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Children’s Books to Rock the Vote

VOTE. It comes from the Latin word votum, meaning “vow, wish, promise.” 

Back in fourth grade, we had a mock election to mimic the real one happening in November 1988. The candidates were George H.W. Bush and Michael Dukakis. I voted for the guy with the cool last name. Never mind political parties or promised policies, my nine-year-old mind wasn’t ready for high-stakes political involvement yet.

Thankfully, my voting tactics have evolved since then. Want to involve your kid(s) in the upcoming election? Take them to the polls with you! Encourage your local polling place or school to host an “I Voted” sticker contest. And definitely snag a few of these great books to spark conversations about the democratic process. 

I Voted by Mark Schulman

Some choices are easy to make. Ice cream or onion? That’s a no-brainer. Other choices, like ice cream or cupcakes, can be harder. Making a choice is like voting. When you choose on your own, you generally get what you want. But when a group votes, like deciding on a class pet, the option with the most votes wins.

Similarly, grown-ups vote on candidates to govern towns, cities, states, and countries. Before election day, they listen, read, and ask questions to become informed. Then, on election day, they vote for the candidates they believe will do the best job.

This book, filled with lively line drawings, provides a thorough overview of voting in an easy-to-understand way. 


I Voted: Making a Choice Makes a Difference


Show Up and Vote by Ani Di Franco

“As best I remember, here’s how it went.”

So begins the journey of a young Black girl with her mother as they head out the door on a rainy November morning. Mama tells her daughter she’s on a mission, one only she can complete. Together, they enter the polling location, where the girl recognizes familiar faces from her community, all gathered to do the same job. Inside the booth with curtains closed, the two select names and push buttons, voting for those they believe will get things done and make a difference.

Vibrant digital illustrations pulse with texture and create an inclusive character landscape. Describing this book in a review doesn’t do it justice. Seek it out, as it’s easily one of our favorite books of 2024.
Show Up and Vote


Leo’s First Vote by Christina Soontornvat

Leo’s class is holding a mock election, and it’s a big moment for his family. Leo’s dad recently became a U.S. citizen and will be voting in his first election. At home, the family listens to the candidates debate, and at the grocery store, they find their polling station. On back-to-school night, Leo’s dad registers to vote. Finally, election day arrives, and both father and son cast their ballots, making their voices and votes count.

This uplifting book about the voting process is one of the best fiction books on the topic I’ve seen in recent years.

Leo's First Vote!


Vote for Our Future! By Margaret McNamara

Stanton Elementary School is closed for the day because it’s being used as a polling station for people to vote. But kids are too young to vote. So what can they do? They research and work together to spread the word. Through flyers and door-to-door visits, the students show their neighbors how to register and remind them that waiting in line to vote is a privilege, not just another task.

Meanwhile, parents plan to vote before or after work, while some vote early or by mail. Once the votes have been counted and school resumes, change begins to happen.

With a vibrant and diverse cast, this book makes is perfect for a classroom read-aloud.

Vote for Our Future!


V is for Voting by Kate Farrell

E is for engagement. J is for judges. M is for matters (because every vote does). Q is for questions (we all have a few).

And so goes this boldly illustrated rhyming ABC book, complete with images of past suffragettes, political activists, presidents, and other history-makers like Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress.

Available as both a picture book and a board book, it’s perfect for kids of various ages.
V Is for Voting


Vote! By Eileen Christelow

Chris Smith is running for mayor, and her daughter and dog are doing their best to spread the word. At a community event, tables are set up to register voters, and Ms. Smith is given a platform to speak to the crowd about her campaign plans. Meanwhile, other volunteers make phone calls, raise funds, and put together mailings.

On Election Day, voters gather at polling locations and make their voices heard by voting. After the votes are counted and recounted, Mayor Smith declared the winner! This picture book is on the longer side and ideal for ages 7-10. 

Vote!


Around America To Win the Vote by Mara Rockliff

In the spring of 1916, two determined women, a black kitten, a typewriter, and a sewing machine, set off in a yellow car with one mission: travel the country and advocate for “Votes for Women!” The typewriter and sewing machine were part of the plan in a subversive way.

The women encountered farmers and fancy socialites in major cities and small towns. Children ran alongside the car in Virginia, and they were shot at in the deserts of New Mexico. In California, they won a medal for their long drive, though their drive was only halfway done. But throughout their journey, Alice Ramsey and Nell Richardson adamantly proclaimed, “Votes for Women!”

Joyful illustrations make this inspiring suffragette story one you don’t want to miss!

Around America to Win the Vote: Two Suffragists, a Kitten, and 10,000 Miles


Fighting With Love: The Legacy of John Lewis by Lesa Cline-Ransome

Growing up in rural Alabama, John Lewis spent his childhood picking cotton with his large, loving family. Yet every time he encountered racism and segregation, he felt the sting of exclusion. His education was disjointed, but young John loved to read.

As a teenager, he heard Martin Luther King Jr. on the radio say, “Take a stand for truth and justice. Sometimes, it might mean going to jail.” Inspired, John joined the NAACP, listened to sermons, and took lessons on ending segregation through nonviolence. In 1963, he saw politicians and protest leaders work together to create a civil rights bill that would protect citizens from discrimination and give voting rights to all.

In his famous march from Selma to Montgomery, John Lewis locked arms with fellow activists, marching with love in his heart, knowing that the victory to end inequality and discrimination was worth the fight.

This powerful biography is best for kids ages 8-12.

Fighting with Love: The Legacy of John Lewis


We Disagree by Bethanie Deeney Murguia

Mouse and Squirrel can’t seem to agree on anything. What one likes, the other does not. What one loves, the other despises. With seemingly endless disagreement, will these two ever find common ground? Heck, can they even be friends?

This rhyming story, paired with red and blue illustrations, is a fun way to introduce politics and the concept of civil disagreement to kids ages 2-6.

We Disagree


Papa’s Mark by Gwendolyn Battle-Lavert

On their weekly trip to the general store, Simms reads the grocery list while Papa makes an X to mark their items. On the way home, Simms encourages his father, offering to teach him how to sign his name. At night, Papa practices, but his writing still looks like chicken scratch. Eventually, with Simms guiding his hand, Papa finally learns to write his name!

On voting day, a collection of Black men gathers to cast their ballot. Although the Fourteenth Amendment gave Black men the right to vote in 1868, it wasn’t until the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that significant numbers of Black Americans began voting. A powerful historical fiction that captures the struggle for racial equality and the right to vote in America.

Papa's Mark


Drawing the Vote by Tommy Jenkins

In 2018, voter turnout for the midterm election hit a historic high but still fell below 50%. Motivated by this, Jenkins, a creative writing and literature professor in North Carolina, decided to write a fact-focused graphic novel to discuss the history and importance of voting in America, especially for young voters.

Covering everything from the early days of the nation to the suffragette movement, Jim Crow laws, and modern challenges like voter ID laws, this book offers a comprehensive look at voting rights. Complete with a timeline of key events and quotes from current politicians, this nonfiction book is one for every middle and high schooler.

Drawing the Vote: An Illustrated Guide to Voting in America


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