What Can a Citizen Do?
What’s inside...
What Can a Citizen Do? is a book by Dave Eggers that encourages young readers to take an active role in their communities and make a positive difference in the world. The book highlights various ways that kids can get involved, such as volunteering, participating in local politics, and advocating for causes they care about. It also emphasizes the importance of working together and building a strong community. The author, Dave Eggers, is a well-known writer and activist who has authored several other books for children and adults. The book conveys the message that citizens are not born but are made through active participation and engagement in community activities. Across the course of several seemingly unrelated but ultimately connected actions by different children, we watch how kids turn a lonely island into a community—and watch a journey from what the world should be to what the world could be.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
5-8
Length
46 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What do you think being a good citizen means?
Can you think of ways you can help in our community, just like the characters in the book?
Why is it important for citizens to work together?
How did the characters show kindness and why is kindness important in a community?
What actions in the book can we try to do as a family to be better citizens?
Tip: Role play these questions
Start the conversation by sharing your own thoughts on citizenship and ask your child to share theirs. Highlight that being a citizen isn't just about location but involves action and responsibility. Relate the actions of the characters in the book to real-life situations that your child might encounter, fostering a deeper connection to the text. Encourage them to think about small daily actions they witness or can perform that benefit their community. After discussing, consider planning a small community-oriented activity, like picking up litter or making cards for a local nursing home, to put the book's themes into action.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Understanding Civic Responsibility
Explanation: This book explores the concept of civic duty through engaging illustrations and simple yet effective prose, teaching children that being a citizen involves active participation in the community.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this lesson by getting involved in local community activities, such as cleaning up parks or participating in community-help programs.
Example Lesson: Empathy and Collaboration
Explanation: The story illustrates the importance of working together and helping others, highlighting how collective efforts can lead to positive changes.
Real-World Application: Kids can practice empathy and teamwork by collaborating with peers on group projects at school or by sharing and playing cooperatively.
Example Lesson: Environmental Stewardship
Explanation: It emphasizes the role of citizens in protecting the environment, showing children how taking care of their surroundings is a part of good citizenship.
Real-World Application: Children can be encouraged to recycle, conserve water, and turn off lights when not in use to practice environmental stewardship in their daily lives.
Example Lesson: The Power of Voice
Explanation: The book conveys that every citizen, no matter how small, has a voice that can influence change, inspiring children to express their thoughts and opinions.
Real-World Application: This can be encouraged in daily life by allowing children to make choices and encouraging them to express their opinions during family discussions.