Books to Get Kids Excited About Voting & Elections

by Natasha Wing; illustrated by Amy Wummer

Yes! It's almost here. And the big question is: Who will be our next president? Will our leader be a he or a she? A young citizen gives her take on politics and Election Day in this charming story told in the style of Clement C. Moore's holiday poem.

by Andrea Beaty; illustrations by David Roberts

Sofia is put in charge of overseeing a fair election for a class pet, but first the Questioneers must learn about elections and good journalism—and remember that being a community matters most. 

by Herman Parish; illustrated by Lynne Avril

Named "principal for the day," young Amelia Bedelia organizes a vote to choose the day's activities, from a cupcake lunch to a visit from a real fire truck.

by Jonah Winter; illustrated by Shane W. Evans

A 50th anniversary tribute to the Voting Rights Act of 1965 finds an elderly woman reflecting on her family's history, from the passage of the 15th Amendment through her participation in the protest march from Selma to Montgomery.

by Nick Bruel

It's time to elect a new president of the Neighborhood Cat Coalition! 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.

by André Rodrigues, Larissa Ribeiro, Paula Desgualdo, Pedro Markun; translated from the Portuguese by Lyn Miller-Lachmann

Lion may be King of the jungle, but lately he only seems to care about himself. His subjects are fed up, so they decide to try something new—hold an election! Once Owl explains the rules, the fun begins, and Snake, Sloth, and Monkey all announce they will be candidates. But oh no, Lion is going to run too! It's a wild campaign season as the animals hold rallies, debate, and even take a selfie or two, trying to prove why they'd make the best president of the jungle.

by Ben Clanton

A satire of American politics finds a donkey and an elephant resorting to just about anything to garner votes, and after all the mud-slinging is done and the votes are tallied, they are both quite surprised by the results.

by Judith St. George; illustrated by David Small

An assortment of facts about the qualifications and characteristics of U.S. presidents, from George Washington to Bill Clinton.

by Doreen Cronin; illustrated by Betsy Lewin

Having worked his way up from the pond, one determined Duck is out to get the vote of the people during his high-energy campaign to become president.

by Anita Iaco; illustrated by Chiara Civati

A children's politics and government book that helps young readers learn the value of voting in an election. Follow along as Miss Jenn uses three different fruits to help her students run their own in-class campaigns.

by Margaret McNamara; illustrated by Micah Player

The students of Stanton Elementary School, which is a polling place, find out all they can about voting and then encourage everyone in their neighborhoods to cast their ballots.

by Susan E. Goodman; illustrated by Elwood H. Smith

A guide to the presidential election process shows how the electoral college works and how the United States got to where it is today, as well as highlighting some funny stories about the founding fathers.

by Deborah Diesen; illustrated by Magdalena Mora

A powerful look at the evolution of voting rights in the United States, from our nation's founding to the present day.

by Fran Manushkin; illustrated by Tammie Lyon

Pedro and his friend Katie Woo are both running for class president. Pedro knows he can do great things for his class, if only he gets past that speech!

 by Jonathan London; illustrated by Frank Remkiewicz

Froggy is running for president—class president, that is—but so is Frogilina! Wearing a long, presidential-style tie, Froggy presents his platform, which includes ten snack times per school day and recess all day long. But Frogilina has a platform, too: a search party for lost things, a lunch-sharing program, and a talent show to benefit the school library. Which candidate will voters choose?