From School Library Journal
Gr 7-9--These titles are intended to help readers understand the inner workings of Congress, but do not succeed. In the first book, Sandak begins with a short history of how Congressional committees came into existence and rapidly grew, followed by chapters on how they control legislation, their role within the organization, an overview of some of the most important ones, and a listing of recent issues before them. In the second title, the author examines the often distasteful business of influencing legislation. She opens with an explanation of the need for lobbying and then provides a brief history of it, descriptions of domestic and foreign lobbies and public-interest groups, and a synopsis of issues currently being lobbied before Congress. Neither book includes the necessary background to place terms, people, and processes into perspective, and the vocabulary is frequently too advanced for the intended audience. Efforts to include current events and leaders will date the material quickly. The full-color and black-and-white photos and reproductions add little to the text. Much of the information here is available in any civics text, and both Bruce Ragsdale's House of Representatives (1989) and Donald Ritchie's Senate (1988, both Chelsea) are broader in scope and background and will be more helpful to most readers.
Mary Mueller, Rolla Junior High School, MO
Copyright 1996 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
