He brought so much humor and energy to the story, and he also brought a practical vision.

Shawn is a brilliant and versatile artist, and he enhanced the text by providing a parallel narrative in his art. Shawn Harris’s illustrations amplify the text and play a key role in the storytelling-why do you think his visual approach works so well? As I say in the book, “A citizen is not what you are.

Being entrusted with responsibility gives kids a sense of purpose and self-fulfillment, and that is integral to being part of a society. You might be only six or eight, but you can help a librarian who needs a plant watered, or you can do small tasks for your parents or teacher. Even the smallest acts can make a difference. The book’s text and art show kids working together to improve their world in an accessible way-and I hope it will encourage kids to not only think about what they can do for others and their world-but to act. How does What Can a Citizen Do? deliver that message effectively?

Even the very youngest readers can-and should-be thinking about what it means to be a citizen, and what the powers and responsibilities of citizenship are. For the most part, schools in our country do not teach civics or citizenship until high school. I’ve always been obsessed with the idea of civics, and it has become increasingly evident in our democracy that we could use more learning in this area. What inspired you to write a book about the importance of citizenship for picture book readers?

What Can a Citizen Do? by Dave Eggers