It’s Election Day: Presidential Picture Books

  Grace for President (Disney Hyperion, 2012), written by Kelly DiPucchio and illustrated by LeUyen Pham offers a great look into the political process. When Grace’s teacher shows a poster of the U.S. presidents, Grace asks, “Where are the girls?!” No girls?! Then Grace will run for president herself. President of Woodrow Wilson Elementary School, that is. Grace thinks the election will be easy. Then Thomas decides to run . . . and things are not so easy after all. Grace for President uses a two-party system kids can understand–girls vs. boys–to explain our two-party system, the electoral college, and the campaign process.   Lane Smith is absolutely one of my favorite history writers for children. His fun picture book John, Paul, George & Ben (Hyperion, 2006) imagines our Founding Fathers as lads–John Hancock, Paul Revere, George Washington, and Ben Franklin (with Thomas Jefferson tossed in too, even though he throws off the Beatles comparison). These lads were quite a handful, especially that John, who always liked to write his name in giant letters across the chalkboard. It’s a fun book that takes a bit of license with fact but sorts it all out in the end.   As for [...]