Politics:
Presidents, Protests, and Student Council

Intermediate Fiction | Older Fiction | Nonfiction

The books recommended below were published within the last several years. Grade levels are only suggestions; the individual child is the real criterion.

Intermediate Fiction
Suggested grade level for each entry: 4–6

The Loud Silence of Francine Green by Karen Cushman (Clarion)
Francine questions authority at a repressive 1949 Catholic school with help from nonconformist Sophie, learning about free speech during the rise of anti-Communist sentiments. 228 pages.

Dork on the Run by Carol Gorman (HarperCollins)
In this sequel to Dork in Disguise, science-loving Jerry Flack campaigns for class president against popular Gabe, but the campaign devolves into a series of dirty tricks. 184 pages.

The Misfits by James Howe (Atheneum)
Bobby, Addie, Skeezie, and Joe run for middle-school office on a platform protesting name-calling in this accessible novel that addresses issues of bullying and homophobia. 274 pages.

Class President written by Johanna Hurwitz, illus. by Sheila Hamanaka (Harcourt)
Fifth-grader Julio would love to hold the top office of his class but settles for campaigning for a friend, proving himself as a leader in other ways. 85 pages.

Young Adult Fiction
Suggested grade level for each entry: 7 and up

Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer (Putnam)
Sixteen-year-old Hope and her aunt run a Wisconsin diner while its dying owner takes on the corrupt incumbent mayor in an upcoming election. 186 pages.

Political Timber by Chris Lynch (HarperCollins)
High-school senior Gordon runs for mayor at the encouragement of his grandfather, the now-jailed former town leader. 166 pages.

First Boy by Gary Schmidt (Holt)
When Cooper Jewett’s grandfather dies, school and work overwhelm the young dairyman until a smooth-talking presidential candidate offers him a way out. 197 pages.

Going Going by Naomi Shihab Nye (Greenwillow)
Sixteen-year-old Florrie becomes a grassroots activist when she encourages her family and community to boycott chain stores and save local business. 232 pages.

Vote for Larry by Janet Tashjian (Holt)
The hero of The Gospel According to Larry returns, idealistic as ever, in a campaign for president — not of his school, but of the United States. 224 pages.

Nonfiction
Suggested grade level listed with each entry

The Real Revolution: The Global Story of American Independence by Marc Aronson (Clarion)
The international backdrop to the American Revolution is the focus of this dramatic and thought-provoking history, which will leave readers not just with a better understanding of historical events, but with a better idea of how historians work. 238 pages.Grade level: 7 and up. 238 pages.

A New Frontier: The Peace Corps in Eastern Europe written by Brent Ashabranner, photographs by Paul Conklin (Dutton)
Political intricacies abound in the Peace Corps’ efforts to respond to requests from former Communist-bloc countries such as Poland, Bulgaria, and Romania. Grade level: 4–6. 104 pages.

Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution by Natalie S. Bober (Atheneum)
Excerpts from Abigail Adams’s correspondence adds dimension to this scholarly biography of a figure whose comments on the status of women have reverberated throughout history. Grade level: 7 and up. 248 pages.

What’s the Deal?: Jefferson, Napoleon, and the Louisiana Purchase by Rhoda Blumberg (National)
Global politics and individual ambitions, as well as maps and reproductions, contextualize this account of the 1803 arrangement. Grade level: 4–6. 144 pages.

Countdown to Independence: A Revolution of Ideas in England and Her American Colonies: 1760-1776 by Natalie S. Bober (Atheneum)
Period paintings and lesser-known anecdotes color this history of the events on both side of the Atlantic that led to the colonies’ bid for freedom. Grade level: 7 and up. 342 pages.

Lincoln and Slavery by Peter Buchard (Atheneum)
Specific incidents, quotations, and anecdotes address the life of the sixteenth president through the lens of slavery. Grade level: 7 and up. 196 pages.

Talking Peace: A Vision for the Next Generation by Jimmy Carter (Dutton)
The former president describes his personal work promoting world peace, analyzes contemporary wars and social problems, and discusses how young people can contribute to peacemaking efforts. Grade level: 7 and up. 192 pages.

Theodore Roosevelt: Larger than Life by Matt Donnelly (Linnet)
The many sides of the president — politician, scholar, reformer — are shown through familiar stories, connecting national and international movements to Roosevelt’s career and personal life. Grade level: 7 and up. 184 pages.

Dateline: Troy written by Paul Fleischman, illustrated by Gwen Frankfeldt (Candlewick)
In this adaptation, the author juxtaposes twentieth-century news items with events from the Trojan War. Grade level: 7 and up. 80 pages.

