At some point, a lot of kids dream of being president. Whether or not you’ve got an Alex P. Keaton on your hands, the elections have a lot of kids — and adults — asking questions. Here are four books and related tools for helping explain the presidential ritual we experience every four years.
Abe Lincoln's Dream
By Lane Smith
A girl wanders off on a field trip to the White House and meets Abe Lincoln’s ghost. From the eerily captivating illustrations to the compelling story, this is an all-around winner.
Also, our friend Mike Gregoire, the First Gentleman of Washington State, recently read the book to kids at a RIF program in Seattle.
Grace for President
By Kelly DiPucchio, illustrated by LeUyen Pham
Not only a great story about a little girl striving to become the first female President of the United States, but it explains the electoral system in a way children (and grownups) can understand.
A town elects a mayor and everybody gets involved in the process, including the candidates’ pets. The book covers all the ins and outs of the electoral process – with humor and levity.
In related news, if you haven’t yet, check out Scholastic’s Election 2012 site. It’s full of great resources for kids, parents and teachers. For example, wondering how to talk about the Presidential Election with pre-schoolers? There’s a handy download covering all age ranges.
“Alex P. Keaton”…he was so funny–thanks for bringing him to mind! Great book recommendations about the election; especially helpful that most links provide activities too. Thank you so much!
And you thought your kids were the biggest Harry Potter fans in the world. Check out how much this book sold for. http://t.co/1tvztXJvLDabout 1 hour ago
i would like to be more involved i am a reading coach for middle schoolers and i need help getting and keeping them engaged in longer books
Sandra, Welcome! There are some tips on our site, specifically this article — http://www.rif.org/us/literacy-resources/articles/teenagers-and-reading.htm — that may be of help. Also, check out the great work of the Young Adult Library Services Association, or YALSA — http://www.ala.org/yalsa/. Their focus is on older kids and may be particularly useful to you. Book People Unite! Jay
“Alex P. Keaton”…he was so funny–thanks for bringing him to mind! Great book recommendations about the election; especially helpful that most links provide activities too. Thank you so much!