Well written and comprehensive for not only how the government works (from student loans to social security to interest rates to the poverty line) as well as - and this is important - the role of the informed citizen in voting intelligently. Highly recommended.

"Civic Minded: What Everyone Should Know About the US Government" by Jeff Fleischer is an insightful and user-friendly guide that explores the workings of the U.S. government and its policies. It aims to close the knowledge gap among citizens regarding governmental processes and the importance of understanding them.

Fleischer addresses a broad spectrum of topics such as student loans, federal spending, and sanctions, offering both historical context and current relevance for each. The book is crafted to be both engaging and educational, featuring well-researched content enhanced by sidebars and graphics that simplify complex information. It is highly recommended not only for students but for anyone interested in gaining a deeper understanding of how the government operates

Misinformation doesn’t spread solely through fake news but through ignorance regarding government and policy. Fleischer combats this ignorance with this informational guide to government policies and programs. With easy-to-understand text and visually pleasing graphics and sidebars, Fleischer explains how the United States government works, breaking down the history of policies and programs, how they have changed throughout the years, and what they look like today. He dives into dozens of topics, like where federal government spending goes, how student loans work, and what Amtrak is.

THOUGHTS: During these divided times, opinions and votes should be based on informed understanding and thoughtful consideration of the issues at hand, making Civic Minded a must-read not only for every student but for every citizen of the United States. I wish I could buy a copy for every student and staff member in my high school. Chock full of information, each topic is broken into short chapters, making it an excellent companion text for any social study classroom.

This is a fantastic basic guide to the many programs provided by the US Government. I read this to my kiddo (10) as a bedtime book (I know, but he prefers nonfiction to 'scary' fiction.) He was engrossed the whole time and insisted we read through the entire book. I learned a ton as well that was never covered in my US history and government classes.

Jeff Fleischer does a great job breaking down difficult concepts into simple ideas so that anyone can understand them. He covers things like social security, medicare, taxes, citizenship, insurance student loans, and the poverty line. Things that are vital to understand to be an informed citizen yet aren't taught in school. He covers the basic facts and also the history of how they came to be.

The few nights my husband read instead, kiddo spent our walks the next day filling me in on what I'd missed. We spent an entire walk to school one day with him lecturing me about trade defecits.

This should absolutely be required reading for everyone in the US. I have already ordered the author's other books for young readers and we will be tackling those next.

*Thanks to Zest Books for providing an early copy for review.

This book does not cover everything about the government in detail nor does it intend to. The introduction lays out that the goal of the book is to provide young people with a general understanding of how the government works, and some of the programs a part of it. I also think adults can get a lot out of this book too. I have a background in social sciences and I still learned something new!