House Mouse and Senate Mouse by Cheryl Shaw Barnes and Peter Barnes offers a surprisingly accessible explanation for just exactly what happens when our legislators head to Washington, D.C.

The rhyming text is charming, if extremely elementary, and the story is cute. My daughters enjoyed hearing about the third-grade class that drafts a letter  to their legislator that the country should have a national cheese. With such endearing mouse-isms as “Squeaker of the House” and “Mousejority Leader,” this book is childish enough to keep the attention of a preschooler, even as it illuminates the  path that a bill follows to becoming a law.

The book clearly demonstrates how the bill moves from the idea in the mind of a citizen to their elected representative and on to a snarl of committees on Capital Hill. Of course, in this lovely children’s tale, the bitter disagreements are ultimately worked out to the satisfaction of all, and no major media organization is featured to show how even consensus can be painted as vitriol with a few skewed soundbites.

House Mouse and Senate Mouse is a great book to partner with a letter to your own congressional leaders about an issue dear to your child’s heart, and it is perfect for setting a patriotic stage for the fourth of July.

Tags: Children's Books

About Sarah

Sarah Aadland is striving to make family volunteering a meaningful habit for her family of five. Join the conversation as she ponders what they may (or may not have) learned and looks for helpful information about raising compassionate kids.Though she plans to one day put her Masters in Public Policy back to work for social justice, she sees family volunteering as a way to build a stronger community, a better world, and a more connected family. In addition to her children, Sarah tends a large garden, a small flock of chickens, and a habit of mindfulness amid the necessary rituals of parenting.

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