This is a fun way to learn about the Constitution. Includes information about the history about the Constitution as well as explaining the document.

Great little book to help us understand the Constitution. We all know, unless you’re a Constitutional lawyer or student, that it’s hard to completely understand. You may understand some parts, but not other parts. This book will help you with that. And I think it’s needed so much in our country today. For Americans to know their Constitution and understand it. It also has the Declaration of Independence and Articles of Confederation as well along with some definitions of words that would be good for us all to know or have on hand. Thank you to #NetGalley and the publishers for opportunity to read and review with my honest opinion #TheConstitutionDecoded .

*I received an ARC of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I have mentioned before, in a previous review, that textbooks are a favorite genre of mine. All kinds of textbooks, really, even for subjects that generally bore me (not that boredom applies here; politics don’t bore me, at all). The thing is, I love reading writing meant to teach, meant to educate —more, when the intended audience is middle schoolers. “The Constitution Decoded”, by Katie Kennedy, strives to do this, for arguably the most important document in the history of the United States of America. I believe it achieves its goal admirably.

The Constitution is not a simple document. The book doesn’t shy away from this reality, but it doesn’t talk down to its intended audience, either. Instead, it includes the original text —in full— and a modernized “translation”, that eliminates the verbosity from the original text while withholding its importance. This translation is numbered, so readers can see exactly which part of the document is being simplified and how. Children are smart and curious; they should get to confront the document that made America, with its virtues and flaws, but it should be explained to them, too. The book’s layout and presentation allow for this. Kids can read the original text, figure out what stumps them, and find explanations to their doubts and questions in the translation.

The illustrations, too, are great! Each section is bright, and the colors and textures make the whole book look more entertaining than the subject matter would suggest.

However, the book doesn’t stop there, but its full of additional tidbits and explanations, expanding on each section of the Constitution with interesting and age-appropriate commentary. I thought there was little bias across these sections, but the book also presents —honestly and without fanfare— the uglier truths of America’s political history. This, too, won my praise and couldn’t be more prescient, given the times we are living through. Confronting the human errors in the foundation of the United States will give young readers the knowledge needed to start demanding a better future for the Republic.

Recommended audiences: This book would be particularly perfect for middle schoolers already interested in History and Politics or for the teachers giving them said classes, and for parents and/or guardians trying to get their children into these topics.

What a fabulous book! Kennedy took an incredibly complex document and broke it down for kids, and adults, to understand better. Each part has the actual words from The Constitution, but words are highlighted for vocabulary reasons and difficult concepts are broken down to explanations that kids are more likely to understand. The book is full of colorful illustrations to lure in younger and more visual readers, but the information is great for anyone 8+

This book was a great resource for teaching my children about the constitution and government. It is packed full of information. It gives children vocabulary, historical figures and other governmental facts. It is such a great resource to have handy.
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.

The Constitution So We Can Understand It
I love this book! It is a simplification of our Constitution and it's amendments that anyone can understand. It is all there with historical points, original language, modern retelling, and definitions. Here is an occasional discussion of controversial items like 'Executive Privileged'. This is as good as, or even better than what we learned in 9th grade Social Studies. It clearly lays out our Government as the Constitution delineates it. It also clearly talks about truths that fly in the face of the urban folklore like the separation of church and state which is never mentioned in the Constitution. I also found the source of the term 'grandfather clause' to be very interesting. It is written for the middle grades but is not bad for us adults, either. This is the kind of book that I would love to see in every household, schoolroom, and library. I received this ARC book for free from Net Galley and this is my honest review.

Excellent Book to Dive Deeper into the Constitution

What a great way to learn about the Constitution! This book contains the actual words of the original articles of the Constitution as well as its amendments. Plus, they also include the full text of the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation in the back. As the publisher intends this for kids, the pages are moderately colorful with illustrations and cartoons of key people in American history.

