Your Freedom, Your Power: A Kid's Guide to the First Amendment

by Allison Matulli, Clelia Castro-Malaspina (Contribution by), Carmelle Kendall (Contribution by)

Overview

A nonpartisan, unbiased look at the First Amendment and how it informs our daily lives, this book clearly explains the fundamentals of American politics to middle grade readers.

The First Amendment grants kids and every other citizen five monster privileges: freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press,
freedom of assembly, and the right to petition the government. If the First Amendment is everywhere in their lives, shouldn’t kids know more about it? Yes!

In Your Freedom, Your Power, middle grade readers get a focused look at their freedoms and rights through the lens of this all-powerful First Amendment. The book engages children in learning more about their country and their rights and responsibilities. Each section will answer key questions readers may have thought about like: Do I have the right to protest at school? Can I be punished at school for something I say on social media? Why can’t I wear whatever I want? Can I text whatever I want? While answering these questions and explaining fundamental legal concepts every kid should know, Your Freedom, Your Power shares the fascinating stories behind some of the most important legal cases and social movements that have affected kids’ lives and rights.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781668636008
Publisher:	Hachette Book Group
Publication date:	07/25/2023
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 5.70(h) x (d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Allison Matulli is a former attorney and educator, now founder of The Little Lawyers, an organization promoting legal awareness for children. Allison is an educational reform activist who consults with schools worldwide on how to introduce, teach, and empower educators and kids to address issues of race, systemic racism, prejudice, legal literacy, diversity, and inclusion. Formerly a teacher and a certified American Montessori Society lead educator, she has always brought legal literacy into her classroom. She is a biweekly columnist for Education Week, the leading K-12 periodical (Circulation: Print: 50,000; Online: 725,000). Allison holds a B.A. in Economics from St. Joseph’s University, a Master’s in Education from Endicott College and a J.D. from Howard University School of Law. She is based in Miami where she lives with her husband and two children, Max and Eva.

Joniece Abbott-Pratt has narrated many audiobooks for children, young adults, and adults. She has won several AudioFile Earphones Awards and in 2021 was a finalist for the prestigious Audie Award for Best Fantasy Narration. She earned an MFA degree in acting from the University of Iowa and has performed on regional theater stages across the country, including the Public Theater in New York City. She has also appeared on television shows, including The Good Fight, Law and Order: SVU, Luke Cage, and Orange Is the New Black, and has voiced commercials and projects for US Bank, Johnson & Johnson, and others.

Editorial Reviews

Matulli and Castro-Malaspina break down the functions of the First Amendment in this handy guide to American politics. Through their conversational approach, the authors demystify the document to present a primer for young people.

Publisher's Weekly

An ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to middle school and community library Political Science collections for young readers.

Midwest Book Review

This offering's subtitle includes the words ‘A Kid's Guide,’ and here those words are especially apt. Readers are addressed directly, kids' rights and relatable issues are kept at the forefront of every discussion, and heady topics, such as the federal court system, are introduced in an informal, conversational manner. Manageable paragraphs, accessible text, lists, charts, and insets help explain, citing court cases that directly affect students: evolution in science courses, religious-related clothing, the effect of school bathroom policies on transgender kids. Every chapter offers fresh perspectives and interactive activities, including tips on how to petition for change. Students, parents, and teachers will appreciate the generous back matter and direct approach, and this works equally well as leisure reading for young activists, a homework helper, or a classroom supplement. Most important, this book empowers kids, telling them how to use their voices and defend their rights.”
 —Booklist, starred review

"Current, insightful, and savvy."—Kirkus Reviews

“Matulli and Castro-Malaspina break down the functions of the First Amendment in this handy guide to American politics. Through their conversational approach, the authors demystify the document to present a primer for young people.”—Publisher's Weekly

“An ideal and unreservedly recommended addition to middle school and community library Political Science collections for young readers.”—Midwest Book Review

"What makes this guide so powerful is that while most books about the First Amendment provide examples of landmark cases brought before the courts in defense of adult rights, all the cases here are brought on behalf of minors. A useful addition to most libraries."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

2023-05-24
Two lawyers unpack the “five monster freedoms” supposedly guaranteed to all U.S. citizens, regardless of age.

Following preliminary chapters on how the Constitution and its Bill of Rights were originally thrashed out and on the federal court system, the authors analyze each clause of the First Amendment (in what they describe as “regular-person speak”) by presenting notable legal challenges and case studies in which young people were involved—mostly as plaintiffs or defendants but also as participants in labor strikes or other protests. The authors properly note many areas where the law is unclear and that some victories have been at best partial ones, but along with general encouragement, they argue truly that “by knowing your rights, you are more likely to use them.” And if they neglect to mention that minors can’t actually file lawsuits on their own, their profiles and brief interviews with “First Amendment heroes” highlight the rewards as well as the costs of taking personal or legal action to redress perceived wrongs. And, along with frankly acknowledging the existence of gray areas around parental rights, privacy, and other issues, they offer procedural guidelines for young activists, remind readers that they have a right to record official police actions, and tuck into one of several invitations to “Be the Judge” a cogent suggestion to think about whether responses to the events of Jan. 6, 2021, would have been different if some of the armed rioters had been Black or brown. Illustrations accompanying the eye-straining blue and orange text mix stock photos with views of diverse groups of young protesters by Kendall.

Current, insightful, and savvy. (selected sources) (Nonfiction. 11-18)

Kirkus Reviews