Election years mean a demand for books on the government and how elections work, and this season’s titles reflect that demand. Readers will learn about various government officials, how they are elected, and what their functions are. Military enthusiasts will appreciate the descriptive titles on the armed forces and the weapons they employ.

Elementary

Barrett, Mo. Life in the U.S. Air Force. ISBN 9780756579890.
––––. Life in the U.S. Army. ISBN 9780756579883.
––––. Life in the U.S. National Guard. ISBN 9780756579906.
Bolte, Mari. Life in the U.S. Coast Guard. ISBN 9780756579937.
––––. Life in the U.S. Marine Corps. ISBN 9780756579913.
––––. Life in the U.S. Navy. ISBN 9780756579920.
ea vol: 24p. (Daily Life in the U.S. Military). Capstone/Pebble. Jul. 2024. Tr. $29.99.
K-Gr 2–Employing simple, direct prose, these volumes investigate the daily activities of members of the various United States armed forces. Readers learn that airmen wear badges to indicate their respective squadron, soldiers spend much time training for combat, and Coast Guard members serve on patrol ships to protect the sea. Marines will often deploy for up to a year, members of the National Guard are civilians who serve part time in the military, and sailors at work are referred to as being “on watch.” Photographs of soldiers, sailors, etc. at work accompany the texts. Informative and age appropriate, these titles contain solid introductions to the military that young readers should appreciate. VERDICT A good choice for selectors refreshing their collections.

Bradshaw, Eleanor. Air Force One. ISBN 9781978539563.
––––. Aircraft Carriers. ISBN 9781978539532.
––––. Amphibious Vehicles. ISBN 9781978539594.
––––. Fighter Planes. ISBN 9781978539624.
––––. Military Helicopters. ISBN 9781978539655.
––––. Tanks. ISBN 9781978539686.
ea vol: 24p. (Amazing Military Machines). Enslow. Jul. 2024. Tr. $24.27.
Gr 1-3–Young military enthusiasts will delight in these introductions to well-known machines employed by the armed forces. Readers learn the history of each machine: tanks were first used in World War I to cross trenches, the first amphibious vehicle was built in 1807, and helicopters were intended to rescue people. Each volume contains interesting facts such as the great height of Air Force One, that aircraft carriers have their own hospitals, and that the F-35 fighter plane can take off straight in the air. Colorful photographs enhance the text and will be appreciated by the readers as much as the narratives. The only drawback is there is not a lot of new information presented and collections may already have sufficient books on the topic. VERDICT These nice works should be considered where collections need refreshing.

Loh-Hagan, Virginia. Bizarre Campaigning. ISBN 9781668947388.
––––. Celebrity Campaigns. ISBN 9781668947395.
––––. History’s Most Interesting Candidates. ISBN 9781668947401.
––––. History’s Most Vicious Campaigns. ISBN 9781668947418.
––––. Putting the Party in Political Parties. ISBN 9781668947425.
––––. Scandals and Blunders That Killed Campaigns. ISBN 9781668947432.
ea vol: 32p. (On the Campaign Trail). Cherry Lake/45th Parallel Jul. 2024. Tr. $32.07.
Gr 3-5–Interesting and unusual facts about United States elections are presented in these six volumes. Readers learn that senate candidate Christine O’Donnell once claimed to be a witch, former movie star Ronald Reagan won the presidency, and Mr. Potato Head received four votes for mayor of Boise, Idaho. Other interesting tidbits include the 1804 presidential election when John Adams called Thomas Jefferson a coward and Jefferson’s campaign called Adams a fool, a middle school teacher created the Breakfast-All-Day party, and Hillary Clinton used a personal email server for government business, costing her the election. The narratives employ simple sentences, however, little depth is provided; one is made aware of the events but that is all. Those desiring to know the reasons behind events, what happened to the people and political parties involved, and why animals were run as candidates (outside a humorous context) will be disappointed. In this election year collections will require more relevant works about campaigns. VERDICT Though the information in these volumes is interesting, the brevity of the texts and the need for more mainstream books on campaigns will render these titles additional purchases.

