Nervous to teach about the presidential election? You’re not alone! It can be challenging to introduce complex topics like voting, democracy, and presidential elections to young students in a way that is both engaging and easy to understand.
That’s where a well-chosen picture book comes in. An engaging picture book can be a fantastic way to capture kids’ attention and deliver accurate information.
As a former educator myself, I understand how precious your time is. To save you some time, I’ve created a list of my five favorite presidential election picture books for kids.
Disclosure: The links in this post are Amazon affiliate links. This means that I may earn commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
Free Presidential Roles and Powers Mini Lesson
Need a ready-to-use activity for your U.S. elections unit? This illustrated notes lesson walks students through the 8 key roles and powers of the president, plus the requirements to run for office. Students follow along with a free slideshow and fill in the notes as they go. Zero prep.
Enter your email, and you’ll get instant access. I’ll also send you my favorite free resources for teaching U.S. elections.
So You Want to Be President? by Judith St. George
Book Description:
Who says history needs to be boring? So You Want to Be President? brings U.S. presidential history to life with playful, caricature-style illustrations that will instantly grab your students’ attention. Filled with fascinating tidbits about our nation’s leaders—like their former jobs, heights, and even their pets (did you know President Coolidge had a pet raccoon?)—this book makes history fun and relatable for young readers.
Beyond the fun trivia, the book also dives into the responsibilities and challenges of holding the highest office in the country, making it an informative and engaging resource for learning about the presidency.
Keep in mind that this book was published in 2004, so it doesn’t include information on presidents after George W. Bush. However, it’s still an excellent tool for teaching foundational knowledge about the presidency and American history.
Recommended for ages 8 and up.
Ideas for using this book:
Engage with Fun Facts: Hook your students’ interest by asking if they want to know some weird and funny facts about U.S. presidents. Use the book’s fun trivia as an entry point to get them excited about learning.
Explore the Pros and Cons of Being President: As you read, have students start compiling a list of the pros and cons of being president. This will help them better understand the responsibilities and pressures that come with the job.
Discuss Leadership Qualities: After reading, lead a class discussion on what character traits make a good president. Ask students to generate their own ideas and give examples from the book. This activity encourages critical thinking and helps them connect historical facts to real-world leadership qualities.
Writing Prompt: Have students reflect on whether they would want to be president. Ask them to write a short essay explaining their reasoning, using examples from the book or their own understanding of the role. This writing activity encourages them to think deeply about leadership and responsibility while practicing their persuasive writing skills.
What’s the big deal about elections? by Ruby Shamir
Book Description:
This in-depth book offers a fantastic overview of presidential elections, from how candidates are elected (including a breakdown of the Electoral College) to the history of voting rights. It also explains why elections matter for kids, even if they aren’t old enough to vote yet. Additionally, it covers the role of government, elected officials, political parties, and the laws that affect our daily lives.
This book is best suited for students ages 8 and up. Due to its depth, it’s great to use across several lessons, acting as a comprehensive resource or even a “textbook” for an election unit.
This book is appropriate for ages 8 and up.
Ideas for using this book:
To make the most of this information-packed book, I recommend reading one section per day. After each section, have students complete a few comprehension questions to reinforce key ideas.
Some helpful sections to focus on include:
- What are elections?
- What is the government, and why does it matter?
- How do we elect our leaders?
Bold & Brave: Ten Heroes Who Won Women the Right to Vote by Kristen Gillibrand
Book Description:
Inspired by her great-grandmother’s bravery, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand shares the stories of ten remarkable women who fought for women’s suffrage. The book highlights influential figures like Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth, and Ida B. Wells, showing how their efforts helped secure women’s right to vote.
This book is a powerful introduction to the women’s suffrage movement and is suitable for readers ages 10 and up.
Ideas for using this book:
After reading, discuss these questions with students:
- What similarities do these ten women have?
- What differences stand out to you?
- Which woman’s story do you find the most inspiring? Why?
- How have your mother and your grandmothers inspired you?
You could extend the activity by asking students to create a biography poem about one of the women from the book. To help, I’ve created a free template and lesson plan for writing biography poems!
If I ran for President by Catherine Stier
Book Description:
In this picture book, a child imagines what it would be like to run for president. It covers essential aspects of the election process, from campaigning to conventions and being chosen by a political party.
