I think most kids think about what it would be like to run their own country from time to time, and How to Build Your Own Country by Valerie Wyatt helps kids to do just that, whether their nation is their bedroom, backyard or even a corner of the Internet.
The best part? It only takes three simple steps!
First, you stake out your identity, including your country’s name, flag and other national symbols. You’ll learn how to attract a population, design a passport and make a Mad Libs-style national anthem.
Second, run your country by choosing the style of government (some of the choices are described in the book), holding elections, writing a constitution and making laws. It covers the services your citizens might expect from your government and why taxation is a popular way to make provide services.
Finally, you’ll meet the neighbors with some facts about nations (biggest and smallest, oldest and newest, etc.), different organizations of nations you can join and how to keep the peace in your nation.
Funny stories and cautionary tales are sprinkled in about tiny nations from around the world, voting mishaps, ridiculous laws and more. There’s a fact file for the fictional nation of Bathmatia, which you can use to develop your own information about your imagined nation.
This would be a fun book to read in class or at home and have kids develop their own nations, whether they imagine an undiscovered island to be their kingdom or start a new nation in the bedroom. Great for social studies classes or patriotic unit studies around national holidays.
Along the way kids will learn about the basic systems of government and the basics of what it takes to run a country.
About the book: 40 pages, paperback, published 2024 by Kids Can Press, suggested retail price $11.99.
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