Gr. 7-10.
Books in the American Rights series look at rights guaranteed to U.S. citizens by the Bill of Rights. Although the Freedom of Religion clause makes its point in only 16 words, it has generated millions beyond that in discussion. This solid, readable volume walks readers through the part religion played in the formation of the colonies and looks at how faith informed the people's lives and the tensions among various religions. Head gives background on the First Amendment and then moves on to specific cases about religion in the U.S., including references to the Scopes trial and school prayer. Final chapters consider the politics of faith and the future of religious freedom. Although the complexity of the topic results in some dense writing, Head does a good job of presenting his information in an understandable manner, despite the complexity of the topic. Good-size print and frequent headings promote easy reading, and the appended material, which includes bibliographies and excerpts from documents by individuals such as Thomas Jefferson, is particularly helpful. The black-and-white photographs are dull in quality but interesting in content. Ilene Cooper
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