After months of waiting,
my neighborhood library reopened, and I could borrow books again. Yahoo!!! I’ve
said this before, but it bears repeating, it's one of the finest places on
earth. This time I found books on elections.
With the 2020 Presidential
election upon us, I thought it imperative to read and review picture books on
the topic.
I've done a series of
mini-reviews to aid you in quickly finding quality books to read to your
children.
1. Vote For Our Future
Author: Margaret McNamara
Illustrator: Micah Player
Publisher: Schwartz &
Wade Books (Division of Penguin Random House)
ISBN: 978-1-984892505
Rating: 5 Lemon Drops
Book Summary:
Elections may by for
grown-ups, but when Stanton Elementary School transforms into a polling place,
the students become a vital part of the election process.
In no uncertain terms,
these civic minded kids prove that despite being unable to vote, there are
other ways they can get involved. After reading voter guides and researching
election history, the students help spread the word about the upcoming election
and why it’s so important to vote.
They help their adult
family members make plans to vote and encourage their neighbors to take
advantage of this opportunity to make changes.
One of my favorite quotes
from the book is, “I don’t like lines either,” answered Nadiya’s auntie, “but
if we stand in line for coffee, or for a movie, or at a bank…”
The perfect rebuttal for
anyone who doesn’t like standing in lines to vote (provided the polling
station’s waiting times are reasonable).
Mini-Review:
A marvelous tribute to
children and future voters of America!
I enjoyed everything about
this book! Let’s start with the title, Vote For Our Future. As
parents and teachers, we all want to make the world a better place for our
kiddos’ future. This book reminds us that voting is one way to achieve this
goal.
The cover sends a positive
message to children and adults. From the hopeful expressions on the characters’
faces to the camaraderie as they march in civic-minded unison. Talk about a
grassroots movement, these children are motivated, educated, and dedicated to
their cause.
The illustrations are
adorable and capture the excitement for learning students feel when given the
freedom to pursue their interests. As soon as you crack the cover, a collage of
colorful voting stickers, with voting puns and positive phrases, catches your
eye. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants their children to learn
about elections and how vital they are to our democracy.
2. Duck For President
Author: Doreen Cronin
Illustrator: Betsy Lewin
Publisher: Anthem Books
For Young Readers (an imprint of Simon & Schuster’s Children’s Publishing
Division)
ISBN: 978-0-689863776
Rating: 5 Lemon Drops
Book Summary:
It’s election season on
the farm and Duck is the lead contender against the incumbent farmer, Farmer
Brown. Upon winning the popular vote, Duck takes over as farmer and soon learns
that running a farm is hard work. Overworked and unsatisfied, he searches for
jobs in loftier places.
He becomes Governor and shortly after, accomplishes
what no other duck has done before—he is elected President of the United
States. Through all of this, Duck learns one important fact, no matter what
your profession, you can’t escape hard work. In the end, Duck reconnects with
his roots. He returns to the farm and begins writing his autobiography.
Mini-Review:
Duck For President is one of my all time favorite picture books. Whenever I
taught about elections or President’s Day, I always included this book in my
lesson plans. Lewin’s watercolors encapsulate the hilarity of Cronin’s text.
Children and adults will chuckle their way through the pages all the while
learning a little about the electoral process.
3. Amelia Bedelia’sFirst Vote
Author: Herman Parish
Illustrator: Lynne Avril
Publisher: Greenwillow
Books (An Imprint of Harper Collins Publishers)
ISBN: 978-0-06209405
Rating: 4 Lemon Drops
Book Summary:
It’s election day at
Amelia Bedelia’s school! Through a series of unlucky coincidences, Amelia helps
her school pass new rules the students vote on.
Mini-Review:
As with all of Amelia’s
zany misadventures, she comes out on top. We can find a lot of great lessons
between the pages of this charming book. I appreciated how effortlessly Parish
wrote key vocabulary into the story (election related words like runoff,
absentee ballot, swing vote, as well as words and phrases with double meanings
like tie, hug the wall, and sleep on it).
4. Lambslide
Author: Ann Patchett
Illustrator: Robin Preiss
Glasser
Publisher: Harper Collins
Children’s Books
ISBN: 978-0-062883384
Rating: 4 Lemon Drops
Book Summary:
After misinterpreting
lambslide for landslide, a flock of lambs campaign to have a giant slide built
on the farm where they live.
Mini-Review:
A super cute story! I
loved the play on words and the introduction to the democratic process. I also
enjoyed how the characters cooperated to achieve their goal.
Glassers’ sweet
illustrations perfectly capture the characters’ emotions.
What books are you and
your children reading about the upcoming elections?
Resources:
https://www.pinterest.com/ellwynautumn/elections-in-the-classroom/
