Grace for President
Kelly DiPucchio
Illustrated by LeUyen Pham

Disney Press
2012 / ISBN 9781423139997
Picture book, elections (ages 3 and up)
Amazon

Reviewed by Bob Walch

Here's an excellent picture book that will help explain the electoral system to grade school children. Grace is a little girl who decides to run for president in her class' mock election. She is pitted against a boy named Thomas, and it becomes a spirited race.

The two launch a full campaign with speeches, rallies, posters and lots of promises like better cafeteria food and no homework. To determine who wins, the teachers set up an electoral college with each student representing a state. On election day the students cast as many votes as their state has to see who will win.

It is a very close race with the small state of Wyoming controlling the outcome. How Wyoming casts its three votes will determine whether Grace or her opponent emerges victorious.

This fun picture book can be used as a launching pad for a discussion of this fall's national elections and why the electoral vote - - rather than the popular vote - - determines who wins.