We're in the final stretch of election season, and everywhere we turn, from social media to the television to the radio, we hear about the candidates running for various offices. Let's teach our students how it is critically important to be well-informed on issues and candidates and equally critical for citizens to get out and vote on Election Day (November 8 this year). Whether you are looking for entertaining picture books to read aloud, chapter books for students to read and discuss in small groups, or informational books to explain the facts about the election process and the history of presidential elections in the United States, I've compiled a list of "election-themed" reads for you to explore.
*Vote* for your favorite election-themed book in the comments below.
Happy reading!
Chapter Books
The Kid Who Ran for President by Dan Gutman
"Hi! My name is Judson Moon. I'm twelve years old and I'm running for President of the YOU-nited States." That's how I introduced myself to about a zillion people. I must have kissed a zillion babies, said a zillion hellos, shaken a zillion hands . . . Will I get a zillion votes? The answer might surprise you. Can you picture a kid as President? Imagine what we can accomplish -- together -- in a country where parents listen. Where teachers give no homework. Where every lawmaker obeys a single kid -- me! How am I going to pull this off? Who knows!
The Election-Day Disaster (Capital Mysteries #10) by Ron Roy
KC and her best friend, Marshall, wake up to a trick not a treat the morning after the White House Halloween costume party. With the presidential election only a week away, someone has posted damaging photos of the president on the Internet, photos that were digitally doctored! Will they ruin President Thornton's chances for a second term? Or can KC and Marshall rescue the election?
Bad Kitty for President by Nick BruelIt's time to elect a new president of the Neighborhood Cat Club! Who will win the election? The candidate chosen by the kitties on the right side of the street or the candidate chosen by the kitties on the left side of the street? When election time rolls around, one candidate (guess who?) will discover that she never bothered to register to vote and the entire election will be decided by a surprise, last minute absentee ballot sent by Old Kitty.
Werewolves Don't Run for President (The Adventures of the Bailey School Kids #49) by Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones
Presidential candidate Mr. Youngblood is stopping in Bailey City on his campaign trail. The kids are excited, that is until they learn that his platform includes longer school days and year-round classes! And when they see his wolf-like appearance, they really start to get worried. Could a candidate for the president of the United States really be . . . a werewolf? The Bailey School kids are going to find out!
Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist, has always had her eye on world domination, but she has to start somewhere...like her class elections! If people voted for her, they were giving her all the control she wanted. But Franny's platform doesn't have the same appeal as her competitors who are offering new playground equipment, so she finds another platform...The Frandidate. Made of DNA samples from a dog, a chameleon and a parrot, along with a scrap of carpet (so she'll know where people stand), Franny creates the perfect candidate who says and does exactly what people want to hear! But soon her suit starts making promises she knows she won't be able to keep and Franny realizes she might have gone too far.
Mean Mrs. Green is forcing everyone to run for something in the school election, but everyone just wants to run for their lives! YIKES! Hubie is running for president against Doris. But he doesn't think he stands a chance against the free ice cream that she's giving away to voters. Plus, to stay in the race he has to do crazy stuff like shaking Coach Kong's paw and Mrs. Green's claw, and kissing a bunch of babies. Hubie's chances look slim. Will being the candidate who stands for something---not just who stands on top of something--be enough to win him the race in the end?
Election Day (Robin Hill School) by Margaret McNamara
Today is election day in Mrs. Connor's class. The students will listen to speeches and vote for a new class president. Today is also Becky's first day at Robin Hill School. She thinks she would make a great class president, but she's new and has no friends yet. When Becky takes a chance and makes a speech, the whole class is surprised by the winner!
Picture Books
Arthur Meets the President by Marc Brown
Arthur is off to Washington D.C. to meet the President of the United States and recite his winning essay in front of everyone. But a gust of wind blows Arthur's trusty note cards away! Who can help him?
"I could do that," says 6-year-old Esther as she watches her mother making tea. Start her own business at the age of nineteen? Why, she could do that, too. But one thing Esther and other women could NOT do was vote. Only men could do that. With lively text and humorous illustrations as full of spirit as Esther herself, this striking picture book biography shows how one girl's gumption propels her through a life filled with challenges until, in 1869, she wins the vote for women in Wyoming Territory – the first time ever in the United States!
My Teacher for President by Kay Winters
Oliver has been learning about the president's job, and his teacher would be the perfect candidate. She loves white houses, she's used to being followed everywhere, she attends lots of meetings, she finds jobs for people, and she believes in peace. Images of Oliver's teacher depicted during a typical school day are contrasted with scenes of his heroine carrying out presidential duties.
Duck for President by Doreen Cronin
Duck is tired of doing his chores (mowing the lawn and grinding the coffee beans), and decides to hold an election to replace Farmer Brown. When he wins, Duck quickly realizes that running a farm requires too much hard work, and sets out to run for governor. With the help of the hens, and speeches "that only other ducks can understand," he eventually ends up running the country.
Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio
When Grace's teacher reveals that the United States has never had a female president, Grace decides to be the first. And she immediately starts off her political career as a candidate the school's mock election!
Amelia Bedelia's First Vote by Herman Parish
Amelia Bedelia is sure she will love everything about school election day. The fun choices, having a voice, running for office, working together, voting. Amelia Bedelia can’t wait. What could be better? Hooray for school! Hooray for elections! Hooray for voting!
Informational Books
In a presidential election year, when selecting a new leader will be the focus of national attention, what could be more timely than an upbeat and informative introduction to voting? Parties, voter registration, campaigns, rallies, debates, Election Day, even a recount . . . all are clearly presented in a graphic format as the story of a local election unfolds, with hilarious commentary by the candidates’ pets. Choosing our own government is one of our most cherished rights. This book is the perfect guide to how our democracy works.
America Votes: How Our President Is Elected by Linda Granfield
Kids shouldn't have to wait until they're old enough to vote to get caught up in the excitement of presidential elections! From the first primaries, through the party conventions, to the final count at the polls, the race for the presidency is a whirlwind of passionate speeches, sensational campaigns and new beginnings that every American can be a part of!
See How They Run by Susan E. Goodman
Presidential elections are big news-in the media, in classrooms, in Iowa and New Hampshire! But do you really know how the whole process works? For the home, for the classroom, for kids and adults, this is the one book every reader (and future voter) should have to understand our country's most important decision making process.
Learn about important people, places, and events in the history of presidential elections. Questions asked and topics explored include:
Who can run for president?
Who can vote?
What is the Electoral College?
What is a third-party candidate?
Which Republican president had a Democrat for his vice president?
Who was the only U.S. president to be elected for more than two terms?
Which candidates have won the popular vote but lost the election?
If you ran for president, you would have to do a lot of hard work. You would study the nation's problems, tell the American people about your platform, select a running mate, and debate your opponents on live television. Six children take turns explaining the election process as if they were running for president. They discuss their decision to run, campaigning, primaries and conventions, debating, being interviewed, meeting the public, voting, and being sworn in on Inauguration Day. Stier does a good job of explaining election details, both in an introductory note about electoral votes and in the text itself.
