If I Ran for President

Plot Summary

Imagine starring in commercials and traveling in your own campaign bus! Or seeing your face on bumper stickers and T-shirts!

If you ran for president, you would get to do these and other fun things, but you would also have to do a lot of hard work. You would study the nation’s problems, tell the American people about your platform, select a running mate, and debate your opponents on live television. Finally, in November, Election Day would arrive. You would keep your fingers crossed and wait for the results—will you be the next president of the United States?

A multicultural cast of children imagines what it would be like to run for president. The entertaining yet informative text is a good conversation starter for discussions on the election process. A note about this process accompanies the story. The author, Catherine Stier, is no stranger to politics—her previous book, If I Were President, looked at the various responsibilities of the president. Lynne Avril’s cheerful illustrations perfectly complement the lively text.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RL.1.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,9
RL.2.1,3,5,6,7,10
RL.3.1,3,4,5,6,7,9,10

Awards

Library Media Connection Editor's Choice Award

Reviews

"This title is a step above the usual election books, both in content and entertainment value. Six children take turns explaining the election process as if they were running for president. They discuss their decision to run, campaigning, primaries and conventions, debating, being interviewed, meeting the public, voting, and being sworn in on Inauguration Day. Stier does a good job of explaining election details, both in an introductory note about electoral votes and in the text itself....The author adds flavor by providing humorous examples, such as the need to smile despite indigestion....The lively cartoons cheerfully clarify the action and reinforce the concepts. Libraries will want this kid-friendly title." School Library Journal

"No scandal mongering or shady PACs weasel their way into Stier’s bright-eyed story of running for the office of president. This will be an innocent and charmingly earnest race with lots of different kids tossing their hats into the ring....Whiners need not apply, as Stier lets it be known that getting your message across is a long, tough job. But the story is refreshing, too; no one is pandering or posturing. Honesty is a virtue here, as is being concerned and well-scrubbed. This is a campaign to yearn for, all issues and not a spin doctor in sight." Kirkus Reviews

"Children will come away with a better understanding of the complex election-process, and, just maybe, an enduring respect for it." Booklist

"Stier enthusiastically describes the processes of running for and electing a president in the United States. After a clear one-page overview of the electoral college, the first person text imagines six kids on the campaign trail, from delaring canidacy to moving into the White House."
The Horn Book Guide

"This would be an outstanding tool for teachers to use as a starting point for classroom discussion..."
Library Media Connection

"This book would make an excellent contribution to a social studies class leading to further discussion of the democratic process."
Children's Literature

Associated Keywords
government, election, electoral, america, civic, civics, united states, politics, political