The capitol A meet the nation's capitol book

Gr 1--3--Fact-packed and populated with scenes of people who represent wide-ranging ethnicities, skin colors, and skills, this book is a good choice for children who have been hearing about headlines concerning the Capitol for over a year. They will uncover history about the three branches of government, the interiors of the Rotunda, who works there, the men and women of the Senate, and why it's so important. What prevents this book from being exemplary nonfiction is a silly find-the-cat subplot and the planting of fictional school children among the representatives and scenes that are just too real to trivialize with make-believe. Also missing: varied body types, varied heights among the adults, wheelchairs, crutches, canes, sign language, hearing aids, or anything to indicate that the people at the Capitol truly represent an actual sample of a real-life population. Back matter includes a glossary, notable facts, and resources. VERDICT A missed opportunity for a grand tour, but a starting point for some children.--Kimberly Olson Fakih

An introduction to the U.S. Capitol and all the people who work there. Well, not all--but interspersed with glimpses of the public halls and chambers, Ward lines up gallery after gallery of tiny, individualized, racially diverse people. Each of the dozens of figures, from vice president to speaker of the house, sergeant at arms to plumber, comes with a job title; for some, brief explanations of their duties are provided. A plotline involving three brown-skinned children (whose parents work at the Capitol as a mason, a U.S. senator, and a tour guide) pursuing an elusive kitty provides a pretext for the tour and is linked in the backmatter to a note about a ghostly cat long said to haunt the building. A list of additional facts at the end supplements those scattered throughout, and the author invites young viewers to take closer looks at the carefully drawn scenes to spot the cat and other features, such as the compass stone on the floor of the Crypt. Readers tantalized by the much quicker tour in Lynn Curlee's Capital (2003) will pore over this series opener. (This book was reviewed digitally.) An informative guide for future young visitors as well as armchair tourists. (search & find, sources, glossary) (Informational picture book. 7-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.