THE ELECTION CONNECTION
Gearing up for the fall election? Check out this assortment of books—both fiction and nonfiction—to inspire kids of all ages to get involved!

Duck for President by Doreen Cronin. In this sequel to Click Clack Moo, Cows That Type, the duck gets the idea to run the farm. After beating Farmer Brown in an election, he sets his sights on being governor and beyond! Preschool through Gr 2

Vote! By Eileen Christelow. It’s time for a mayoral election, but what does it mean to vote? How does a person register? What happens in a close call? In this mix of cartoon-style art and text, many questions about the process are answered. Includes an historical timeline of voting rights and resources. Grades 1-4

Election Connection: The Official Nick Guide to Electing the President by Susan Ring
A book jam-packed with election information from every possible angle. In addition to opportunities to complete questionnaires and design your own political bumper sticker, content goes beyond the basics to include: the process of voting, "spin," debates, campaign strategies, and more. Grades 3 - 6

A Woman for President: The Story of Victoria Woodhull by Kathlenn Krull. Could a woman run for president of the United States ? In this newly released picture book, meet dynamic Victoria Woodhull, who did just that. She declared her candidacy and ran against Ulysses S. Grant for President in 1872. Victoria rightly described herself as being “too many years ahead of this age.” She believed woman deserved the right to vote and helped set the course to make this a reality. With beautiful art, we follow Victoria from her childhood to be the first woman to speak before an all-male Congress! Click on Teacher Guide for a downloadable document written by Cathryn Berger Kaye, complete with service learning ideas. Grades 4-12

Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer. When 16-year-old Hope moves with her aunt from New York to Wisconsin to work in a diner, she finds more cooking than expected. To the town’s surprise, diner owner G.T. announces his candidacy to oust the corrupt mayor. Hope and other teens rally together, adding the vital ingredient of youth action to the campaign. Grades 5-12

Vote for Larry! By Janet Tashjian. Get ready to meet Josh, a 17-year-old who is convinced that indeed young people do have much to contribute to politics. In this sequel to The Gospel According to Larry, an engaging young adult novel about materialism, Josh (along with his alter-ego “Larry”), returns to run for a local city office. Instead, he sees a larger need and runs for President of the United States . Set in the fall of 2004, this contemporary glimpse into the election illuminates many social issues that will grab and motivate teen (and adult) readers to get involved. Grades 7-12

Select excerpts from The Complete Guide to Service Learning (Free Spirit Publishing, 2004) printed with permission.