Syl Sobel’s “How the U.S. Government Works: A Kid’s Guide to Civics” is an excellent starting place to learn about the three branches of government. The book walks kids through each branch and its overarching tasks to make the country run. It concludes with recommendations for how to get involved by actively participating in our democracy.

This important and non-partisan book walks young people through complex constitutional principles to better understand U.S. democracy. Sobel is diligent about sticking to the constitution and providing examples that kids can understand. In our current polarized political environment, “How the U.S. Government Works: A Kid’s Guide to Civics” provides a quality introduction regardless of political affiliation. A glossary and resource guide are available at the end of the book.

This book is great for kids of all ages who want to learn about how the U.S. government works.

I received an advance review copy for free from Sourcebooks Kids, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

We are living in an unprecedented time. It feels so important that kids should know how the government is supposed to work so that, when their time comes to vote and more, they can make good choices.

This relatively short book packs in a lot of information. Kids (and maybe adults too) can learn a good deal in these pages. There are sections on congress, the executive branch, the president's jobs, the courts, and more, including a resource guide.

This illustrated title is written in a clear and easy to understand style. I like that the author also engages kids with questions about which to think.

I highly recommend this book for both school and home libraries.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Kids for this title. All opinions are my own.

A good bare bones introduction. I agree with some other reviewers that it's too basic. No effort is made to make it more engaging. Photographs, infographics, callouts, something.

Thank you for the ARC. I will purchase for my homeschooling patrons.

As a homeschool educator, I will definitely be purchasing this book! This is an easy to follow resource for government, geography, or social studies curriculum. As an adult, this is a great refresher! The graphics make it engaging for children and help solidify the concepts learned.

This was an excellent book to use to help to teach mid to upper-elementary students about how the U.S. government works! As a teacher, I feel like the concepts were explained well for students of this age range. I also appreciated how it had both comprehension questions, as well as questions for students to ponder as they read to help them to monitor their understanding of the material. I would highly recommend this book for both teachers and parents to purchase to help their child to learn about government in the U.S.!

Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for the ARC. I REALLY wanted this book to be engaging for my low-level readers in high school. Finding a government textbook that students can actually understand and actually WANT to read shouldn't be so impossible, but it sure feels that way! Student engagement based on the layout and visuals of this book will be very low. The content is written well, but it just doesn't grab your attention.

This book covers how the US government works and is intended for kids 7 and up. I think this does a pretty good job explaining the government in a relatively simple way. Small bits of information, keeping it basic, & moving into the other branches/jobs of the government. I wish I had something like this as a young kid. Maybe I would have enjoyed civics class a little more in my teens if I had even the smallest bit of foundation. I will be looking to get this for my daughter.

You know, I really wish I had this book when I was younger, say 3rd grade. I think that this book makes such a good foundation of government knowledge for kids, and this should really be required reading. For kids that don't know a lot about the government, this book is great to quickly help them get caught up with what others might mention like it's common knowledge (note: once you're older it's common knowledge but in gradeschool not so much). More on the actual content though: everything is explained in simple terms, and the orders of various processes are written so well. Additionally, the glossary in the back of the book provides additional definitions for any terms that readers might still be confused about. Really everything about this book is perfect and is highly informative and easy-to-understand. Bravo!!

This was written in a very simple, introductory format that will be useful to students as they begin learning about the government and civics. I especially appreciate that the author has a J.D., which lends authority to the information. The book is well-researched, with resources for further learning. I think adults would benefit from this as a refresher and to verify what they are seeing in current events. I have always advocated for adults to read non-fiction juvenile literature because the author gets to the heart of the matter and takes out any additional information that would distract from the main idea.

This is a beneficial text with questions and illustrations to help the reader think critically about the information that they are taking in. I highly recommend this book for schools and libraries.

A simple and concise look at how the U.S. government functions. It explains all three branches of government, delves into how Congress and the President are elected, and the important steps that citizens take to be involved. It also engages the reader with questions each chapter that allow them to think about the bigger picture. Of course it’s the bare minimum as it’s meant for kids, but it’s a solid introduction that doesn’t feel too overwhelming.

This will make an informative and crucial addition to any kid’s bookshelf (and some adults too 👀).

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was just telling my husband I want to find a really good book for our kids to learn about the government. My sister works in the government in DC, and not many books explain it well. This should be in each school for kids! This book was phenomenal.

This is a great summary of the US Government for middle readers and would be great for use in a classroom.

This book is an excellent introduction to the major concepts of government, breaking down complex ideas into an easy-to-understand format. While designed for kids, I found it to be a great refresher as an adult. Sometimes, revisiting the basics helps reinforce a deeper understanding of how our political system operates.

One area where the book could have gone further is explaining the role of political parties, particularly the two-party system in the U.S. Since it covers democracy as a whole, adding context about Republicans and Democrats would have made it even more informative. Additionally, while the book includes illustrations, I think more visual aids—such as charts or diagrams—would have been more helpful than the character images provided.

Overall, this is a solid resource for parents looking to teach their children about government in a clear and unbiased way. It simplifies essential concepts without overwhelming young readers, making it a valuable tool for civic education.

I think this is a GREAT and valuable resource for helping to teach kids about our government! There’s a whole lot of information packed into these pages and at times it can feel monotonous but what this book gets right is making sure they gear the information toward children.

The pictures and diagrams do a lot to keep things moving forward by offering the reader variety. I love the call to action in the back of the book by giving the kids a reason WHY they should care as well as the glossary and index which make it easy to go back and focus on specific topics.

Thanks NetGalley for the preview of this resource!

This is a great primer for teaching children about the three main branches of the US government. I think it is best for ages 8-10. The art is great at illustrating concepts for visual learners, and the opening comparison to a school makes clear why a government needs to exist. I also really appreciated the discussion questions. Though I wish the book had talked a little more about one purpose of the government being to protect rights, this is overall a detailed and accurate book appropriate for upper-elementary-age learners!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for the free eARC! I post this review with my honest opinions. I will post this review on Goodreads, Amazon, and Instagram within one week of publication.

How the U.S. Government Works: A Kid’s Guide to Civics by Syl Sobel is a nonfiction guide to understanding the United States government suitable for children ages 7-10. This is a newly updated and improved version of the book. This book does a wonderful job explaining the basics of the United States government in a way children will be able to understand. It provides a glossary in the back for more difficult to understand terms, and diagrams to understand processes, and a comprehensive summary. The book covers the three branches of the government, the responsibilities of the president, how bills become laws, taxes, what judges do, and more. It would be a great resource for homeschooling and supplemental education.

How the U.S. Government Works: A Kid’s Guide to Civics is written in a textbook format and, as such, is very text heavy. The book provides a ton of information and is easy to understand. It provides questions at the end of each topic to help engage children in the conversation and provide them with critical thinking opportunities.

My only issue with this book is the use of illustrations. This book is targeted for younger children, but is very text heavy. While there are several useful diagrams, the images used throughout the book are black and white drawings that do not do much to hold a child’s interest or reinforce the points being made. Several pages hold nothing but text. Though the information provided is good, I could see a child easily becoming bored during the reading because of this.

** Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Kids for a free copy in exchange for my honest review.

“How the U.S. Government Works” by Syl Sobel J.D. is an informative nonfiction book about the three branches of the government. The book is text-heavy and illustrations are black-and-white but it breaks down complex topics into easy-to-understand short chapters. This book will be an excellent addition to any elementary school library, classroom, or homeschool curriculum supplement.
Thanks to NetGallery and Sourcebooks for an advanced copy of this eBook in exchange for my honest review.