Stand Up for Citizenship

October 1, 2019
Grades 2-4 This volume in the 21st Century Junior Library: Growing Character series (8 titles) lends itself well to classroom social studies units on citizenship. The text is straightforward and informational, with stock photos adding some color and vocabulary terms defined in a glossary. Though the examples of good citizenship are oddly focused on outdoor clean-up, Murphy uses several techniques to make the generally didactic text more relatable, utilizing scenarios with characters to present examples like picking up trash and writing to a congressperson. He also uses the second person, forging a direct connection between the text and reader. The sidebar activities largely feel like homework assignments?for example, making a list of ways to help your community?but as such they might be useful in a school or research setting.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)