The straightforward writing and colorful illustrations make it an engaging choice for upper-elementary and middle-school students.
Ideas for using this book:
Before reading, ask your students to explain the steps candidates must complete to become president. Make a list as a class. For example, your students might think about:
- Hiring people to work on their campaign
- Creating merchandise like bumper stickers, posters, and t-shirts
- Debating
- And more!
After reading, revisit the list and add steps that students learned about.
This book would be a great early finisher for Lesson 2 of my Presidential Elections unit, which is all about the Presidential Election process.
The Night Before Election Day by Natasha Wing
Book Description:
In this charming, rhyming story (inspired by The Night Before Christmas), a family prepares for Election Day. The book introduces the voting process from a kid’s perspective, explaining how people get ready to vote, why it’s important, and the excitement of participating.
This book is ideal for younger elementary students. Older students may find it a bit too simple.
Ideas for using this book:
This fun and simple book is perfect to read on election day. It’s an easy and quick way to acknowledge the day without it taking up your entire lesson.
In the book, the parents vote in person at a polling station. This could be a good opportunity to talk about different methods of voting. For more information, see page 15 of the Election Booklet in my Presidential Elections unit.
Election Books for Kids
I hope this list of picture books for kids about the presidential election will be a helpful resource for you.
Need more help teaching about the Election?
I hope these picture books help make teaching about the election more engaging and accessible for your students.
If you need a comprehensive and engaging time-saving solution, check out my no-prep Election Unit!
Answering Your Frequently Asked Questions about the Election Unit:
Q: Which grades is this unit designed for?
A: This unit is designed for 5th-8th grade students.
Q: Is this unit unbiased?
A: Yes! I have tried my best to focus on the process of electing a president over politics.
In this unit, students learn the information by participating in a mock election with fictional candidates for class president.
Q: How long is each lesson?
A: All the lessons are 60 minutes long. This unit is packed with activities and could easily be taught over two weeks instead of one.
Q: Which lessons are included?
A: The following five lessons are included:
Lesson 1: Citizenship & Civil Discourse
Objectives: I can define citizenship and explain the importance of voting. I can have a civil discussion with others, even if we disagree.
Activities:
- Jigsaw & Task Cards
- Skit
- Chat Stations
Sneak Peek:
Lesson 2: Presidential Election Process
Objectives: I can explain what U.S. presidents do, what political parties are, and how the presidential election process works. I can use my knowledge of the presidential election process to participate in a mock election for a fictional class president.
Activities:
- Presidential Election Slideshow + Notes
- Mock Election begins
- Students are assigned to a political party: The Memory Maker Party or the Snack Squad Party.
- Students “register to vote”
- Students learn about their four fictional candidates: Isaiah, Emma, Nia, and Aiden.
Sneak Peek:
Lesson 3: Media, Bias, & Primaries
Objectives: I can analyze the role the media plays in an election, define and identify bias, and participate in a primary election.
Activities:
- Video + Notes on Misinformation
- What is Bias?
- Students read an article about bias and identify their own biases on non-controversial issues.
- Analyzing Media Gallery Walk
- Students analyze social media posts, newspaper articles, and YouTube thumbnails about the fictional candidates. They identify if the information is accurate, if the source is trustworthy, and what the source’s bias is.
- Mock Primary Election
- Students read about primaries, caucuses, and national conventions
- Students use a mail-in ballot to vote for a candidate from their assigned party.
Sneak Peek:
Lesson 4: Presidential Debates
Objectives: I can thoughtfully analyze a mock presidential debate, explain why I am voting for a candidate using evidence, and create a persuasive campaign poster about my favorite candidate.
Activities:
- Mock Presidential Debate Reader’s Theatres
- Debate Discussion
- Students participate in a civil discussion about the debate.
- Persuasive Campaign Posters
- Students decide who they are voting for in the primary election. After analyzing historical campaign posters, they create a poster for their favorite candidate.
Sneak Peek:
Lesson 5:
Objectives: I can explain how a general election works, including the impact of the popular vote and the electoral college. I can participate in an Electoral College simulation.
Activities:
- Read about General Elections & the Electoral College
- Historic Election Gallery Walk
- Students analyze the results of the last eight elections to determine who won the popular vote versus the Electoral College.
- Electoral College Simulation
- Students experience a mock Electoral College and compare the results to the popular vote.
- What Happens After the Election? article
Sneak Peek:
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