Little People, Big Futures.
Get your smallest citizens ready for Election Day.
Every person can make an impact. Every action can inspire a movement, shape an opinion, usher in a change. Every vote counts.
These are big, important concepts and big, important messages. To help build understanding and start a conversation about civic engagement and voting with your little one, I’ve put together a list of my favorite topical reads.
I’m super excited about the “future voter” shirts that T&C wore for this photoshoot, which are by the luxury children’s knitwear brand 12|12. My children love them since they are made from the absolute softest 100% organic pima cotton, and I always feel great about buying from them because they match every purchase by donating their product to babies in need through Baby2Baby. Enjoy 15% off all "future voter" styles by using code LITTLEBIBLIO at checkout!
So throw on your tee, find a cozy reading spot, and get ready to dive into these fabulous, consciousness-raising books.
Go Vote, Baby! (0-2 Years)
Think you can’t teach your baby about voting? Think again. This fun, interactive board book presents babies with a series of relatable choices: Do you want to play on the slide or the swings? Do you want to wear your kitty shirt or your puppy shirt? Your very opinionated baby will have fun and feel empowered sliding the check mark and “voting” for their choices, plus get a boost of encouragement to always cast their vote, no matter how big or small the decision.
I Am One: A Book of Action (3-7 Years)
One seed to start a garden; one step to start a journey; one brick to start breaking down walls. This vibrantly illustrated book will inspire your mini activist to tackle big problems and inspire great change. By demonstrating that every big undertaking starts with something small and achievable, the book goes beyond just inspiring and gives children confidence in their ability to make an impact.
The Jolly Postman (3-7 Years)
With almost 40% of Americans planning to vote by mail due to the pandemic, your local postal worker is 100% an essential worker and local hero. To start a conversation about the importance of our national postal service, I introduced this book to my littles. In this classic, which dates back to my own childhood, popular fairy tale characters write letters to one another, which your children can read by pulling the correspondence out of envelopes built into the pages! This whimsical book is sure to get your child excited about your local ballot box.
Vote for Our Future (4-8 Years)
My kids often learn best when there is a storyline to capture their attention, which is why I love this fun and informative book about an elementary school that closes every Election Day to become a polling place. The school’s students are disappointed that they are too young to cast their votes, but rather than be discouraged, they do their research and dedicate themselves to making an impact anyway. Channelling their feelings into action, the students go around their community making sure all the adults are informed, prepared, and committed to vote. What better way to raise civically engaged children than to show them that they don’t need to wait until they’re eighteen to be active, valuable, and influential participants in the voting process.
I Voted: Making a Choice Makes a Difference (4-8 Years)
This is the most comprehensive, relatable, and easy to understand book for future voters. It is overwhelmingly positive and empowering, but unlike most books on the topic it also states the hard truths, like sometimes you can’t change people’s minds, sometimes you won’t get the outcome you want, and sometimes leaders will do things you don’t like. “But if you don’t vote, you don’t get to choose. And your vote might be the one that makes the difference.”
Grace for President (4-8 Years)
When Grace’s teacher, Mrs. Barrington, rolls out a poster showcasing the faces of our country’s past presidents, Grace is astonished to learn that not a single one is female! Grace sits at her desk and basically has a “WTF?!” reaction that many of us share, then raises her hand and declares that she is going to be President. Mrs. Barrington embraces Grace’s enthusiasm and stages a mock election at the elementary school. The ensuing story provides a fun opportunity for readers to learn about the election process, and specifically about the Electoral College.
Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters (4-8 Years)
“Have I told you to be proud to be an American?” Using his signature oratorical skill that still gives me goosebumps, Barack Obama imbues his love for our nation in this inspiring book written as a letter to his daughters. Page by gorgeously illustrated page, Obama cites a quality that was epitomized by a person in American history: bravery in Jackie Robinson, strength in Helen Keller, kindness in Jane Addams. His moving message that he sees these characteristics in his daughters and every American child will have you and your little one bursting with patriotism.
V is for Voting (5-9 Years)
Galloping swiftly through the alphabet, this book touches on a myriad of conversation-starting and consciousness-raising topics such as “F for a free press to find facts and share” and “U is for unbought, unbossed, undeterred.” It acknowledges both the progress we’ve made and the things we are still striving for, with “N is for never forgetting what was” and “P is for protest when we need to fight.” As a closing statement, a Voting Rights Timeline on the final page highlights our country’s progress in expanding this powerful right, but also points out when we’ve backslid.
Facts vs. Opinions vs. Robots (5-9 Years)
“While we try not to argue about our opinions, we can’t argue with facts.” Making educated decisions about which candidates to vote for requires collecting a lot of facts and weighing a lot of opinions. But what exactly is a fact? And how do you tell the difference between a fact and an opinion? My son loved being taught by robots how to make the distinction, and he also learned the importance of respecting other people’s opinions, even though it isn’t always easy.
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10% of purchases through Bookshop.org go directly to local bookstores. Little Biblio earns an affiliate commission when you buy through links on our site.