The Supreme Court and the Judicial Branch

November 1, 2012

Gr 6-8-Each title begins with a real-life example of a specialized branch of government at work. President opens with an account of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Supreme Court gives an account of why the Court got involved in the 2000 presidential race. Starting each title this way puts the powers, privileges, and pitfalls of each aspect of government in historical context. More real-life examples appear throughout. Photographs, some in color and some in black and white, have different levels of relevancy. The two-page aerial photo of the immense National Security Agency headquarters (Security Agencies) adds intrigue with its cryptic caption about the unknown number of employees, while the two-page publicity photo of President Johnson and his wife sitting on a bench in a sunny field seems pointless (Congress). The writing is accessible, and the organization and source notes are impeccable. Overall, these are great choices for middle-school students.Jennifer Prince, Buncombe County Public Libraries, NC

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

October 1, 2012
Grades 6-9 Following a chapter on the Supreme Court's controversial Bush v. Gore decision in 2000, this volume from the Constitution and the United States Government series discusses the organization and responsibilities of the federal judicial branch. Next, Madani traces the history of the Supreme Court, spotlights several important cases and individuals, and looks at the role of the court today. Each of the current Supreme Court justices is introduced in a one-page presentation, complete with portrait photo. Many of the book's color and archival black-and-white photos are well chosen and clearly reproduced, though the effectiveness of a few double-page illustrations decreases when their center portions disappear into the gutter. Covering a great deal of information in a relatively short book, the clearly written text offers students a useful introduction to the Supreme Court.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2013
This retitled and updated series provides insight into the three branches of U.S. government, other agencies, and the documents that guide them. The dry texts are well researched and informative. While the photographs add interest, some are poorly reproduced. [cf2]Executive[cf1] includes a list of presidents; [cf2]Security[cf1] and [cf2]Legislative[cf1] include timelines. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)