Staff Reports
In a surprising twist that could only be cooked up by a politician looking for a new angle, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has shuffled his way into the world of children’s literature with his new book, The ABCs of Democracy. Released just in time to remind America of the Democratic Party’s not-so-stellar performances at the polls, this children’s picture book stands as a rather peculiar outlier in the multitude of memoirs, policy blast-fests, and self-help tomes that politicians typically churn out. Apparently, when the campaign trail gets rocky, it’s time to pull out the crayons.
Jeffries, representing a district in Brooklyn, has taken a novel approach—literally—by aiming to teach kids their ABCs alongside a hefty dose of political rhetoric. While many children’s books stick to relatable concepts like bumblebees or apples, Jeffries feels that toddlers are ready for a crash course in democratic values, even if they haven’t quite grasped the concept of sharing their toys yet. One might even say it’s like teaching calculus to kids still figuring out how to tie their shoes.
The book itself started as a manifesto of sorts for House Democrats, likely intended to rally the troops as they prepared to hand the gavel over to Republicans for the foreseeable future. Jeffries transformed what was originally a speech full of political bravado into a brightly colored children’s book, stripping out the Democratic Party’s identity while leaving the snarky political comparisons intact. Terms like “maturity over Mar-a-Lago” may ring with political pun-ditry, but one has to wonder how many toddlers are sitting around pondering the implications of that comparison instead of, say, looking at pictures of puppies.
Somewhere in the course of this creative endeavor, Jeffries lost sight of his primary audience. Reports suggest that a three-year-old’s critique of the book was a resounding, “Um, not good.” Children’s books generally work best when they can wow kiddos with whimsical illustrations and engaging themes—adjectives that might not hold true when discussing political ideologies or party platforms. This oversight could turn into a grand example of adults overthinking what children need, rather reminiscent of attempts to teach complex economics to kindergarteners.
Interestingly, while Jeffries dives into children’s political education, he’s not alone in this brave new world. Other politicians, like former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, have also taken pen to paper with children’s books meant to boost political legacies. Americans may wind up with a whole library of political plots if this becomes a trend, although it’ll be quite the task getting kids to give a hoot about their congressional leaders while they’d rather be exploring the universe of Dr. Seuss or even a good old-fashioned superhero tale.
While there is clearly some market for cute kiddie books that wrangle with niches like metal bands, the real question remains whether kids really care about politics at all. The purchasing power often rests squarely in the hands of parental units, meaning they will more likely snatch up a colorful book devoid of political overtones to ensure the little ones actually sit through storytime. In the battle for little hearts and minds, one must ask if Jeffries’ alternative ABCs can really compete with the likes of “S is for Sunshine” or “T is for Tea Party.” The reality may not be as rosy as Jeffries hopes.
