Just a quick book recommendation today in honor of Presidents Day:
Granted this book is not about presidents, but it is about how a person becomes president, which still seems applicable for Presidents Day (plus it's just such a fun book and so full of diversity it's just begging to be recommended).
In Grace For President written by Kelly DiPucchio and illustrated by LeUyen Pham, we meet a young girl named Grace who is shocked and angered when she learns there has never been a woman president of the United States. Grace turns her frustration into action and decides to run for the presidency of her elementary school. In the spirit of democracy, another candidate, the all-star Thomas Cobb from another classroom, is nominated as her opponent. DiPucchio does a fantastic job highlighting the work that goes into a presidential campaign and explaining the voting process in the United States, making the complicated concept of electoral votes understandable. Throughout the book, Pham's wonderful illustrations depict a school so racially diverse it feels like my own personal elementary school utopia. Grace and Thomas both campaign, promising to address student concerns if they are elected, until election day rolls around in November. The students act as state representatives and casts their electoral votes until only state, Wyoming--with its three electoral votes--is left. I won't give away the ending since I hate spoilers, but after the election, Grace announces to her class that when she grows up she will be president of the United States. Then, when you turn the page, the final illustration is of a grown-up Grace being sworn into office! So wonderful!
Obviously, I love this book, but I'm not recommending it solely for that reason--it is a great book and worth your time. I've read this book to kindergarteners who enjoyed and understood it, but I think it would also be well-suited to older students who are studying or interested in U.S. presidents and government.
~Stephanie
Granted this book is not about presidents, but it is about how a person becomes president, which still seems applicable for Presidents Day (plus it's just such a fun book and so full of diversity it's just begging to be recommended).
In Grace For President written by Kelly DiPucchio and illustrated by LeUyen Pham, we meet a young girl named Grace who is shocked and angered when she learns there has never been a woman president of the United States. Grace turns her frustration into action and decides to run for the presidency of her elementary school. In the spirit of democracy, another candidate, the all-star Thomas Cobb from another classroom, is nominated as her opponent. DiPucchio does a fantastic job highlighting the work that goes into a presidential campaign and explaining the voting process in the United States, making the complicated concept of electoral votes understandable. Throughout the book, Pham's wonderful illustrations depict a school so racially diverse it feels like my own personal elementary school utopia. Grace and Thomas both campaign, promising to address student concerns if they are elected, until election day rolls around in November. The students act as state representatives and casts their electoral votes until only state, Wyoming--with its three electoral votes--is left. I won't give away the ending since I hate spoilers, but after the election, Grace announces to her class that when she grows up she will be president of the United States. Then, when you turn the page, the final illustration is of a grown-up Grace being sworn into office! So wonderful!
Obviously, I love this book, but I'm not recommending it solely for that reason--it is a great book and worth your time. I've read this book to kindergarteners who enjoyed and understood it, but I think it would also be well-suited to older students who are studying or interested in U.S. presidents and government.
~Stephanie
No comments:
Post a Comment