What's The Big Deal About

From the Constitution to abolition, from voting to civil rights, this chapter book for civic-minded young readers filled with fun facts and historical trivia shows how America got the nickname "land of the free." A perfect way to start a conversation about American freedoms with young readers.

It's a "free country"! Why? Because in America we're free to speak our minds, choose our leaders, and set the rules. Since way back when Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, Americans have stood up for freedom again and again--but it wasn't always easy!

Did you know that Henry "Box" Brown escaped slavery by shipping himself north in a box? Or that Susan B. Anthony was arrested when she tried to vote? Did you know that even young kids protested for the right to go to school?

This entertaining, fact-filled book, perfect for fans of the Who Was series, is a great way to talk about America, its values, and the rights we all enjoy. It celebrates how, with every generation, more and more Americans won the right to be free. Find out how they did it and why standing up for the "land of the free" is such a big deal!

With full-color illustrations throughout and a timeline of American history and additional reading resources at the end, this book is a perfect introduction to the meaning of freedom in America.Praise for What's the Big Deal About Freedom:

"Bolstering the upbeat tone of the writing while emphasizing the racial and religious diversity of Americans, the lively watercolor-and-pencil illustrations are consistently engaging and occasionally endearing. A hopeful, idealistic portrayal of freedom in America." --Booklist

"An effective place for children to begin learning about the concept of freedom." --School Library JournalRuby Shamir (www.rubyshamir.com) worked at the White House for three and a half years, two of which she served in the First Lady’s office, and she also led Hillary Rodham Clinton’s New York Senate office. Now she works as a writer and literary researcher in the Bronx, New York, where she lives with her husband and three children. She is also the author of What's the Big Deal about First Ladies. Follow Ruby on Twitter @ruby_shamir.

Matt Faulkner (www.mattfaulkner.com) is an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator with forty books to his credit. He is married to author and children’s librarian Kris Remenar, and they live with their two children and two cats in the lower right-hand corner of Michigan. Follow Matt on Twitter @mattfaulkner1.LAND OF THE FREE

You know that feeling you get when you can finally unbuckle your seat belt after a long trip in a cramped car? Or when the bell rings on the last day of school before summer vacation? Or when you see a wide open field that you can run through without worrying about traffic or cars? That’s freedom.

There are lots of ways to be free in America. Here, you’re free to dress the way you want, speak your mind, and choose the people you want to be friends with. There are also freedoms we enjoy all together as a country, like the freedom to decide on the rules and choose who’s in charge.

In a big country with lots of different people, freedom doesn’t mean you can do anything you want all the time. It’s a free country, all right, but you aren’t free to hurt people or steal their stuff or damage things that aren’t yours. That means that the right to freedom comes with certain responsibilities—to take care of each other, treat people fairly, and make sure that everyone else can live in safety and enjoy their freedom too.

When we celebrate freedom in America we usually do it on July 4th—America’s birthday. What happened on that day? How did it shape the future of freedom in America? What’s the big deal about freedom, anyway?