Our Eleanor: A Scrapbook Look at Eleanor Roosevelt’s Remarkable Life by Candace Fleming (Atheneum)
Scrapbooks, diaries, photographs, and other primary and secondary sources inform this account of Roosevelt’s life and accomplishments. Grade level: 4–6. 176 pages.

Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery by Russell Freedman (Clarion)
Freedman captures the spirit of the woman in a sensitive but not overly adulatory biography illustrated with numerous black-and-white photographs. Grade level: 4–6. 198 pages.

Freedom Walkers by Russell Freedman (Holiday)
Balanced but impassioned, this is an expertly paced presentation of one of the defining episodes in the fight for racial equality. Grade level: 4–8. 114 pages.

Give Me Liberty!: The Story of the Declaration of Independence by Russell Freedman (Holiday)
Using the declamation by Patrick Henry as his title and theme, Freedman combines political observations, character evaluations, and contemporary opinions to narrate the creation of this historical document. Grade level: 4–6. 90 pages.

Kennedy Assassinated! The World Mourns: A Reporter’s Story by Wilborn Hampton (Candlewick)
This account includes a behind-the-scenes view of the confusion, tension, and river of false information surrounding the assassination, all told by a reporter who was there. Grade level: 4–6. 96 pages.

The March on Washington by James Haskins (HarperCollins)
This moving study of the 1963 rally for civil rights includes logistical details about the event, such as transportation, food, and sanitary facilities for the more than 250,000 protestors. Grade level: 4–6. 144 pages.

It’s Our World, Too!: Stories of Young People Who Are Making a Difference by Phillip Hoose (Little)
This inspiring handbook on social activism features true stories of children and young adults who have stood up for their rights, volunteered, organized for causes, and more. Grade level: 4–6. 166 pages.

Theodore Roosevelt: Champion of the American Spirit by Betsy Harvey Kraft (Clarion)
The icon’s own words and those of his contemporaries reveal his boyish enthusiasm for getting into the thick of things, providing an entry point for this strong biography. Grade level: 4–6. 180 pages.

Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez written by Kathleen Krull and illustrated by Yuyi Morales (Harcourt)
Focusing on a grape pickers’ strike, Krull uses Chavez to illustrate the reality of migrant workers’ lives and the attendant concepts of racism and nonviolent protest. Grade level: K–3. 48 pages.

Lives of Extraordinary Women: Rulers, Rebels (and What the Neighbors Thought) written by Kathleen Krull and illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt (Harcourt)
Twenty biographies profile historically prominent female figures ranging from the familiar — Eleanor Roosevelt and Elizabeth I — to the underappreciated — West African queen Nzingha. Grade level 4–6. 96 pages.

Lives of the Presidents: Fame, Shame (and What the Neighbors Thought) written by Kathleen Krull and illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt (Harcourt)
Offbeat sketches transform political icons into human beings with distinct personalities who have more in common with their constituents than one might imagine. Grade level: 4–6. 96 pages.

George Washington and the Founding of a Nation by Albert Marrin (Dutton)
This biography examines the social, economic, and political forces that shaped the first president. Familiar facts are paired with more illuminating information. Grade level: 7 and up. 276 pages.

Old Hickory: Andrew Jackson and the American People by Albert Marrin (Dutton)
Highlighting the man’s contradictions, the author lets reader judge the worth of the former president and general, as well show the man as a product and shaper of his times. Grade level 7 and up. 262 pages.

The Bill of Rights: How We Got It and What It Means by Milton Meltzer (HarperCollins)
Tracing the document’s development, the author details milestones like the Magna Carta, compares British and U.S. democracies, and provides a comprehensive overview of the amendments. Grade level: 7 and up. 180 pages.

The Buck Stops Here: The Presidents of the United States written and illustrated by Alice Provensen (HarperCollins)
This overview depicts each leader with symbols, placards, headlines, episodes, and other material that illustrate the main events of his administration. Grade level: K–3. 56 pages.

The Journey of the One and Only Declaration of Independence written by Judith St. George, illustrated by Will Hillenbrand (Philomel)
Through questions and drawings, this book reveals how war, celebration, and misguided preservation efforts have forced this historical document from place to place. Grade level: K–3. 48 pages.

So You Want to Be President? written by Judith St. George, illustrated by David Small (Philomel)
Trivia and anecdotes illustrate the various characteristics and personalities of American presidents, emphasizing the diversity of the group. Grade level: K–3. 53 pages.

Who’s to Know?: Information, the Media, and Public Awareness by Ann E. Weiss (Houghton)
Questions like “What is the right to know?” are explored in this discussion of ways in which the media and government suppress and distort information. Grade level: 7 and up. 182 pages.

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