regularly, their concerns might become a larger focus for elected representatives. The sections on political volunteerism are well done, giving information that encourages readers to become involved even if they cannot use the ballot box. Discussions on the role of language and polls on language usage (for instance, the effectiveness of “death tax” vs. “estate tax”) during campaign promotions are a great way to get students thinking about the behind-the-scenes work that goes into commercials and rallies. This book is a timely addition to educate new and prospective voters, and it is not so specific to render it obsolete after the 2016 election cycle. VERDICT This would be an excellent supplement to a civics class, but its length and detail limit its appeal to anyone but the most hard-core political junkie.—Lisa Crandall, formerly at the Capital Area District Library, Holt, MI