Your Freedom, Your Power: A Kid’s Guide to the First Amendment, by Allison Matulli with Clelia Castro-Malaspina, illustrated by Carmelle Kendall & Chasing the Truth: A Young Journalist’s Guide to Investigative Reporting, by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, adapted by Ruby Shamir

 

Your Freedom, Your Power: A Kid’s Guide to the First Amendment provides an excellent non-partisan introduction to the important rights guaranteed to American citizens by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution: Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Speech, Freedom of the Press, Freedom of Assembly, and the Right to Petition. Authors Allison Matulli and Clelia Castro-Malaspina begin with a chapter describing the levels of our country’s federal and state court systems—charting the journey an issue may take from district courts and courts of appeal to the Supreme Court of the United States, defining key terms like “plaintiff,” “defendant,” “opinion” and “appellant.” The text is clear and very engaging; it speaks directly to readers in middle school and above. In every chapter, specific, real-life First Amendment judicial cases (both historical and current) are presented. The cases discussed are ones affecting students—such as wearing religious clothing in schools; hate speech, symbolic speech and online speech; teaching evolution theory and topics in history; forms of protest; access to and use of media; peaceable and unpeaceable assembly; and the use of petitions. In addition to reflective questions to readers, global perspectives (examples of rights in other countries) provide a context for our own First Amendment. Very clear formatting, engaging graphics and selected sources for further reading add to the book’s usefulness for civic education studies, personal reading and family discussion—a valuable compendium for navigating today’s world. Ages 10-16. Philomel Books / Penguin Random House, 2021.

 

In Chasing the Truth: A Young Journalist’s Guide to Investigative Reporting by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey, adapted by Ruby Shamir from the adult book She Said, investigative journalism is explored using examples from the work of the authors as they became accomplished in their field. Investigative journalism—aiming to both uncover and analyze the facts of a situation in the context of freedom of the press—has strategies and challenges that distinguish it from general news reporting. The authors’ landmark reporting of the sexual harassment case of Harvey Weinstein is conveyed vividly and clearly, exemplifying the goal “to reveal abuses of power that are causing harm to individuals or to the wider public.” At the book’s conclusion, cogent, very specific tips are provided as a guideline to young people considering doing investigative journalism. Ages 12 and up. Philomel, 2021.