What Is the Executive Branch?

Gr 4–6—These volumes provide solid introductory material about the U.S. government. Each book discusses the purpose of each branch; the different positions, such as Chief Justice and Speaker of the House; the work done; and the strengths and the challenges of each branch and how they interact. The texts are clearly written, although there are a couple of instances in which they beg for additional information. For example, in Legislative, the author states, "Most people vote on Election Day. Others vote earlier." (How? Why?) If "lawmakers do not vote the way whips tell them to…they can be punished." (How?) The captioned photos are large and attractive. They also display currency by including Barack Obama, John Boehner, Jacob Lew, and other sitting or recent staff members. In Executive, the last paragraph under "Protecting America" stops mid sentence. Most pages include a "What do you think?" box that poses a comprehension or thought question. In addition, each book has a "Learning More" section. Overall these titles are acceptable additions to school collections.—Stephanie Farnlacher, Trace Crossings Elementary School, Hoover, AL