Books About Politics for the Whole Family
With the election coming up, I’ve been on a kick of reading novels about female politicians, both fiction and non-fiction. My girls have been hearing so much about this election that it’s made them more interested in politics, and I’m hoping to harness that energy in a positive way, by helping them learn about the election process in American and to see that it’s possible for anyone to make a difference. I also hope that by reading about women and girls in politics it helps to normalize female politicians and encourages them to get involved. Understanding American History and the election process in general is also so important-I think we’re all going to learn something about the electoral college from Grace for President!
Books for Me
Cleo McDougal Regrets Nothing by Allison Winn Scotch: Cleo is a single mother who has served in the US Senate for a long time. Just as she’s starting to explore a run for President, her best friend from high school published a scathing op-ed about her, which garners national attention. It forces Cleo to confront her past and the good and bad choices she’s made, and her journey becomes both about repairing her public image and her private relationships. The topics are serious, but Cleo and her son and friends are also very funny, so it’s also easy to read.
Rodham by Curtis Sittenfeld: What would have happened if Hillary had dumped Bill when she caught him cheating? This book imagines the early days of the Clinton’s meeting and courtship, but then veers to the left, imaging the alternate path their lives could have taken and its impact on American History. Sittenfeld captures their voices so accurately that it’s almost eerie, but very entertaining.
Charlotte Walsh Likes to Win by Jo Piazza: Charlotte has moved back from California to her home state of Pennsylvania to run for office after achieving major success in the tech world. She isn’t prepared, however, for the mud-slinging of the campaign, it’s impact on her family, and the attention from the press and public. Watching her journey through the race is so interesting and even though she’s imperfect, I was rooting for her all the way.
From the Corner of the Oval: A Memoir by Beck Dorey Stein: Beck has recently moved to DC and is just trying to find a job, with very mixed luck, when she stumbles across a posting for a job as a stenographer for President Obama. When she’s hired, she had to learn to navigate the world of politics-the travel, the romance, and the constant jockeying for position and influence. This real-life peek behind the scenes was so interesting.
Books for Little Kids
I am Rosa Parks by Brad Meltzer: We really enjoy the I am books, but Cece’s favorite has always been Rosa Parks and I think we read it about once a month. I think she loves it because it starts with Rosa growing up as a small girl., something which she can definitely relate to. It’s a great way to learn about her life and what she faced growing up, as well as her political activism and the impact she had on American history.
Grace for President by Kelly DiPuchio: I just ordered this book to read with Cece and I’m so excited about it. The reviews all talk about how it explains the electoral college so well, which is definitely a tricky concept. Grace decides to run in her school’s mock election after learning that a woman has never been President, but it’s more difficult than she thought! It’s supposed to a fun and entertaining for little kids but also inspiring.
One Vote, Two Votes, I Vote, You Vote by Bonnie Worth: I haven’t read this one but it looked great based on the description: “The Cat in the Hat looks at how, why, and who we vote for in a rhyming, nonfiction book that's perfect for Election Day, President's Day, and year-round reading—now with 16 bonus-pages of kid-friendly voting activities!”
Duck for President by Doreen Cronin: Just a silly but fun take on elections with one of our favorite characters: Duck!
Books for Big Kids
The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert: This story takes place over the course of one day, when Marva and Duke both go to vote, but Duke is turned away from the polls. Marva makes it her mission to get him his vote and they race across town, trying to make that happen. Romantic and political, this YA book will pull in older junior readers like Lila and adults alike.
Dress Coded by Carrie Firestone: Molly is fed up with unfair dress code at their middle school after seeing its negative impact on her life and for many other girls. She starts a podcast to give girls a place talk about it which ends up growing into something even bigger. A girl-power friendship story about standing up for what you believe in, it encourage girls to work together and to fight for what’s right.
Texting with U.S. Presidents by Bobby Basil: Part of a series about texting with historical figures, I thought this would be great for kids like Hadley, who love graphic novels or text broken up into smaller pieces so that it seems more fun and current.
The Babysitter’s Club: Kristy for President by Ann M. Martin: I couldn’t resist throwing an old classic in here, which I still remember reading when I was younger. With the recent revival of the BSC, I think I could get my girls to read this, and while Kristy definitely makes mistakes, she isn’t afraid to take action or speak her mind.