Vote Here: Books for Tweens About Elections and Voting

by Denise Schipani

Photo credit: MoMo Productions, Stone/Getty Images

This morning, as my middle schooler was halfway out the door, he asked, “So, what happens if someone gets the nomination, but then changes her mind? Or his? What if they die? Do they just pick someone else?” The bus was coming in less than two minutes, so my answer was something along the lines of, “Uh … Not sure that’s happened before, but I’d guess the party would have to find someone else. See you later!”

Both of my sons — ages 13 and 11 — are highly election-curious during what I tell them is a very unique year. We talk about it all the time. What’s a caucus? Why Iowa first? Has there ever been a tie? (They mean an actual, popular-vote tie; I haven’t even tried to explain Florida in 2000 to them yet.) My husband and I know a fair amount about U.S. civics and government, but darned if our boys — and they’re hardly unique in this respect — don’t come up with questions that leave us either stammering or frantically Googling.

If your family’s in the same boat, check out this list of book picks for election-obsessed tweens.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2016 and updated in 2020.