Overview

We all know what a politician looks like, right? They're old people who wear suits and make long, boring speeches full of indecipherable words. Not so fast! As The Art of the Possible explains, everyone is a politician - even young people who aren't yet eligible to vote. We all have influence over how politics function. But what are politics, and why do we need them? This book answers the universal query in nine short chapters that explain everything from why we form societies and the basic types of governments to the power of public opinion, methods of rhetoric, and the reasons why politicians ""lie."" Written in an accessible, conversational voice and packed with anecdotes and case studies from across history and around the world, this book helps foster independent thought and curiosity about how a government works - or doesn't work. Readers will come away equipped with the knowledge they need to understand current events and elections, and maybe even be empowered to civic action themselves. Informational text features: table of contents, chapters, diagrams, sidebars, in-text definitions of key terms, glossary, index, and sources. AGES: 10 to 14 AUTHOR: Edward Keenan is a writer, talk radio host, youth baseball and hockey coach, and father of three children who lives and works in Toronto, Ontario. He is the city columnist at the Toronto Star where he covers people and politics, and has previously worked as a senior editor at The Grid and Eye Weekly, and as a blogger for The Walrus. His first book, Some Great Idea, a study of the political history of Toronto, was published by Coach House Books in 2013. Julie McLaughlin is a freelance illustrator whose clients include Harper Collins, Scholastic, Random House, and more. Her work has been nominated for several awards including the Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children's Non-Fiction, which she won for Why We Live Where We Live (Owlkids Books) by Kira Vermond in 2015. She is based in Victoria, BC.

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9781771474139

Table of Contents

Reviews

An OLA Best Bet An excellent and indispensable resource. --Canadian Children's Book News A highly accessible introduction to politics...a useful addition to most collections. --School Library Journal Thanks to accessible content that will resonate with most students...this logical, relevant approach, combined with realistic suggestions on how to get involved, makes for an engaging alternative to standardized texts and might just spark some political careers. --Booklist An optimistically presented introduction to politics. -- Kirkus Reviews A demystifying resource that encourages readers to take interest and take action. --Publisher's Weekly Informative and insightful. --Waterloo Region Record Easy to take to heart, and has the potential to change the way young people see their world. --Quill & Quire, STARRED REVIEW Succeeds in conveying a topic often not covered at this grade level...a necessary book. Recommended. --School Library Connection Easy to understand...examples are very concrete. An ideal entry point for youth...may even serve as inspiration for anyone looking to become more involved. --Resource Links A great addition to a school curriculum's study of government. --The Calgary Herald The readability, practical examples and illustrations...present this important material in an appealing format for the target audience. Recommended. --Canadian Review of Materials

An OLA Best Bet An excellent and indispensable resource. --Canadian Children's Book News A highly accessible introduction to politics...a useful addition to most collections. --School Library Journal Thanks to accessible content that will resonate with most students...this logical, relevant approach, combined with realistic suggestions on how to get involved, makes for an engaging alternative to standardized texts and might just spark some political careers. --Booklist An optimistically presented introduction to politics. -- Kirkus Reviews A demystifying resource that encourages readers to take interest and take action. --Publisher's Weekly Informative and insightful. --Waterloo Region Record Easy to take to heart, and has the potential to change the way young people see their world. --Quill & Quire, STARRED REVIEW Succeeds in conveying a topic often not covered at this grade level...a necessary book. Recommended. --School Library Connection Easy to understand...examples are very concrete. An ideal entry point for youth...may even serve as inspiration for anyone looking to become more involved. --Resource Links A great addition to a school curriculum's study of government. --The Calgary Herald The readability, practical examples and illustrations...present this important material in an appealing format for the target audience. Recommended. --Canadian Review of Materials

An OLA Best Bet An excellent and indispensable resource. --Canadian Children's Book News A highly accessible introduction to politics...a useful addition to most collections. --School Library Journal Thanks to accessible content that will resonate with most students...this logical, relevant approach, combined with realistic suggestions on how to get involved, makes for an engaging alternative to standardized texts and might just spark some political careers. --Booklist An optimistically presented introduction to politics. -- Kirkus Reviews A demystifying resource that encourages readers to take interest and take action. --Publisher's Weekly Informative and insightful. --Waterloo Region Record Easy to take to heart, and has the potential to change the way young people see their world. --Quill & Quire, STARRED REVIEW Succeeds in conveying a topic often not covered at this grade level...a necessary book. Recommended. --School Library Connection Easy to understand...examples are very concrete. An ideal entry point for youth...may even serve as inspiration for anyone looking to become more involved. --Resource Links A great addition to a school curriculum's study of government. --The Calgary Herald The readability, practical examples and illustrations...present this important material in an appealing format for the target audience. Recommended. --Canadian Review of Materials

Author Information

Edward Keenan is a writer working in Toronto. An eight-time National Magazine Award finalist, he was a Senior Editor for Eye Weekly and The Grid, and is now a city politics columnist for the Toronto Star. His first book, Some Great Idea, a study of the political history of Toronto, was published by Coach House Books in 2013. He hosts ""The Keenan Wire Radio Program"" weekly on CIUT 89.5 FM. Julie Mclaughlin is a Vancouver-based illustrator whose clients include the National Post, FFWD, Exclaim!, AirBnB, and numerous advertising agencies. She is the illustrator of Why We Live Where We Live.

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