Politics and Government: 7 Books for Kids

Help your kids navigate the complicated world of politics with books meant specifically for them.

The Constitution for Babies by DK Children

This fun board book for little ones introduces the Founding Fathers and their mission to create a new nation. Little readers are guided through the nation’s founding in 1776 to the creation of the Constitution and its amendments, explaining how the government works and why. For ages 1-3.

V is for Voting by Kate Farrell and illustrated by Caitlin Kuhwald

This ABC book goes in alphabetical order for an engaging introduction to the tenets of democracy for young readers. Explaining concepts like voting, social justice, civil rights and activism, this rhyming book is also entertaining. For ages 3-6.

A Vote is a Powerful Thing by Catherine Stier and illustrated by Courtney Dawson

Callie know there’s a presidential election coming up, but her class is also having an election regarding the class field trip. She—and young readers—witness what a difference a vote can make and learn more about the election process and the historical fight to vote. For ages 4-8.

Everyone Gets a Say by Jill Twiss and illustrated by EG Keller

Pudding the snail and his friends, Jitterbug the chipmunk, Geezer the goose, Toast the butterfly and Duffles and Nudge the otters, can never seem to agree on anything. The friends have to figure out a way to pick a leader, while showing the importance of speaking up, in this picture book. For ages 4-8.

The Constitution Decoded by Katie Kennedy and illustrated by Ben Kirchner

Kids can become more informed citizens with this book that details the ideas, concepts and rules that make America by going through the Constitution word by word. Filled with historical content and figures, vocabulary, anecdotes and trivia, this book may even teach you a thing or two! For ages 10-14.

Guardians of Liberty: Freedom of the Press and the Nature of News by Linda Barrett Osborne

This book describes the ideal of the freedom of press as stated in the First Amendment to the Constitution. Featuring examples from the American Revolution to the Civil Rights Movement to recent presidencies, this book discusses how the freedoms of press and speech work together. For ages 10-14.

True or False: A CIA Analyst’s Guide to Spotting Fake News by Cindy L. Otis

From the ancient Egyptians to the French Revolution to the Founding Fathers, fake news is not a new concept. As a former CIA analyst, Otis takes readers through the history and impact of misinformation, tips on how to spot fake news and how to understand our own information biases. For ages 13-18.

For more tips on helping kids understand how our government works, read Atlanta Parent’s post on Raising Politically-Savvy Kids.