The Voice of the People

With election time drawing near, curious readers can turn to this handy primer for a better understanding of the electoral process, and of the origins and workings of American democracy. Distilling the broad and complex nature of their subject to its essence, this proficient author-illustrator team (A More Perfect Union) shows how the government has had to ""grow and change to keep up with both the population and modern thinking."" Among the topics explored in the detailed, anecdote-studded narrative are the responsibilities of the three branches of the federal government and the function of political parties. Versatile watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations capture a measure of the theatrics involved in a contemporary election. They also offer a balanced range of images from across the political and historical spectrum: impressive likenesses of a number of past and present political figures; postcard-like images of key government buildings; dramatic renderings of the aftermath of the Supreme Court's 1954 decision to integrate public schools; facsimiles of government documents; even whimsical campaign memorabilia (the Carter peanut coin bank) and a snowy scene on primary day in New Hampshire. Elementary teachers will find this an engaging supplement to American history textbooks. Ages 6-up. (Apr.)