Overview

When an election is coming up, you usually expect a face-off between the two major US political parties—Democrats and Republicans. It's easy to forget that there are numerous minor parties—and even groups within a single party—that have different goals. Why do we need political parties? In modern elections, they are important in shaping candidates' positions on issues, determining who is nominated to run on a party ticket, and working behind the scenes to influence an election's outcome. Examine opposing viewpoints on some of the key issues surrounding political parties and consider for yourself the power they hold in the US election process.

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9781467779104

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Reviews

The Inside Elections series promises a simplified perspective on the sometimes overwhelming theatre that is contemporary American politics. The series includes titles on the media, special interest groups, voters, and political parties. Each topic's pros and cons are explored by the author in order to demystify elections processes. Explained in a combination of short prose and quick, bulleted lists and charts, with images and side notes as breaks inserted throughout, the series promises to offer honest and unbiased explanations of 'common knowledge' that is not necessarily as common as thought, especially among young people. In Media: From News Coverage to Political Advertising, for example, Donovan breaks down the media to show it as a knowable, predictable machine in order to expose its influence and social work. Marketed toward middle grade readers, this series works hard to answer the questions adults might take for granted. For example, in Special Interests: From Lobbyists to Campaign Funding, Donovan begins by following the money trail, 'The Big Money of Politics, ' explaining the costs of elections, discussing where donations come from, the role of special interest groups and lobbyists, laws, and rules. She ends with a look at the future of these practices, and includes source notes, a further reading guide, a glossary, and a bibliography. This resource series will not be the most popular set of books in the library, but patrons who need a quick overview of elections facts will find them helpful. --VOYA --Journal Though this series contains only four books, they are rich with information about all aspects of the election process, going beyond a traditional discussion of the electoral college process and looking more deeply into topics such as media accountability, attack ads, campaigning, and special interest groups. While these titles are text heavy, the layout facilitates ease of reading, with text boxes, diagrams, and captioned color photos breaking up the narrative and providing more information. This set offers an unbiased look at the historical context of elections along with the modern significance of the process and helps young people analyze the topics with the intent of becoming informed citizens and voters. VERDICT: Timely additions on an important subject. --School Library Journal, Series Made Simple --Journal

The Inside Elections series promises a simplified perspective on the sometimes overwhelming theatre that is contemporary American politics. The series includes titles on the media, special interest groups, voters, and political parties. Each topic's pros and cons are explored by the author in order to demystify elections processes. Explained in a combination of short prose and quick, bulleted lists and charts, with images and side notes as breaks inserted throughout, the series promises to offer honest and unbiased explanations of 'common knowledge' that is not necessarily as common as thought, especially among young people. In Media: From News Coverage to Political Advertising, for example, Donovan breaks down the media to show it as a knowable, predictable machine in order to expose its influence and social work. Marketed toward middle grade readers, this series works hard to answer the questions adults might take for granted. For example, in Special Interests: From Lobbyists to Campaign Funding, Donovan begins by following the money trail, 'The Big Money of Politics, ' explaining the costs of elections, discussing where donations come from, the role of special interest groups and lobbyists, laws, and rules. She ends with a look at the future of these practices, and includes source notes, a further reading guide, a glossary, and a bibliography. This resource series will not be the most popular set of books in the library, but patrons who need a quick overview of elections facts will find them helpful.--VOYA -- Journal (8/1/2016 12:00:00 AM) Though this series contains only four books, they are rich with information about all aspects of the election process, going beyond a traditional discussion of the electoral college process and looking more deeply into topics such as media accountability, attack ads, campaigning, and special interest groups. While these titles are text heavy, the layout facilitates ease of reading, with text boxes, diagrams, and captioned color photos breaking up the narrative and providing more information. This set offers an unbiased look at the historical context of elections along with the modern significance of the process and helps young people analyze the topics with the intent of becoming informed citizens and voters. VERDICT: Timely additions on an important subject.--School Library Journal, Series Made Simple -- Journal (11/1/2015 12:00:00 AM)

Though this series contains only four books, they are rich with information about all aspects of the election process, going beyond a traditional discussion of the electoral college process and looking more deeply into topics such as media accountability, attack ads, campaigning, and special interest groups. While these titles are text heavy, the layout facilitates ease of reading, with text boxes, diagrams, and captioned color photos breaking up the narrative and providing more information. This set offers an unbiased look at the historical context of elections along with the modern significance of the process and helps young people analyze the topics with the intent of becoming informed citizens and voters. VERDICT: Timely additions on an important subject. --School Library Journal, Series Made Simple --Journal The Inside Elections series promises a simplified perspective on the sometimes overwhelming theatre that is contemporary American politics. The series includes titles on the media, special interest groups, voters, and political parties. Each topic's pros and cons are explored by the author in order to demystify elections processes. Explained in a combination of short prose and quick, bulleted lists and charts, with images and side notes as breaks inserted throughout, the series promises to offer honest and unbiased explanations of 'common knowledge' that is not necessarily as common as thought, especially among young people. In Media: From News Coverage to Political Advertising, for example, Donovan breaks down the media to show it as a knowable, predictable machine in order to expose its influence and social work. Marketed toward middle grade readers, this series works hard to answer the questions adults might take for granted. For example, in Special Interests: From Lobbyists to Campaign Funding, Donovan begins by following the money trail, 'The Big Money of Politics, ' explaining the costs of elections, discussing where donations come from, the role of special interest groups and lobbyists, laws, and rules. She ends with a look at the future of these practices, and includes source notes, a further reading guide, a glossary, and a bibliography. This resource series will not be the most popular set of books in the library, but patrons who need a quick overview of elections facts will find them helpful. --VOYA --Journal

Author Information

Stephanie Sammartino McPherson wrote her first children's story in college. She enjoyed the process so much that she's never stopped writing. A former teacher and freelance newspaper writer, she has written more than thirty books and numerous magazine stories. Her recent books include Hothouse Earth: The Climate Crisis and the Importance of Carbon Neutrality, winner of the Green Earth Book Award for young adult nonfiction, and Breakthrough: Katalin Karikó and the mRNA Vaccine. Stephanie and her husband, Richard, live in Virginia.

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