In 2009, President Obama said that “elections have consequences”, and recent events have shown the wisdom of those words, no matter which side you are on. It’s always the perfect time to teach your students about our electoral system! Check out the following books, all about elections:
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Picture Books
Amelia Bedelia’s First Vote by Herman Parish
Fans of Amelia Bedelia will laugh as she mixes up running in the hall and running for office.
The Ballot Box Battle by Emily Arnold McCully
Fortunately, today’s girls rarely hear “You can’t do that, you are a girl”. It is easy to forget how recently women won the vote. In this beautifully illustrated book, Elizabeth Cady Stanton teaches her young neighbor about the importance of women being allowed to vote.
Today on Election Day by Catherine Stier
This picture book follows young children of various genders and ethnic backgrounds as they watch people come to vote in the school gym. They tell each other about family members running for office or voting, and about how until recently, many people were not allowed to vote.
Otto Runs for President by Rosemary Wells
Barkadelphia School is having an election. Tiffany and Charles campaign for what they want; Otto campaigns for what most students want. Can you guess who wins?
See How They Run: Campaign Dreams, Election Schemes, and the Race to the White House by Susan E. Goodman
Aimed at 8-12 year olds, this book goes through the whole election process from primary to convention and nomination to election night.
Mom for Mayor by Nancy Edwards
What do you do when the mayor wants to sell your favorite playground to developers? Why, put your mom up as the opposition candidate! Just don’t forget to tell Mom. Oops…
How Not to Run for Class President (Step into Reading) by Catherine A. Hapka\
What do you do when you are running on a platform opposing a plan to make third graders reading buddies with kindergarteners and your kindergarten brother wants to manage your campaign? Yes, it’s funny and yes, it contains good information on campaigning, platforms and elections.
Pedro for President by Fran Manushkin
If Pedro is one of your students’ favorite characters, they will enjoy reading about him running for class president.
Vote for Me: All About Civics by Kirsten Hall
A class election at Beastieville School is a lesson on how politics works, aimed at the kindergarten set.
Vote for Me! by Ben Clanton
It is Elephant vs Donkey in this picture book that brings out the worst in election behavior for your younger students.
Vote! by Eileen Christelow
In graphic novel style, two dogs give their impression of the town’s mayoral election. This book is aimed at 6-9 year old students.
Grace for President by Kelly DiPucchio
When Grace learns there has never been a woman President, she decides to be the first and gets her political start running in her school’s mock election. Through her eyes students learn about nominations, campaigning and voting. The book even describes the Electoral College.
The Kid Who Ran for President by Dan Gutman
In this 2012 book a couple of twelve year olds decide that running for political office is all about advertising and packaging rather than experience and expertise. This story (and it is a story, not a thinly disguised textbook) follows Judson Moon on his campaign for the presidency.
Monster Needs Your Vote by Paul Czajak
The younger set will enjoy this colorful picture book. Monster is campaigning for President. What is his platform? Summer needs to be longer, that’s what!
Woodrow for President: A Tail of Voting, Campaigns, and Elections by Peter W. Barnes
I love it when books have rhythm and rhyme. It makes them so much fun to read aloud. Woodrow is a mouse and running for President of the United Mice of America, and the process is amazingly like running the President of the United States of America.
Max for President by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
In this picture book for the younger set, Max and Kelly square off and run for class president. Who will win?
Buddy for President by Hans Wilhelm
In this picture book, the candidate is a dog! It makes a cute introduction to the election procedure.
Duck for President by Doreen Cronin
When you aren’t happy with the current government, what should you do? Duck’s solution in this charming picture book is to run for office. Like many politicians, he works his way up the chain from farmer, to Governor to President. Vote for Duck!
So You Want to Be President? by Judith St. George
Since it is a Caldecott Award winner, you know the illustrations in this book are top-notch. The book is aimed at the upper elementary grades, though there are things in the illustrations that make adults “in the know” smile while the kids wonder why. The book is filled with facts about presidents and the presidency.
Where Do Presidents Come From?: And Other Presidential Stuff of Super Great Importance by Michael Townsend
Do your students love graphic novels? Is Captain Underpants their hero? In irreverent fashion, Where do Presidents Come From leads readers through the history of the presidency, the electoral process, the job of the President, and interestingly, what happens to Presidents when they aren’t President anymore.
Chapter Books
The Case of the Crooked Campaign (Milo and Jazz Mysteries) by Lewis B. Montgomery
Follow favorite characters, Milo and Jazz as they solve a mystery about who is stealing Jazz’s best ideas as she runs for school president.
Ready, Set, Vote! (The English Roses #10) by Madonna
Written by Madonna (yes, THAT Madonna) Ready, Set, Vote follows as two of the English Roses, a group of friends who are featured in a series of books, enter a campaign.
Rosie Swanson: Fourth-Grade Geek for President (Geek Chronicles) (No.2) by Barbara Park
She’s not one of the popular kids, but Rosie cares and she’s running for office. Is a good platform enough?
Vote 4 Amelia by Marissa Moss
Want your students to understand that politics and elections are not always nice and lighthearted? This book shows the dirty side of campaigns to middle school students.
The Election Book: The People Pick a President by Carolyn Jackson
This book is an informative choice for late elementary students. It covers the entire election process including fundraising.
Grab all the books mentioned in this post on Amazon:
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