The recent inauguration was a star-studded event, full of music, singing and poetry. On January 20, 2021, Joseph Biden and Kamala Harris were sworn in as president and vice president, respectively, of the United States. It’s a historic moment for our nation, as Kamala Harris will be the first female, first Black, and first Indian American vice president. The event was full of new and recognizable faces, and kids may be curious about how the process of swearing-in a new government works. To support these learning interests, we’ve created a list of resources for learning about the government and the inauguration as a family.
The learners in your life can join in the events and celebration with these stories! Including a book written by Kamala Harris and more, there’s so much for kids to discover in these books to read for Inauguration Day.
What does the president do all day? Citizen Baby knows! Your little one can learn all about the presidency with this adorably-illustrated board book, apart of the Citizen Baby series. (Ages 0 – 3)
Kamala Harris’s picture book reminds readers that superheroes are all around us – and that kids can be superheroes, too! This inspiring picture book shows little readers that they have the power to make the world a better place! (Ages 3 – 7)
Growing readers can learn more about what the president does with this Level 2 reader from DK. With photographs to support the text, as well as strong visual clues to help build vocabulary, this book about presidents is perfect for new chapter books readers. (Ages 5 – 7)
This book takes middle grade readers back to when former presidents were just like them: kids! They dealt with kids-sized problems, just like the young readers in your life. Full-color illustrations on each page make this slice of history fun. (Ages 8 – 12)
Another literary resource is the full poem by the The National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman, which she presented during the inauguration. Her inspirational poem can be found in full here:
You can also find a helpful worksheet below, that will help your learners to understand Gorman’s use of prose, and the significance of the poem for all Americans: