LDS Authors Giveaway Hop and What Would The Founding Father's Think? by David Bowman

Welcome to the LDS Authors Giveaway Hop

                 Featuring Books Written by LDS Authors


                      Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer 

and  The Book Bug

                                  May 11th to 17th 2012



I am so excited to participate in this Giveaway Hop! I am also thrilled to be reviewing and giving away three copies, yes that's right, three copies of What Would The Founding Father's Think? by David Bowman. He is the author and illustrator of this great new book about America and teaching our kids/teens about why and how America is such a wonderful place to live. You know David's work; he is the author of the "Who's Your Hero" books. Make sure to enter the drawing, but also read about the book and read the author interview down below. This is  a book that you will want to have in your home if you care anything about the direction that our country is heading right now.

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Product Details:

•  Title: What Would The Founding Fathers Think?
• Author: David Bowman
  
• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Cedar Fort, Inc. (May 8, 2012)
• Genre: Non-Fiction
• ISBN-10: 1462110614
• ISBN-13: 978-1462110612

Book Description:

Publication Date: May 8, 2012

History, politics, government---they're not just for grown-ups anymore. Today's teens are about to be handed a collapsing nation and it'll be their job to fix it. Enter David Bowman. With wit, humor, and the occasional serious note, he skillfully illustrates America's biggest problems and presents an interactive guide to understanding them that's so much fun adults will want to read it too!

My Review:

First off, I read this book from the perspective of a Mom and an educator. If I wanted to make this review short I would say, I LOVED this book! The author, David Bowman, has explained so clearly how the process of government should be run, according to the USA's constitution. There will be things in this book that even adults will learn because of how well things are described. The information is given from the "mouths" of Benjamin Franklin, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. They travel in a time machine to our time, where they talk to our youth,eat pizza, and discover their pictures on today's currency. The humor is abound, though the words written and the message given are important and serious. 

The three main things the book centers on are:

Three facts that every YOUNG American needs to realize...
1) The United States of America was & is the greatest nation on Earth.
2) Today, the United States of America is in serious trouble.
3) You will inherit the USA—and its problems—in just a few short years.

Another to thing to add is that the illustrations are funny and numerous. Many of the facts taught in this book are by using pictures. I honestly don't think that you will hear from your children that this book is boring.In fact, it will be the opposite! They will be taught while being entertained. Why should you have your tweens and teens read this book? They need to be enlightened about the changes that are happening in our country. I feel it is important that they realize why protecting the United States Constitution is vital to our country's continued success. I liked this quote from the book:

"My young Americans, that’s how it works. It takes one person to stand up and do something for positive change to happen. You can’t just wait around for someone else to do it. And when you stand boldly for truth . . . dozens, hundreds, thousands, millions will follow.

 I love my country!! I want it to be the same wonderful country for my children and grandchildren that it has been for me.This book is one that you will want in your home if you want to help keep our country a strong and safe place for future generations.

Here is my interview with David Bowman:

1.I loved this book! I know other people will see how incredibly important it is, right now in teaching our children about the Constitution. What was your motivation behind writing it? I think, we as a nation, at large, have taken for granted what makes the United States of America the greatest nation on earth.   American’s greatness lies within the principles it was founded upon.  Period.  Principles of freedom, liberty, virtue, self-government.  That is America. Now, that being said, there is a huge need for effective, engaging materials that teach YOUNG Americans what their country is truly all about.  There is so little out there for their age group…  and it is so needed right now.  I mean, kids don’t just somehow innately acquire this knowledge…they need to be taught the principles of liberty… long before they reach voting age.  2.How long did it take you to write the book? How much research did you do to get all of the information you needed?  It’s been a few years since I first came up with the idea.  Over that time it has evolved into the book it is today.  I did do a lot of research, with my first book reference of choice being “The 5000 Year Leap” by Cleon Skousen (a book I highly recommend, by the way).  The real trick was to somehow synthesize all the mountains of information (on the topic of our Nation’s Founding, government, politics, etc.) into a simple, concise visual that will stick in the young reader’s mind.  As a result, I came up with two pyramids to represent the Founders intentions for this nation BACK THEN… VS. What is happening in this nation TODAY.  (You can go to my blog www.davidbowmanonline.com to see those two pyramids. 3.I love history and reading about it. I get the feeling that you do to. Any thoughts?  Yea, we’re in the same boat on that J  History is so interesting to me.  What makes it especially intriguing is when we are able to look back on it, learn from it, and then make relevant applications from history to our modern day issues and circumstances.  That is especially the case with this nation’s founding.  4.You featured Benjamin Franklin, George Washington and Thomas Jefferson in the book. Do you have an all time favorite our of these three American heroes and why?  Well, the third character in my book was actually James Madison J… and he is definitely a hero!  Lesser known than Washington and Franklin, we still owe the creation of our constitution (and this nation really) largely to his efforts.  Without James, there would have been no Constitutional Convention.  He initiated that!  And he was only in his mid-thirties at the time… young, short, sickly.. but man, did he step up to the plate when it mattered.  That’s why he’s often revered as the Father of the Constitution.  5.Do you have any follow up books about government in the planning stages?  I have a few ideas in mind, but nothing I would consider in planning stages yet.  I just hope and pray for the success of this book, so as to make it possible to have sequels 6.When is your favorite time to write?  In the quiet of the evening, around a cozy fireplace, with just my laptop and warm cup of cocoa J  Okay, I was being facetious there.  With a family of four kids, 8 and under??  My favorite time to write is whenever I have the chance.    7.What other talents/hobbies do you have?  Well, in addition to writing AND illustrating all my books, I also have a fine art series I have created titled “Expressions of Christ” (feel free to check it out at www.bowman-art.com).  So I enjoy both --- fun, cartoony drawings and more spiritual, realistic art.  I also love teaching and speak to  youth groups around the nation in various capacities.  Oh, and I love golf, camping, and performing.  I actually had the chance to be Gaston in a production of Beauty and the Beast… but that’s another story J Thanks so much David!!  Thank YOU so much, Sheila David Bowman Bowman Art www.bowman-art.com    www.followfoundingfathers.com --- the official landing page where they can get all the links to buy the book www.davidbowmanonline.com --- my author blog page that is totally new http://www.facebook.com/DavidBowmanAuthor--- my facebook page