McKinney, Donna. The United The States Air Force. ISBN 9798893040104.
––––. The United States Army. ISBN 9798893040111.
––––. The United States Coast Guard. ISBN 9798893040128.
––––. The United States Marine Corps. ISBN 9798893040135.
––––. The United States Navy. ISBN 9798893040142.
ea vol: 24p. (Armed Forces of the United States). Bellwether/Torque. Aug. 2024. Tr. $19.95.
Gr 3-5–Straightforward information on the five branches of the United States’ military is provided in these volumes. Readers learn about the missions of each branch in peace and in war: airmen conducted the Berlin Airlift, soldiers assisted with rescue operations in Maui, and the Coast Guard helped evacuate people from Hurricane Katrina. The Marines flew Hornet aircraft on bombing missions in Afghanistan and Navy SEALs located Osama Bin Laden. The Air Force flies F16 Fighting Falcons, the Army uses armored tanks in ground combat, and Marines carry M27 Infantry Automatic Rifles. Data such as mottos and personnel numbers are provided. Photographs are included to complement the text and display the diversity in today’s armed forces. Overall, these titles provide simple but informative introductions that should satisfy the needs of young, budding military enthusiasts. VERDICT Given their currency and accessibility, these volumes should be considered for purchase where there is a demand.

Upper Elementary to Middle School

Bell, Samantha. Campaign Strategy. ISBN 9781668947104.
––––. Political Parties. ISBN 9781668947111.
––––. Presidential Debates. ISBN 9781668947128.
––––. Voting Day. ISBN 9781668947135.
––––. What Is a Primary?ISBN 9781668947142.
––––. What Is the Electoral College?ISBN 9781668947159.
ea vol: 48p. (Inside U.S. Elections). Cherry Lake. Jul. 2024. Tr. $34.93.
Gr 4-7–The presidential election process is broken down in these six volumes. Readers learn how campaigns are managed, the differences between the Democrat and Republican parties, and how debates can inform voters. Also presented are the roles of poll workers and watchers, the purpose of primaries in choosing candidates, and the workings of the Electoral College. Photographs relating to recent political campaigns are inserted to enhance the text. The informative texts are factual, objective, and current, with some photos from the 2024 election. The reads themselves are unexciting, but these titles will be particularly good for required election year reports. VERDICT These up-to-date volumes on the election process will be useful in this election year and selectors should consider.

Finn, Peter. Choosing Supreme Court Justices. ISBN 9781502671493.
––––. Electing Governors. ISBN 9781502671462.
––––. Electing the President. ISBN 9781502671523.
––––. Electing the Vice President. ISBN 9781502671554.
––––. Electing U.S. House Representatives. ISBN 9781502671431.
––––. Electing U.S. Senators. ISBN 9781502671400.
ea vol: 32p. (The Inside Guide: U.S. Government Leaders). Cavendish Square. Jul. 2024. Tr. $30.21.
Gr 3-6–The focus of these six volumes is the electing of governors, legislators, presidents, and vice presidents as well as the selection of Supreme Court justices. Readers learn that the justices are appointed by the United States president and confirmed by the United States Senate after days of hearings, and states have varying criteria for their governors. The role of primaries in the elections of the legislative and executive branches is related, as is the grueling process of campaigns themselves. Little is communicated on the actual duties of these officials but the election process itself is comprehensively presented. Information is up to date, for example a photograph of the current Supreme Court justices is included. Due to their currency and the fact that it is an election year, these volumes should be of value to social studies curriculums. VERDICT Though little new information is presented, the timeliness of these volumes will make them useful.

