When You Grow Up to Vote: How Our Government Works for You

A fresh reworking of Roosevelt’s 1932 book explains the roles of government workers and elected officials, election processes, and the civic responsibilities of U.S. citizens. The pyramid-structured narrative begins at the local level, describing the crucial services that firefighters, police, and garbage collectors provide. Roosevelt next tidily distills the jobs performed by town, city, and state officials before moving on to U.S. senators and congresspeople, the president and cabinet members, and those involved in the judicial system. Her keen humor surfaces: the county clerk “keeps a record of your birthday—in case you’ve forgotten when it comes.” Updates by Markel (Brave Girl) include such post-1930s phenomena as cell phones, email, and electronic voting. Thumbnail pictures and charts by Lin (When the Sea Turned to Silver) will help kids on the younger end of the targeted audience grasp layered concepts. This reissue is especially apropos in an era of increasing awareness and activism on the part of American youth. Ages 6–12. [em]Authors' agents: Anna Olswanger, Olswanger Literary and Liza Dawson, Liza Dawson Assoc. Illustrator's agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (Sept.) [/em]