What I liked is not only were the precise words of these documents shared, but for all parts of the Constitution, the authors also included a “translation” section (for lack of a better word). The original text is marked up with numbers that the child can then refer to if she or he needs a simple explanation for what the original words of the document mean. Most pages have a short section that gives insight into why the framers included a particular idea in the constitution. Where needed, the author provides definitions of constitutional words and phrases like ratification and writ of habeas corpus. Most parts of the Constitution had a section called Constitution in Action that showed how the particular article, section, or amendment has been applied, explains a key part of it, or how parts have been argued in the Supreme Court. Topics are wide ranging, including executive privilege, impeachment, juries, creating new states, repealing an amendment, and the Dred Scott decision—just to name a few.

Honestly, this book is exceptionally well done, breaking the Constitution down clearly and succinctly—and without bias. I love that it includes both the original text and the framers’ reasoning for it, as well as fascinating side stories and explanations that make the Constitution come alive. This is still a living, breathing document that guides (or should guide) our federal government. I think it would be an appropriate read for any American, child or adult. Those of us north of our majority should be reminded now and then about what precisely is in this landmark and foundational document of our country.

The Constitution Decoded is a timely read. In the simplest explanation, it takes the Constitution (word for word) and breaks it down for younger readers, with footnotes and sidebars of information. In a 2 page spread, it contains the quoted text on one side, and its kid-friendly explanation on the other. With numbered footnotes, students will be able to work their way through the document, or turn to a specific section with the easily labeled page edges.

I would recommend this for students in fifth grade and up because there is a lot of information and text on a page. This may be overwhelming to younger students.

Thanks to Netgalley and the author for an early peek at this book.

There are some good very simple guides to the Constitution already on the market, but sometimes you want a little bit more. Sometimes you want more than just what the words mean. You want information about the application of our founding documents. You want to know what the rights spelled in the Constitution mean for individuals and for various levels of government. And that's where this book comes in. There is, of course, a plain language breakdown of what the Constitution literally says but equal space is given to application. This serves as a solid foundational guide for people wanting to understand their legal rights, accessible for middle grade and above.

So .... about time I learned again, exactly what's in our constitution and why, before someone tries to make it obsolete.
No really, it was pretty interesting to read now as an adult, when I was ready to "listen" at my own pace, and not having had to "listen" wbw in school.
I still read it in phases, just worked better for me, and now, I can always use it for future referencing, easily looking up just by word or phrase.
I think this is for any age--middle school age to--well, my age. Very informative, with breaking it down, and adding explanations, which were helpful. I thought opinions need not be added as we all have them, and wouldn't want anyone to be swayed on the basis of our country.
I recommend this if anyone is the least bit interested in the USA and it's inception.
I received an advance reader copy through Netgalley. I am voluntarily giving my own thoughts

This would be an excellent textbook for middle schools learning about American Government and American History in general. The illustrations make this seem more 'entertaining' than 'educating' which of course is always a bonus when trying to introduce books like this to kids as it can be construed as dry subject matter.

I appreciate how it's written as informative but not condescending which is always a great plus to me when I'm suggesting non-fiction to young readers. The way that the book is set up makes it straightforward and easy to follow with the Constitution on the left and the translated explanation + any relevant facts on the right.

This is an extremely prescient book for the times that we are living in (and have been living in let's be honest) and I think would make a great addition to a school classroom and to help kids (and some adults) understand their rights and their country's government and its laws.

