The Presidency of the United States (American Government in Action) [Library Binding]

Karen Judson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1996 | Age Level: 11 and up | Grade Level: 6 and up | Series: American Government in Action

Discusses the history, powers, and duties of the executive branch of the United States government including the President, Vice President, the Cabinet, and independent agencies and commissions.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 7-10--These books examine the branches of the federal government, emphasizing how they actually operate and influence citizens' lives. The Constitution is the weakest of the three. Judson does give readers good historical background on the constitutional convention and the issues that had to be resolved in order to write an effective constitution, but she does not include enough information about the main document or the way it has influenced our government. Donald Ritchie's The U.S. Constitution (Chelsea, 1989) provides a broader look at the topic. The Presidency is the best of these three titles; here, Judson provides a readable and interesting overview and discussion of the constitutional basis for the office, the evolution of the roles the president plays, the operations of the White House, and the organization of the executive branch. Both Richard Pious's The Presidency (Silver Burdett, 1991) and Richard Bernstein and Jerome Agel's The Presidency (Walker, 1989) have a more historical focus. The Supreme Court opens with a description of the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision, using it as an example of the Court's power to force changes in society. Kronenwetter then gives readers a brief description of our judicial system and a short history of the Court. He discusses how it operates and the increasing role that politics has played in appointments and decisions, and concludes with a chapter that details some of the Court's most important decisions. This is a solid, well-written book, but it does not have as much depth as Leon Friedman's The Supreme Court (Chelsea, 1986) or the historical focus of Ann Weiss's The Supreme Court (Enslow, 1987; o.p.). All three books are attractive and include black-and-white illustrations and photos, chapter notes, and bibliographies. However, they join a field that is very crowded, making them additional purchases for most collections.

Mary Mueller, Rolla Junior High School, MO

Copyright 1996 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 11 and up
  
• Library Binding: 128 pages
• Publisher: Enslow Publishers (January 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0894905856
• ISBN-13: 978-0894905858
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #8,577,029 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I wrote my first book when I was in second grade, titled, "The Adventures of Drancy New." Obviously, it lacked originality. Since then, I taught school--college biology, high school sciences, and grades one and three--then published 15 books and 500 magazine articles. I'm an animal lover with a fifteen-pound cat named Boog, and I live in deep timber some twenty miles from Mount Rushmore. Nonfiction has been good to me and I love writing it, but I'm also working on a young adult mystery series.