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From the Mouth of Dogs... Voting, Law-Making
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Let your kids learn about law-making and voting from these two delightful books that take on their topics from a canine perspective.
My Senator and Me: A Dog’s Eye View of Washington, D.C. is said to be Senator Edward M. Kennedy’s tribute to his Portuguese Water Dog, Splash, who often accompanied him on his work day in the Capital amd Capitol.
Splash tells the story of his Senator, and in doing so gives children an idea of public service and how Congress works, all in an appealing way. Splash, his Kennedy-look-alike master, and the setting are wonderfully illustrated by Caldecott-honored artist David Small (The Gardener, Imogene’s Antlers, etc.)
As a bonus, the book has information on how a bill becomes a law. It’s listed as for grades 1 to 5.
First published in 2004, this one’s a winner and, in reality, a wonderful tribute to Senator Kennedy, even if he did write it himself. Kids will pick up on the heartfelt appreciation in the dog’s demeanor.
Young children who are curious about what all this election talk is all about will enjoy and learn from the comic book-format glossy Vote!
Eileen Christelow’s book, updated for 2008, tells the story of a mayoral election with questions and comments from one of the candidate’s two observant pups, Elmer and Sparky. “All the pertinent questions are asked and answered,” according to Booklist. “What is voting? Why doesn't everyone vote? Who decided who can vote?”
The plot involves a woman candidate, whose main concern is the need for a new school, her daughter, and a male candidate who seems to be running on a platform promising a new stadium. Liberal bias seeps through a bit, but otherwise a charming way to introduce kids in grades 2 to 5 to voting, registration to recounts.
A timeline of voting rights is included. Paperback, $4.99.
