Family The Abc S Of Voting

Hit the books. For elementary-school kids, check out Linda Granfield’s “America Votes” and Eileen Christelow’s “Vote!” Kids can laugh over Doreen Cronin’s “Duck for President.”

Talk about the issues, but don’t be a policy wonk. “Break everything down to a very small-scale, local level,” says David Roberts, director of the Council for Excellence in Government’s program, takeyourkidstovote.org. For education, talk about class size. For Iraq, talk about friends who might be sent to the Gulf.

Don’t be afraid to be partisan. Arguing politics in front of your kids lets them know where you stand and why.

Stay tuned. Watch Nickelodeon’s “Kids Pick the President,” debuting in April, and don’t forget to unfurl the flag on Election Day.