Unite or Die: How Thirteen States Became a Nation [Hardcover]

Jacqueline Jules (Author), Jef Czekaj (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2009 | Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

After the American Revolution, our country was anything but unified. Using the conceit of a school play, Unite or Die traces the challenges, conflicts, and compromises that shaped the United States Constitution and brought unity to the states. This accessible introduction to the drafting of the Constitution features exuberant illustrations and an engaging style suitable for reader's theater.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

In this brightly illustrated picture book, children dressed in chunky, state-shaped costumes act out a play called “Unite or Die,” which dramatizes problems that sprang up after the American Revolution and their resolution at the 1787 Constitutional Convention. Bound only by the Articles of Confederation, the little states begin by bickering about issues such as currency, borders, and trade. At the Constitutional Convention, they hammer away until they have created an entirely new federal government. Though the subject may not seem well-suited to a picture-book format, Jules does a good job of presenting the essential ideas simply, and Czekaj’s droll, cartoon-like illustrations may appeal to some students beyond the primary-grade range. Amusing remarks as well as bits of information are relayed in speech balloons, while on each double-page spread, a few sentences of text introduce the main ideas, as a narrator would. The book concludes with four pages of notes and a bibliography. An original presentation of a pivotal point in U.S. history. Grades 2-4. --Carolyn Phelan

About the Author

Jacqueline Jules is the author of several books for children, including Abrahams Search for God (Kar-Ben) and The Ziz and the Hanukkah Miracle (Kar-Ben). Her poetry has been featured in over sixty publications, including Cricket, Cicada, and The Christian Science Monitor.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing; New edition (February 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580891896
• ISBN-13: 978-1580891899
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #583,220 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Jacqueline Jules is an author, teacher, librarian, and poet. Her books for children include Zapato Power, Unite or Die: How Thirteen States Became a Nation, No English, Sarah Laughs, and Duck for Turkey Day. Her work has appeared in numerous publications including Christian Science Monitor, America, Cicada, Highlights for Children, and Spider. She is a strong advocate for literacy and education. Please visit her at http://www.jacquelinejules.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Constitution Day, September 15, 2010

By 

5thTeach - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Unite or Die: How Thirteen States Became a Nation (Hardcover)

Fun & humorous book used to celebrate Constitution Day. Follow up with the reader's theater (available online) to make more interactive. 5th graders love to act it out!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars playful comic book style, December 17, 2009

By 

Kirsten G. Cutler (Santa Rosa, California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Unite or Die: How Thirteen States Became a Nation (Hardcover)

This book is a playful comic book style introduction to the political process that resulted in the development of the Constitution of the United States. It adeptly explains how the state delegates met to discuss the problems created when thirteen separate state governments, each with their own rules and monetary system try to trade with one another. Representatives of five states agree to convene another meeting to discuss creating a form of federalized government to enable them to trade more easily. Dialog balloons enable the interjection of amusing fictionalized comments expressed during the process. Created within the framework of a class play with a multicultural cast enables a process that was actually taken on by 55 white men to seem more inclusive. Children wear costumes that identify their state by their abbreviations; it would have been helpful if the map of the states had included these abbreviations.

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Super fun way to learn about/teach the Constitution!, April 16, 2010

By 

VT (Sparks, NV) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Unite or Die: How Thirteen States Became a Nation (Hardcover)

Thinking about introducing the Constitution in a classroom? This is the book for you! Students are captivated by title alone! "Unite or Die" ... sounds ominous, students want to know more! The book doesn't disappoint as you dive into the pages. It's a fun to read, book with illustrations that aptly support the "story". The premise, a school play about how our Framers came together to write the Constitution and what their concerns were that shaped that document. From this book, students are able to grasp the historical context and appreciate the significance of the Constitution in shaping America. It is simple in approach but strong in impact!

There's a readers' theater script available online at the author's website which further extends the value of this book in the classroom. It's a simple 4 page script incorporating 18 parts. Students find delight in this fresh approach! Watch students "get it" as they assume the various roles and re-enact the Convention! Bravo!

An additional praise ... the author has put together a story that embraces our multicultural population and demonstrates that our constitution is for "We the people!"

Love the book! (And the readers' theater that goes with it!) A treasure!