Vote! [Paperback]

Eileen Christelow (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up

Using a town’s mayoral election as a model, this lively introduction to voting covers every step in the process, from the start of the campaign all the way to the voting booth. There’s even a recount! The cast of characters includes two dogs (and a cat), whose questions and comments mirror those of young readers and help to explain some of an election’s more confusing aspects. Told with clarity and wit in Eileen Christelow’s signature comic-book style and vetted by an expert in voter education, this look at how we choose our leaders turns an often daunting topic into an exciting narrative. Who would have guessed that learning about voting could be so much fun?
A timeline of the history of voting in the United States, a glossary of words associated with voting, a discussion of American political parties, and a list of Internet resources are included.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5-Using a campaign for mayor as an example, Christelow offers some background history on voting rights; explains the voting process; and answers questions about registration, volunteering, fund-raising, and recounting ballots. Colorful, comical illustrations in pen and ink and acrylic gouache and narration by one candidate's dogs, Elmer and Sparky, create a light yet informative tone. Appendixes offer a time line, a discussion of political parties, and Internet resources. Christelow's book will complement the few books available on the topic, including Betsy Maestro's The Voice of the People (Lothrop, 1996) and Patricia Murphy's Voting and Elections (Compass Point, 2001) as these titles focus on voting and elections as related to the three branches of government. This accessible and appealing title deserves a place in all collections.
Doris Losey, Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library, Tampa, FL
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Gr. 2-5. It's hard to imagine a more accessible introduction to voting. The words are straightforward, the art whimsical and creative, and two darling dogs provide color commentary on the action. The frame story is a mayoral election in which the mother of a young, African American named Angela Johnson is one of the candidates. The book follows the action from political rallies, fund-raisers, and debates through the election, ending with a successful recount. Along the way, all the pertinent questions are asked and answered: What is voting? Why doesn't everyone vote? Who decided who can vote? The latter question could have taken a book of its own to answer, but Angela explains in a few short pages, with the help of flashback art featuring colonialists, suffragettes, and minorities, how universal suffrage came about. The art, which mixes a deceptively simple comic-book style and more traditional full-page pictures, crackles with excitement, and the humorous asides by the doggie commentators not only help explain the action but also add extra bits of information. A glossary, a time line, and a resource list are appended. Vote aye on this one, and use it in the run up to next year's election. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Sandpiper (August 23, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618486062
• ISBN-13: 978-0618486069
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 9 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,046,229 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Eileen Christelow has created numerous fun and funny picture books, including the Five Little Monkeys series, Author, and most recently, Letters from a Desperate Dog. She and her husband, Ahren, live in Vermont. For more information visit www.christelow.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really Good Book about Voting!, November 16, 2004

By 

Lynn Ellingwood "The ESOL Teacher" (Webster, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Vote! (Hardcover)

I was so impressed at how easy and enjoyable this book was to read. It's about time someone wrote a good children's book about voting. Most books about voting are dry, dull and totally detached. This book provides a likable protaganist and takes us through the voting and election process. Students of mine who have read non-fiction books on voting and been left totally confused as well as bored may finally "get it" with this one. Good job!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Book, September 11, 2008

By 

H. Wagner "Best Auntie" (Tucson, AZ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Vote! (Paperback)

This is a good book for teaching kids about the voting process. I used it with my 3rd grade class and they enjoyed it. I'm not sure if it was listed on the product page, but the book was smaller than other copies of it I have seen, which made it hard to use as a read aloud.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Courtesy of Kids @ Teens Read Too, March 8, 2008

By 

TeensReadToo "Eat. Drink. Read. Be Merrier." (All Over the US & Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vote! (Paperback)

I wholeheartedly believe that it's imperative that we teach children about the importance of voting. With the freedom of democracy in the United States, we have the ability to choose who we want to lead us. It's up to use to teach our children how wonderful that freedom really is!

Eileen Christelow presents VOTE! in an easy-to-read, easy-to-understand format, with fun characters and illustrations, that will appeal to even the youngest of readers. Although they may be too young to vote, children of all ages will learn how important that right is.

VOTE! presents the mayoral race of Chris Smith and Bill Brown, two opponents who both want to lead the city. They have different platforms on which they're running, different types of families, and different agendas and reasons that they want to be mayor.

Although the book is a bit one-sided in making one candidate out to be the "good guy" and one to be the "bad guy," children will be able to get a basic understanding of how elections work.

Also of interest is the glossary of election-related terms at the back of the book, along with a timeline of voting rights, interesting facts about political parties, and additional website resources for further exploration.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"