. . . If You Were There When They Signed the Constitution (Paperback)

by Elizabeth Levy (Author), Joan Holub (Illustrator)
Key Phrases: George Washington, James Madison, Articles of Confederation (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Grade 2-5 Levy presents the basic facts of the framing of the Constitution in a series of questions and answers. Background is provided in a very cursory explanation of the American Revolution, the Articles of Confederation, and Shay's Rebellion. Although there is no index, readers will have little difficulty locating individual topics by skimming the boldly printed questions, which are arranged in a rough chronological sequence. Like Fritz' Shhh! We're Writing the Constitution (Putnam, 1987), Levy includes small bits of interesting social trivia to add appeal to the text. Fritz' book is the better of the two, but Levy's is a good second choice for this age group. The pen-and-ink drawings on each page are bland, and important details are occasionally lost in the gutter. Elaine Fort Weischedel, Turner Free Library, Randolph, Mass.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description
In a lively question and answer format, readers are taken behind the locked doors of the Philadelphia State House during the dramatic Constitutional Convention.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Paperback: 80 pages
• Publisher: Scholastic Paperbacks; Updated edition (June 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0590451596
• ISBN-13: 978-0590451598
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #32,745 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good resource!, March 24, 2000

By	Becki Uccello (Missouri) - See all my reviews

"They Signed the Constitution" by Elizabeth Levy has become an excellent resource for me to use in the classroom. I teach 7th grade social studies, and we spend 1 quarter of the year on government. My colleague and I have used most of this book for the past 3 years to supplement the rest of the material we use. We have also created a worksheet to be used with it. Students take turns reading aloud in class from this book. They find it easy to read and easy to understand, definitely not the dry textbook we're used to reading! I recommend this book for elementary and junior high teachers teaching government, as well as students looking for an easy way to understand part of our early American history.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Constitution Review, October 17, 2005

By	K. McMahon "bibliophile" (Dracut, MA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This was a great book. It provided both facts and interesting tibits about the founders. I used it as a resource in my 5th grade inclusion social studies class and they found it both useful and informative.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Jump into History!, August 12, 2008

By	Renee Huskey "Family Photoloom ~ Make the Con... - See all my reviews

Written in easy to understand, age appropriate language, Elizabeth Levy offers a great overview to the writing of the Constitution, putting into context such ideas as the original "Federal Convention," and the two sides of the Constitutional debate. Some may argue that the book is light on details, but Levy has done an excellent job of focusing on who her audience really is, offering social trivia that grabs the attention of her young readers as she draws them toward the more meaty, albeit arguably less compelling, matters of Constitutional construction. For example, she provides interesting character sketches on many of the delegates, including both famous names, like Alexander Hamilton (who was known to have a "graceful turn of the leg"), and lesser known names like William Patterson and Luther Martin. Topics are easily discerned - defined by bold headlines and arranged chronologically, and the text throughout is supported by colorful pen-and-ink drawings.