Mama For Mayor by Jan and Mike Berenstain

Mama is upset about the holes in the road and decides she is going to run for mayor in order to make some much needed changes.  She goes through the whole process:  declaring her intent to run to campaigning to debates to election night.  I am not usually a huge fan of Berenstein Bears however this book is a great book for fall to intoroduce in simple, simple. terms the election process.  K, 1 and possibly 2nd grades.

Vote For Me by Ben Clanton

So this is one that may not REALLY be intended for kids but.....adults will get a kick out of it (or maybe high school/middle school students). See if you can put it together....a DONKEY and ELEPHANT are both running for office, the Big Cheese to be exact.  As these things sometimes do, it gets to be a little, well,  heated with mudslinging (literally).  See why you might want to use this with older kids??  I laughed through the whole thing, knowing what I know....but the 4 year old thought it was funny because even he knew that the elephant and donkey were not being "nice"!  And in the end....the INDEPENDENT MOUSE won.....if only it was that simple!

Text:  4 Buckeye leaves
Illustrations:  5 Buckeye leaves

Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet

I will admit, this book has been in our house for a while (from public library).....at one point I was going to read it to Adam but I thought it was much longer and skipped over it. WELL I was a rebel tonight and sat down - ALONE - when Daddy was giving Adam a bath and read it to myself. FASCINATING! Yes, I will admit I am a history buff, but I think this nonfiction book would grab kids because 99.9% of all kids LOVE the BIG BALLOONS in the parades! Ever hear of TONY SARG? Without Tony Sarg the Macy's Day Parade would not have the big, popular balloons each year. Tony was a puppeteer that never grew up. He performed with his marionettes on the streets of New York City. He was soon contacted by R. H. Macy's department store to create a "puppet parade" for the store's holiday display. Macy had another job for Sarg. He wanted to help the many immigrants that worked for his company celebrate their home cultures, thus the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was born. Next Sarg worked on balloons, using his puppet background as a basis, that would be big enough for the many people to see. A great book for elementary students. Full of interesting information/facts and unique fun illustrations!

Text: 5 Buckeye Leaves

Illustrations: 5 Buckeye Leaves

Endpages: 5 Buckeye leaves (with the ad from the New York Times, 1933)

A ++++!!!!

Underground by Shane W. Evans

Using limited yet carefully chosen words and simple pictures, Shane W. Evans creates a great introduction to the Underground Railroad as well as an extension for older students to ponder the steps along the way to freedom for many African American slaves during the 1800s. A family of slaves begins their journey, in the dark, quiet. As the journey continues they learn first hand that fear and endurance join together to bring them to the desired end, freedom. Well written with a powerful message about this time period in American history.

Text: 5 Buckeye leaves
Illustrations: 4 Buckeye leaves

Sesame Street's I Want To Be President by Michaela Muntean

Betty Lou decides after watching a Presidential motorcade that she might want to be president some day. Betty Lou knows the job is very important and involves alot of different things: campaigning, speeches, working with her cabinet on things such as the budget. flying around the country as well as traveling to other countries, talking with media, etc. I found this book at Target a few weeks ago in the dollar bins. I don't usually buy too many of the books from Target dollar bins but this one caught my eye and now wish I had bought more. This is a great introduction to some of the key words in government. It does a great job of holding Adam's attention which is not always easy! Great book for kids toddlers through 2nd grade. After 2nd grade the information would still be great for the kids, but not sure they will read Sesame Streetl

....AND you can't beat the price!!! ONE DOLLAR!!!

Text: 5 Buckeye Leaves - very informative
Illustrations: 4 Buckeye leaves

Lincoln's Legacy (Blast from the Past #1) by Stacia Deutsch & Rhody Cohon

I love picture books....and I can double dip, so to speak, - I can read the books to Adam but my chapter book repertoire is a little rusty. So I decided to try out a new series, Blast From the Past. Now to be fair, I am a history buff. I loved American History so this was not a stretch for me. This is the first book in the series. The book opens on a Monday morning. The class is waiting for their teacher, Mr. Caruther's to show up so they get their new "What If" question. Once Mr. C arrives he announces today's question: "What if Abraham Lincoln never freed the slaves?" Various people give their opinion of how things might have turned out. But things take an interesting turn when Mr. C asks a couple students to stay after school and the students learn the questions are REAL and that they have 2 hours to convince President Lincoln NOT to resign. These books are great for kids in grades 2-4, similar to the very popular Magic Treehouse series . I love books that tie in historical evens in an easy to read, FUN format for kids.

Text: 5 Buckeye Leaves

The Great Migration: Journey to the North by Eloise Greenfield

When Eloise Greenfield was just 3 months old, her family left their home in Parmele, North Carolina, headed north to a new home in Washington, D.C. The Greenfield family was not alone. Between 1915 and 1930, more than a million African American left the south and headed north to make a new life. In this book Greenfield tells the story, through poems, of this journey. Written in first person,readers experience the steps of this journey with the reader, from packing to saying good bye to arriving in a new home, looking and hoping for a job. Interesting look at a part of American history not covered in most history books.

Story: 4 Buckeye leaves
Illustrations: 5 Buckeye leaves - very interesting technique