Inauguration is for KIDS, too!

Add this to the inauguration balls in the works: the “Children’s Inaugural Ball” slated for this afternoon.

“There has never been an inaugural ball oriented to children,” says Michael Petit, president of the Every Child Matters Education Foundation, the group that came up with the idea.

Petit’s organization is joining with 34 other national children’s groups to host the free celebration, which will incorporate exhibits, food, live entertainment, story time and puppets.

Among the institutions participating: the National Zoo, National Aquarium, National Children’s Museum, The National Air and Space Museum and National Geographic Kids.

Petit says the goal is to welcome the new president and his family to the nation’s capital, and at the same time draw attention to the importance of a new administration that will focus attention on children’s issues.

Banners and displays will demonstrate how earlier presidents helped improve the well-being of children and families.

The kids’ event, Petite says, welcomes children of every age.

The party is being held at the Historical Society of Washington, and is sold out. About 2,000 guests are expected.

Petit is hoping that the party will eventually end up on the “official” list and that the Obama family might opt to attend.

Kids who can’t make it to the “Children’s Inaugural Ball” in Washington, D.C., can still share the excitement by reading about the presidency and the White House.

Some possibilities:

• The Fandex cards on the presidents includes such facts as: three of our Founding Fathers died on the Fourth of July, Martin Van Buren was the first president to be born an American citizen, and Abraham Lincoln lost his first political election. By Workman, the entertaining deck sells for $10.95.

Our White House: Looking in Looking Out • , a colorfully illustrated collection of historical stories created by 108 different authors and illustrators in conjunction with the National Children’s Book and Literary Alliance, aims to help confront historical illiteracy. Author Jane Yolen, for example, imagines a conversation between John and Abigail Adams, the first residents of the White House:

“Dearest Abigail, the wash

That’s hanging from the clothing line

Strung up along the East Room wall

Does not, I fear, look very fine.”

Kids also can learn about the White House Colonial Kitchen Gardens in Thomas Jefferson’s day, the relationship between American Indians and the White House, and White House brides. To learn more, check out www. ourwhitehouse.org. The book, published by Candlewick Press, sells for $29.99.

The Look-It-Up Book of Presidents • by Wyatt Blassingame is a good basic reference for young readers ages 10-13. It’s filled with historic photos and has an entry for each of our presidents, including President-elect Barack Obama. It’s published by Random House and sells for $12.99.

Yes We Can • by Garen Thomas is a biography of President Barack Obama written for children ages 9 and up. It’s recently been updated to include the campaign and election night finale. The author worked as a children’s book editor for many years and has edited a number of children’s books, including one on Negro League Baseball and one on Harriet Tubman. Published by Feiwel and Friends, $6.99.

First Kids: The True Story of All the Presidents’ Children • is written by 13-year-old Noah McCullough, who also writes The Essential Book of Presidential Trivia • . The young author is aiming to be president himself someday and owns 250 books on the presidents. Noah has assembled short entries on each of the White House kids, and there’s an introduction by Susan Ford. Noah’s books are published by Scholastic.