Frank Carlson Library

Using witty anecdotes and clear explanations, the author takes readers from the birth of democracy to the electoral college; from front porch campaigning to hanging chads.

"Many people attempted daring escapes over the Berlin Wall, and most failed, giving their lives for the hope of freedom. This is the true story of one child, Peter Wetzel, and his family's daring escape from East Berlin to West Berlin via handmade hot air balloon in 1979"--

"To make change, you have to make trouble. Cecile Richards has been fighting for what she believes in ever since she was taken to the principal's office in seventh grade for wearing an armband in protest of the Vietnam War. She had an extraordinary childhood in ultra-conservative Texas, where her father, a civil rights attorney, and her mother, an avid activist and the first female governor of Texas, taught their kids to be troublemakers. From the...

When he was a young boy, John Fitzgerald Kennedy wondered about what happened in the world. He wanted to change the world when he grew up, and he did just that! --Publisher.

More than any other, one song traces America's history of patriotism and protest. Everyone knows the words to "My Country, 'Tis of Thee." What most don't realize is that this iconic song has been a beacon of change for hundreds of years. Generations of protesters and civil rights pioneers have created new lyrics, beginning in royalist Britain and continuing through conflicts in colonial times, the American Revolution, the suffragist and labor movements,...

"Right or left. Blue or red. Donkeys or elephants. What are political parties all about? Readers learn all about the different politcal parties in America and how they play a part in our elections"--

Focuses on the lives of presidents as parents, husbands, pet-owners, and neighbors while also including humorous anecdotes about hairstyles, attitudes, diets, fears, and sleep patterns.

"Diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth, Jennifer Keelan grew up battling-and overcoming-the limitations others set for her. From a lack of cutaway curbs and bus lifts to being denied enrollment at her neighborhood school, Jennifer was continually blocked from living the life she wanted. But after discovering the world of disability rights activism, she knew she had to use her voice to change things. When Jennifer was just eight years old, she participated...

Gridlock! Gerrymandering! The Electoral college! How did our government get so complicated? As it turns out, many of the issues we struggle with today have their roots in the creation of the United States Constitution. Husband-and-wife team Cynthis Levinson and Sanford Levinson take us back to the beginnings of this document and show how these fault lines were first introduced - and how their unintended consequences continue to affect us today. The...