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Are your kids wondering why you’re tearing your hair out on Election Day? They may be too young to understand the complexities of our current divided political climate, but it’s never too early to teach your little ones about voting. It’s important for them to understand — in kid-friendly terms — why adults are voting right now. Our go-to for teaching kids anything we can’t figure out how to explain? Books, of course!
Instead of waiting to discuss the importance of being a politically active citizen when they’re almost of voting age, parents can introduce children to how our head-scratching political system operates now — and why no person’s voice should ever go unheard or be restricted from voting.
There’s a lot to unpack when it comes to our country’s election system (it’s hard enough for adults to follow), but covering the basics now can help your kid become an informed voter down the road. And what better way to get in some voting 101 lessons than with inspiring and powerful books they’ll love reading?
From Curious George to the Cat in the Hat, here are thoughtful and cute kids books about politics that future voters can easily digest. And while we have you, please vote like your life depends on it!
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A version of this article was originally published October 17, 2020.
The Presidential Election Process, Simplified
From eligibility to run, to what happens on election day (and beyond!), this book makes sometimes-confusing information feel accessible and kid-friendly.
Your Vote Matters: How We Elect the US PresidentInspiring the Next Generation of Voters
Follow along with young Mia as she learns about the voting process — and why it matters — during a school election. This easy-to-understand, vibrantly illustrated book teaches kids that their actions can have an impact on their community and the world.
Civic Engagement with the Cat in the Hat
Even little readers will be interested in this Dr. Seuss nonfiction that perfectly combines facts and fun! They’ll learn about how democracy works, all the different ways to vote, and why it’s important.
An Animated Lesson in Choice
Not only does this book lay out how voting helps you choose between things, but it also explains the importance of what happens before a vote. When a class chooses between a turtle and a rabbit for a pet, the students give reasons for their preferences and talk to those with differing opinions. This is a lesson adults might need a refresher on too.
Sign up for the reading app Vooks and your children can watch Mark Shulman’s words and Serge Bloch’s illustrations come to life in an animated video.
Getting Curious About Voting
The kids at the local elementary are casting their votes for a new mascot, and Curious George is ready to weigh in. He learns all about the process of election — but, in typical Curious George fashion, throws in a couple of monkey wrenches along the way.
The Suffragists’ Perspective
While we’re still waiting for the day we get to elect a woman for president, it’s somewhat comforting and inspiring to look back at how far we’ve come since the days when women couldn’t even vote in this country. We can pass appreciation for those rights down to our children, too, with this book. New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and prolific illustrator Maira Kalman teamed up to bring us the story of suffragists Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Jovita Idár, Alice Paul, Inez Milholland, Ida B. Wells, Lucy Burns, and Mary Church Terrell.
The Future is Bright
As adults, it’s our job not to just vote for our future, but for our kids who can’t head to the polls. This powerful picture book centers around students at Stanton Elementary School and their journey using their voices to make a change. It beautifully illustrates important messages from gender equality to caring for other’s feelings in an easy-to-digest way.
A Fan Favorite
This hilarious beginner reading book delves into the Cat in the Hat’s mind when it comes to the White House — and the changes he’d make if he were president. Some very silly items on his list: make the oval office a lot more “oval-er-er,” replant the Rose Garden with Seussian shrubbery, and paint smiles on portraits of frowning world leaders. It’s definitely comical, but you’ve got to start somewhere!
The ABCs of Voting
This book takes your kid through the ABCs of voting — literally. This poetic, progressive book features playful alphabet rhymes that will make topics like social justice and human rights easier to follow. Fans of Feminist Baby and A is for Activist will particularly adore this book.
The Ultimate Handbook
If you want a no-frills guide to the mess that is our election system, then this handbook is a must-have item in your kid’s library. It answers basic questions like “What does a donkey and elephant have to do with voting?” and “What is a ballot?”
Classic with a Twist
If reading The Night Before Christmas is a tradition in your family, you’ll want to add this book to your kid’s library right away. This engaging book, written in the same poetic style as the holiday classic, follows a young citizen’s take on politics and election day, and it even comes with a fun sticker sheet that little ones will love.
Kid-Friendly Election Brief
As part of The Little Book Of series (for ages 3-11), this step-by-step book explains how elections work in the simplest terms youngsters will understand. After reading this book together, kids should better understand the meaning of democracy — and how voting is one of the most vital duties citizens have in life. Consider it your kid’s little black book on electing a president.
A Constitution Explainer
Your child will take a deep dive into the Constitution in the classroom down the road, but you can introduce it to them earlier on with this fun-filled illustrated book. It explores the Preamble in an accessible way for kids of all ages and will encourage them to reflect on how the Constitution plays into their lives and those of others.
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