Raising Little Patriots
Ericka Andersen /
Learning about U.S. government is a basic, essential lesson for American children, but finding a way to make it stick isn’t always easy. Luckily, a new book is out to help solve that problem.
One Nation Under God: A Book for Little Patriots is a delightfully poetic read to help kids understand the history of America’s government and how it works today. Even adults can brush up on basic knowledge with the straightforward facts presented in each chapter.
In a tone that is simple and reminiscent of the Schoolhouse Rocks animation “How a bill becomes a law,” the inaugural publication by author Amelia Hamilton is written in a rhyming style. The clever phrasing throughout the book is easy to read, and each numbered chapter is linked with a central, corresponding fact about American government. The counting approach works well for younger children, who can easily associate numbers with descriptive details.
The book rests on a foundation of the definitive American phrase “one nation under God,” beginning with the discovery of the new world. Hamilton’s basic but entertaining description of how government works makes it easy for little minds to understand things like elections and branches of the military.
While Hamilton identifies as a conservative personally, the book is straight history—something that could be used in every kindergarten classroom in America. With eye-catching drawings for each page-long chapter, kids will easily associate the pictures with the writing content.
The last chapter, “10 Amendments in the Bill of Rights,” captures perhaps the quintessential paragraph in the book. Hamilton writes:
When you know you’re safe in your own home.
When you don’t have to pray alone.
When you say just what you feel.
It might no seem like a big deal.
Just remember that these rights weren’t free.
Many fought for you and me.
For parents who want to raise up “little patriots,” this book is a good way to get started.