Huddleston, Emma. Jobs in the Air Force. ISBN 9798892320368.
––––. Jobs in the Army. ISBN 9798892320351.
––––. Jobs in the Coast Guard. ISBN 9798892320375.
Hughes, Sloane. Jobs in the Marine Corps. ISBN 9798892320382.
––––. Jobs in the Navy. ISBN 9798892320405.
Kuehl, Ashley. Jobs in the National Guard. ISBN 9798892320399.
ea vol: 32p. (Military Careers). Bearport. Aug. 2024. Tr. $20.95.
Gr 4-6–Career paths of members of the armed forces are presented in these simple but factual volumes. Young readers learn that air traffic controllers guide pilots, army intelligence experts gather information, the Coast Guard includes maritime enforcement specialists, and the Marine Corps employ explosive ordnance disposal specialists. Some will be surprised that microbiologists are in the Navy to track infectious diseases. Combat and rescue jobs are also briefly explored. Photographs reflecting the diversity of today’s U.S. military complement the texts. These titles provide introductions to various military jobs and will be considered informative; however, greater detail will be needed by those doing research. The specificity of the content might deter selectors whose limited budgets will attract them to more comprehensive books on the armed forces. VERDICT Though attractive and factual, the narrow content of these titles makes them additional purchases.

Walton, Kathryn. How a Bill Becomes a Law. ISBN 9781978538054.
––––. The President. ISBN 9781978538085.
––––. The U.S. Congress. ISBN 9781978538115.
––––. The U.S. Electoral College. ISBN 9781978538146.
––––. The U.S. Supreme Court. ISBN 9781978538177.
––––. Why We Vote. ISBN 9781978538207.
ea vol: 32p. (U.S. Government in Review). Enslow. Jul. 2024. Tr. $26.93.
Gr 3-6–Employing brief, direct prose, these six volumes provide an overview of the facets of the United States government. Readers learn the process by which laws are passed, the requirements to become a United States president, and the powers of Congress. Also addressed is how the Electoral College elects the president, the duties of the United States Supreme Court, and the reasons and ways people vote. Colorful photographs, which include a recent one of the Supreme Court, accompany the text. Informative, comprehensive, and mostly current, these volumes will be of use during this election year. The only exception is the book on the Electoral College, which contains an outdated map that might confuse some readers. VERDICT These volumes provide suitable introductions to the United States government and will be of use for required election year reports.

Upper Middle School to High School

Olson, Elsie. Cyber Spying. ISBN 9781098293130.
––––. Spy Communication. ISBN 9781098293147.
––––. Spy Evasion. ISBN 9781098293154.
––––. Spy Social Skills. ISBN 9781098293161.
––––. Spy Special Ops. ISBN 9781098293178.
––––. Spy Surveillance. ISBN 9781098293185.
ea vol: 64p. (Spy Guide). ABDO/Abdo & Daughters. Sept. 2024. Tr. $37.07.
Gr 5-9–This series offers a detailed peek into the world of espionage. Readers learn how cyber security is needed to prevent government sites from being hacked, how spies communicate with their handlers, and of how different surveillance methods such as drones and bugs are employed. Some history of spying is also related; Mata Hari employed her charm and sexuality to spy on the French and Germans during World War I, World War II spy Nancy Wake was able to elude the Nazis, and Navy SEALs used intelligence to take down Osama Bin Laden. Photographs complement the texts. The narratives are detailed and make for interesting reading; history buffs will enjoy how wars were influenced by spies who were able to pass on intelligence and those interested in technology will appreciate mentions of modern spy weapons like drones. VERDICT Interesting facts combined with a readable presentation will make these volumes appreciated by browsers and report writers alike.

Report writers will benefit from “Inside U.S. Elections” (Cherry Lake), “The Inside Guide: U.S. Government Leaders” (Cavendish Square), and “U.S. Government in Review” (Enslow), which focus on government officials and the election process. Those interested in the military will appreciate “Amazing Military Machines” (Enslow), “Armed Forces of the U.S.” (Bellwether/Torque), and “Daily Life in the U.S. Military” (Capstone/Pebble). Some readers will simply enjoy “Spy Guide” (ABDO/Abdo & Daughters) for the interesting content.