September 17th is Constitution Day. This date marks an extremely historical event in American History. On this day in 1787, only three months after the first draft of the Constitution was created, a final version was signed by thirty-nine delegates in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Even though it was signed on this date, it wasn’t approved by nine states (the requirement to make it law), until the following year.

I spent a small portion of my time on Sunday reading the Constitution of the United States of America. When was the last time you took a look at this significant document? Unfortunately, most of us just take it for granted.

In 2004, Constitution Day became a federal holiday and you can read more about it here or The National Constitution Center Homepage has a lot of information. In addition, you may like these activities, lesson plans, and Constitution facts. Hopefully you will also find this short roundup of Constitution Day books helpful. It is listed in no particular order, but it does contain affiliate links.

You may also be interested in these books about 9/11, these fire safety books, or these Veterans’ Day books.

Constitution Day Books

No list about the Constitution would be complete without the Constitution itself. So, Here is the Constitution of the United States. As many of you know, it was given some wiggle room for change and currently contains 27 amendments. The first ten amendments are known as the Bill of Rights. Here are the remaining amendments. I read ALL of this in one afternoon! Two wonderful and beautiful things about the Constitution is that it has survived a relatively long time in terms of documents like constitutions, and…it’s concise! You may also be interested in reading the Articles of Confederation, which were in place for eleven years prior to 1787. Okay, now on to the rest!

Documenting U.S. History: The United States Constitution by Liz Sonneborn

This is the most current book on this list. It covers everything from the history prior to the summer of 1787, including the colonies, the Revolutionary War, the desire for a centralized government, and the realization of how weak that government was. A large section in the middle of the book breaks down each step taken during the Constitutional Convention. The later part of this book looks into the Constitution itself, the Bill of Rights, and the other amendments. There are many pages devoted to informing readers about historical sources and saving archives. There are timelines, a glossary of terms, and a short list of books and websites that could teach readers even more.

A True Book: The Constitution of the United States by Christine Taylor-Butler

I won’t waste your time by re-typing everything I wrote above, so let me just say that this book covers everything that the previous book covers. In addition, there are some info pages and spreads throughout the short and young-reader-friendly chapters. There is also a glossary and a short list of websites and places to visit in person to learn more. Readers may also enjoy the invite to search for the truth through a small scavenger hunt at the beginning of the book.

Celebrations in My World: Constitution Day by Molly Aloian

This book is all about the holiday! It educates readers on why Constitution Day exists, the history behind the holiday, and who can celebrate it. (Everyone!) There are six suggestions that readers can actually DO to celebrate Constitution Day. There is also information about why they should be learning about the Constitution in school, and finally…there’s a glossary in this book as well. Of all the books on this list, I think this is the easiest read.

We the People: The Constitution of the United States of America by Peter Spier

When I opened this book to the first page, it was a bit daunting. I thought to myself, “This book will be five times the length of the Constitution!” However, I was mistaken. The first four pages are packed with historical information, but the mid-section of the book is covered in illustrations for the Preamble of the Constitution. There are more pictures than you could possibly be imagining as you read this, combining modern times with historical…threading the times with the words. After the preamble, the actual Constitution of the United States follows in it’s entirety.

Do you think it is important to set aside one day each year to honor the U.S. Constitution?