Kids Are Americans Too by Bill O'reilly, Charles Flowers Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Kids Are Americans Too
Book Review: Good Introduction to Rights and Responsibilities
Summary: 4 Stars
While I do not often agree with Bill O'Reilly, I found this book to be a good quick read on the rights and responsibilities of young people in today's society. O'Reilly does a good job of explaining why rights are not absolute and how the Constitution applies to every day situations.
Tossed in for good measure are examples of issues that affect kids and he asks them to think about how they would bring the issue to a conclusion, forcing the reader to try to figure out a solution themselves. In addition, a side benefit is proving that there is no "right" answer to many of these problems.
Finally, a third theme of the book is negotiation and compromise. I think that may be the most important lesson of all. He tells kids, in very clear terms, that court is a last resort for disputes and it is much better to work with another party than to fight them.
I was impressed that he stayed away from ideology (for the most part) and kept the vast majority of the book to facts. When his opinion was injected, he was sure to label it as such, and in most instances explain that it was only his opinion...not necessarily the answer.
My one disappointment with the book was its short length and it's "under" writing to the youth he claims it is for. The writing is rather simplistic and, while he claims this is for "smarter" kids in middle and high school, I think it would be better suited for kids in upper elementary and middle school. As a test, I gave to book to my 16 year old daughter, who read about 30 pages, and then gave it back with a note attached telling me that she learned most of this in 3rd or 4th grade.
I recommend this book, but be careful about the age of the reader. Most teens (with a brain) over the age of 12 will be insulted by this book. If kept to the proper age range, however, this could be a good learning tool.
Book Review: No-Spin Zone, for kids
Summary: 4 Stars
You can say a lot about Bill, both good and bad, but Bill does make you think. This book is no different for kids. I applaud his venture into the no-spin zone aimed at kids. If we can get our children to understand the American culture from Bill's point of view, it gives them a different perspective from what they normally hear on TV. Let them hear all sides and come to their own conclusions. Knowledge is empowering and enlightening, no matter what side it comes from. Another book I would recommend for a much younger crowd is Ladybug Baby Bug, by Janice and Mark Perkins. 20% of it's profits goes to the Mid-Ohio Food Bank (America's Second Harvest). Book Review: Interesting read
Summary: 4 Stars
I liked the book an due to the overwhelming idiotic rants that people pass as objective review (I'm willing to bet most didn't even read the book) I am going to buy 10 copies and give them as gifts. Maybe I'll send a copy to Chris Dodd and the uber dolt Keith Olbermann on MSNBC. Book Review: Light, Quick Read About Very Basic American Trivia
Summary: 3 Stars
I really do not know what kid in America would actually want this book either as a present or as a personal buy.
Last time I checked kids knew they are Americans, and had the ability to review their school notes and catch up on the Bill of Rights and other American facts.
If you really have a itch to buy your child a O'Reilly book, then go with his previous one. Because this new book is way too short to warrant a purchase, you could read it n less time than it takes to watch his own show.
My advice: take the time to listen and talk to your own children, or see to it that they spend time around good people and doing things like sports and clubs, then giving them a book written by a right-wing conservative media person. Your child will thank you, and most kids would consider it a graceless to give them this book.
Book Review: Bizarre And Jumbled.
Summary: 1 Stars
"Kids Are Americans Too" is yet another strange attempt by Fox News pundit Bill O'Reilly at writing a children's book. Remember the last one where even adults didn't quite understand what he was talking about? Not to worry, Bill took some time on the air shortly before this one came out to warn parents that his latest outing is meant specifically for "bright kids." The irony is that truly bright children will probably toss this aside and crack open "Harry Potter."
Bill O'Reilly is a truly strange man, not least because he's the type of guy who walks into a Harlem restaurant and is astounded at how civil black people are when they go out dining, and this is a particularly strange book. "Kids Are Americans Too" plays like a right-wing civics lesson mixed with good ol' fashion American values where Billo warns the reader about the dangers posed by gays and runaway judges. There are even strange "quizzes" for the kiddies about constitutional rights and how judges are lately abusing and bending them for the aims of those evil liberals. Bill even throws in some charming little yarns about his boyhood and getting spanked.
The main flaw here is that the book plays like some strange form of conservative indoctrination manuel, or at least an attempt at trying to convert children over to "T-Warrior" status (one of Bill's weird little terms). The problem is Bill needs to learn how to at least structure a children's book, most of the information is muddled and unclear, drafted in a way the average 12-year old will simply just not know what the heck Bill is talking about. His chapters on judges for example, come across as a highly detailed mess where Bill assumes the reader is already knowledgeable on the workings of government and domestic policy.
The material in general is very weak and hollow, sometimes reduced to peculiar rants against the ACLU, an organization I doubt the average 8th grader cares about or even knows exists. Even the included "quizzes" are vailed swipes at organizations Bill hates. There are curious passages where O'Reilly seems to be trying to convince kids that we need to go back to 1950s values and rants about "back in the day." In other words, no form of progress is promoted, just basic regression into past norms that are simply...gone.
In the end "Kids Are Americans Too" is not very accessible because it is obviously crafted for parents who are already big Bill fans and are already injecting these ideas into their childrens' minds. The average reader will get nothing of value in this book because it targets one specific group. "Lefties," "libs," or whatever other group O'Reilly fans want to lynch have no say or defense in this book because it was never meant for everyone, just for the Culture Warrior cult that watches "The O'Reilly Factor" weekday nights so Bill can give assurances that nothing's wrong in America, it's those crazy liberals. "Kids Are Americans Too" has a short range of coverage and no doubt a short shelf life.