Power to the People! The President of the Jungle by Andre' Rodrigues, et al

LION WANTED A SWIMMING POOL. SO, BECAUSE HE WAS THE KING OF THE JUNGLE, HE RE-ROUTED THE RIVER TO FLOW INTO HIS FRONT YARD.

Lion was one of a long lineage of jungle rulers, so what he wants is what he gets. But diverting the river has a very bad outcome for the other animals. Baby animals are thirsty without their river. Armadillo complains that Lion only considers his own needs. Crocodile calls for a protest, and Sloth rouses himself to suggest they get a new leader who cares about everyone's well-being. They all show up in Lion's front yard for a demonstration. Protest signs are waved right under Lion's nose.

#OCCUPY THE JUNGLE!

SAY NO TO THE LION'S POOL!

GIVE US BACK OUR RIVER!

"THIS KING NEEDS TO GO!" CROAKS CROC.

The animals agree that they need a new leader. Owl suggests that instead of a kingdom, the jungle needs a democracy and for that they need ... AN ELECTION! There must be candidates, who campaign, describing what they think is best for everyone in the jungle, and everyone in the jungle gets to vote, and the winner will be the one who ends up with the most votes. Everyone agrees, and together they agree on the RULES--to wit, VOTES are secret, and no one can offer gifts in return for a vote, and the candidate with the largest number of votes wins. They agree to have an election once a year.

Sloth, Snake, Monkey, and Lion decide to become candidates. There are TV speeches, rallies, selfies, leaflets, discussions of issues, denigrations of each other by the candidates, and finally debates!

LION GOT DISQUALIFIED FOR GIVING VOTERS PEANUTS SO THEY'D CHOOSE HIM.

It's an all too familiar scenario, in The President of the Jungle (Nancy Paulson Books, 2020), by Andre' Rodrigues, Larissa Ribeiro, Paula Desgualdo, and Pedro Markun, who take a genuine but light-hearted look at that most critical time in any democracy, the election. With a glossary appended and spirited collaged illustrations with sly comments in speech balloons, this picture book is a humorous but insightful primer about voting and voters, elections and democracy.

In their starred review, Kirkus Review says succinctly, "A fun, lively, accessible primer on the democratic process (good for weary adults, too).”

Vote for Hubie! The Class Election from the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler

We're having a class election. Mrs. Green says everyone has to run for something. Maybe I can just let my nose run!

Hubie can't see himself being vice president; nobody likes his ad-vice. Being secretary is too much work taking notes. And running for treasurer doesn't add up because his math is below average. There is only one office left, so Hubie declares himself a candidate for president! He even comes up with a rhyming slogan:

DON'T BE A BOOBIE. VOTE FOR HUBIE!

Then DORIS declares she's running for president, too. She says she wants to be the first woman president. Hubie realizes he'll be ostracized by all the boys if he's beaten by a girl.

What if I lose to a GIRL? No one would eat at my lunch table! I'd eat alone for the rest of my life!

And Hubie's opponent is not above a bit of bribery:

Doris buys everyone ice cream bars at lunch! I am DESSERTED!

Doris is not above some campaign dirty tricks either. A poster for her shows up in the boys' bathroom. Now Hubie is forced to sneak into the girls' bathroom and put up one of his posters.

If I get caught, it could ruin my political career! I can see it now. I'm running for president of the U.S. I'm ahead in the polls. Then the story of how I snuck into the girls' bathroom is leaked. I could be washed up in politics. My campaign would stall. My career goes down the drain. I will never be flushed with victory!

As they say "Elections have consequences," and Hubie's brush with greatness is the subject of Mike Thaler's The Class Election from the Black Lagoon (Black Lagoon Adventures, No. 3) (Scholastic Press). Thaler's fun with the pun is just right for middle elementary readers--especially with sixteen short chapters filled with comic artist Jared Lee's scratchy lined, over-the-top cartoons of the schoolroom scene. This lighthearted parody of all things political is just the comic relief for this election season. Pair this one with Thaler and Lee's seasonal spoof, The Halloween Party From The Black Lagoon (Black Lagoon Adventures 5) (Black Lagoon Adventures series).