The Constitution Decoded
A Guide to the Document That Shapes Our Nation
by Katie Kennedy
Back of the book: “Be an active citizen. Know your Constitution!
Ever wonder why the president has a Cabinet? Why there’s such thing as trial by jury? Why someday you’ll have to pay income tax, or why there are no Dukes, Duchesses, Counts, or Countesses in the United States? Because the Constitution says so––and so much more. And now, in The Constitution Decoded, the ideas, concepts, and rules that make America are unpacked and explained in detail to help all of us, kids and parents too, become more informed citizens.
Written with impeccable clarity and illustrated in a style that brings America’s early days to life, this fascinating guide goes through the Constitution literally word by word, sentence by sentence, and idea by idea to give readers a true understanding of not only how the Framers envisioned the United States, but also why they made the choices they did. Here’s why, for example, the United States has three branches of government—legislative, executive, and judicial. It explains how bills become laws, why we have the right to free speech, how we can change the Constitution as our country evolves, and so much more.
Packed with historical context and figures, vocabulary, anecdotes, and trivia, this book is an accessible yet richly layered work that belongs in every family library.”
Impressions: This book is a mouthful! It was soooooo long. To be fair it was comprehensive which is different from soooooo long. Because the commentary is literally rewriting the Constitution in layman’s terms it felt repetitive making it feel overly long. Its contents are important and the commentary was helpful in understanding the Constitution for young readers but I struggled to make it through this book. I also think the graphics could have been better. More comparative and organizational charts or visuals would have broken things up a bit. This could have been an issue from reading it on an iPad vs. reading a physical copy. I find educational books best read in physical form. I will have to give this book another try perhaps in person.
I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion shared here.

This is a thoughtful and well-written explanation of the Constitution. The illustrations and sketches were integrated well, complimenting the topics. This is a good resource for all ages. (I know a lot of y'all haven't read, or understood one of America's important documents.)

I received a digital review copy from the publisher through netgalley. Expected publication date is August 18, 2020.

Readers looking for a modern description of the Constitution will enjoy this book. Broken down into manageable chapters and full of graphics to make content clear, this book will expand all readers understanding of this important document. There is also mention of the Constitution and how it applies to historical events. Recommended for advanced readers looking for more information about the Constitution.

Hot topic book for children. I personally have recently bought two books on this subject, and plan to buy this one as well. I was given a preview ARC and therefore didn't see the completed book, as there were many images missing or pencil drawn. When viewed on the kindle, the images were not complete and fragmented, so I don't suggest that edition at this point. The hardcopy will be more user friendly and handy when questions arise. Each section of the constitution is broken down and discussed/explained/translated. I really like the details added within the book like line by line translation. Child readers will appreciate the break downs of each article with both words and graphics. There is a table of contents, index, and glossary for quickly finding your answers! This one isn't for those getting and introduction but for those who are looking to dive deeper into each line and understand with greater context. Suggested for reading together and discussing, as even adults will learn more about history of how the document was written and amended. #NetGalley gave me an ARC for my honest review.

I received an electronic ARC from Workman Publishing Company through NetGalley.
Kennedy breaks apart the U.S. Constitution and explains it in simpler language for younger readers. The book begins with a brief history of why it was written then shares each Article and Amendment in the original and more modern language. The sidebars and additional paragraphs provide context and further information on our government. In addition, The Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation are included at the end. The author talks about how important these three documents are to the United States. A glossary and bibliography provide further information for readers to continue learning.

I really loved the way the information is presented in this book. What I am really bummed about is the formatting (I think due to the PDF form it did not come through correctly). I think a physical copy of this book will be DELIGHTFUL. It will have images of the original Constitution on one side and the decoded message in understandable appropriate language for youths on the opposite side. I would ABSOLUTELY use this in my social studies classroom! Great resource.

This is a detailed book on understanding the constitution of the United States of America. The framers of the constitution, the situation under which the various concepts and rules of the country were framed, the choices they had to make and so on are vividly illustrated and explained.

A must read for both, the future generations and their parents.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing an advanced view of this book.

Everyone should have their own copy of the constitution.
This book gives you constitutional text and the history behind it.
It is informational, yet it does have a few opinions, as well.
This book interprets the Constitution for you.
Read it, discuss it, share your views with others.
Most importantly, interpret it for yourself.

An excellent resource for any high school civics class. And also for adults. Very readable and makes a difficult document easy to understand. Honestly, this would be a great book for parents to read with their children. I think both would find it enjoyable, enlightening, and educational.