We the Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States.

• Author: Siara, Lyndsey E.

We the Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States

By David Catrow

Lawyer Parents--this book review is for you! Explaining to kids the law, or what we do as lawyers, can be tough. If you're looking for books to start the conversation, give this one a try. With illustrations and a foreword by David Catrow, We the Kids: The Preamble to the Constitution of the United States presents the 52 words that are the foundation of our system of law.

We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

These words capture the purpose for the succeeding Constitution and the laws by which we live, encompassing big ideals like freedom, justice, peace, safety, and happiness. But the typical question that follows, as Catrow points out in his foreword, is "what does all this mean?" Targeting its juvenile audience, We the Kids starts with a kid-friendly glossary, explaining the words of the preamble--helpful for adults alike! Take the phrase "promote the general welfare"--in kid-friendly terms, that means "to help make life good for everybody." Utilizing only the words of the Preamble alongside visually intriguing illustrations, Catrow provides space for parental probing of juvenile minds. What do you think this picture means in relation to the words on the page? The...