Mud-Slinging! Vote for ME! by Ben Clanton

Well, what's so great about YOU?

I'm a super cute elephant!

How can you not vote for someone as adorable as me?

Political speeches are prone to bragging, and Elephant is not above a bit of braggadocio from the podium.

So Donkey tries a bit of bribery:

If you'll vote for me, I'll give you a sucker!

So Elephant ups the ante:

If you pick me, I'll give you PEANUTS!

So the political competitors pivot to some name-calling!

STINKY Poop Scooper!

NINCOMPOOP!

This campaign degenerates into a bit of traditional MUDSLINGING!

SLOP!

PLOP!

It's politics as usual, in Ben Clanton's Vote for Me! (Tundra Books), which offers a satiric look at campaigns and elections which prepares youngsters for some of the usual political palaver in the election scene. Ironically, Clanton gives the clandestine candidate Mouse the win this time, in a silly, sarcastic look at the traditional candidates, but this tongue-in-cheek look at elections make a good jumping-off-point for school and home discussions of the important political scene.

Other top-selling comic offerings by author-illustrator Ben Clanton include Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea (A Narwhal and Jelly Book 1), and sequels, Rot, the Cutest in the World! and It Came in the Mail. (read my reviews here).

Promises, Promises! Splat the Cat for President by Rob Scotton

The ballots were counted.

It was official--Splat was the new student body president.

Everyone cheered. Well, almost everyone.

It is time for Splat's big acceptance speech. His chest swells with pride, and he is eager to please all his voters.

"I promise that everyone will get new pencils! Your goldfish will get better food!"

MEH. Splat's public is not impressed.

"So LAME!" they mutter.

Suddenly Splat senses that his followers are growing disenchanted. He's losing his electorate! He figures he got to up the ante on his promises. So the next day he announces that he's making some big changes. No more school buses. Everyone will have their own car to take to school. Pizza will be served in the cafeteria every day. Robot teachers will be available to do everyone's homework.

Splat is on a roll. The crowd goes wild. His presidency is going to be--HUGE!

Except--none of that is going to happen. Splat's teacher Mrs. Wimpydimple takes him for a a brief walk down the hallway and points out that there is no way he can keep those promises. Where are the cars and pizzas and robots going to come from? Splat admits he hasn't figured out how that is going to happen yet. His teacher calmly puts her hand on his shoulder.

"You can still make a difference," says Mrs. Dimpywimple.

In the latest in his books in Harper's venerable series, Rob Scotton's Splat the Cat for President (HarperCollins, 2016), Splat the Cat learns a lesson in making promises he cannot keep and considers instead the politics of the possible. With the short and easy-going text by J. E. Bright and Rick Farley and illustrations that reveal Splat's eager-to-please but perpetually anxious personality, kids will get a chuckle as they learn two lessons in leadership--"You can't please everyone" and "Don't make promises you can't keep."

Make ME Great! President Squid by Aaron Reynolds

I HAVE REALIZED SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT. SOMETHING THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING.

NO GIANT SQUID HAS EVER BEEN PRESIDENT BEFORE. I WILL BE THE FIRST!

After all, what does it take to be President? A tie? Got one. A big house! Squid's house is titanic. No, not just huge. It IS The Titanic!

Being famous?

I WILL BE THE GREATEST PRESIDENT WHO EVER LIVED!

But when he tries out some constituent services, freeing a small sardine from a clam's grip, he finds out that helping the public is, like, work!

 WAIT! I DON'T WANT TO BE PRESIDENT! I WANT TO BE...

KING SQUID!

ALL OF THE POWER! NONE OF THE WORK!

In Aaron Reynold's latest,President Squid (Chronicle Books, 2016), any resemblance to any presidential candidate, living or dead, is purely coincidental, according to the author. Just because Squid is a megalomaniac, given to commissioning his likeness carved on Mt. Rushmore, spouting grandiose proclamations without bothering with delusions of grandeur without actually doing the actual work involved in carrying out his boasts, doesn't mean that author Reynolds has chosen any particular candidate as the object of his satire. Sara Varon's comic under-the-sea illustrations add much to this spoof of slippery political candidates that will make even apolitical preschoolers chuckle!