Fault Lines in the Constitution

A noted children's nonfiction author and one of the nation's foremost constitutional scholars team up to create an essential book on the United States Constitution for everyone grappling with today's most urgent political issues.

Many of the political issues we struggle with today have their roots in one place—the U.S. Constitution. Fault Lines in the Constitution takes readers back to the creation of this historic document and reveals how many of the problems that trouble us today—such as voting rights, the Electoral College, gerrymandering—were first introduced. Cynthia and Sanford Levinson explain the unexpected ramifications of decisions make in 1787 and explore possible solutions found in the constitutions of states and other countries.

Each chapter begins with a story―all but one of them true―that connects directly back to a section of the document that forms the basis of our society and government. Informative sidebars and graphics run throughout along with a timeline and bibliography.

A former teacher and educational policy consultant and researcher, Cynthia Levinson is the author of numerous award-winning nonfiction books about social justice for young readers,. She holds degrees from Wellesley College and Harvard University and also attended the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs. She divides her time between Austin, Texas, and Boston, Massachusetts.

Sanford Levinson is an American legal scholar and a professor at the University of Texas Law School. He holds degrees from Duke, Stanford, and Harvard universities and is the author of several books for adults on the Constitution. He also writes frequently for a variety of newspapers, magazines, and blogs. He divides his time between Austin, Texas, and Boston, Massachusetts.