The Voting Booth

With the upcoming Presidential election, politics has been all over my newsfeed lately. There are lots of people spouting their opinions (both fact-based and not). But what has been on my mind the most is the importance of participating in our civic responsibilities and VOTING.

Some people feel like their vote doesn't really matter...that it gets swallowed up by the electorates, especially if they live in a state that always votes for a particular party. However, I feel, that if you don't exercise that right to vote, you may just end up losing that right or not having a say in who are leaders are. It doesn't matter what party you vote for but that you're putting your voice out there and having a say in our elected officials and the policies they'll eventually make.

Studies have shown that parents who vote are setting examples for their children who will grow up and be more likely to vote and participate civically. 

The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert is all about voting. Marva Sheridan and Duke Crenshaw are both ready to vote in their very first election and they are so excited. But when Duke runs into some problems with his registration and his opportunity to vote seems to be slipping from his fingers, Marva steps in to help. They spend the day running into so many obstacles that prevent people from voting. The Voting Booth explores these ideas in a way that is fun and engaging for teens that might not be super into the political process yet. There's even some romance thrown in!

This novel highlights many of the voter suppression tactics used and the problems that voting registration can cause for many. These efforts are most likely to reduce the voting of minorities.

This book makes it easy to get swept up in the action of civic engagement and the power that each person's vote has. Marva and Duke have their own reasons for why they want to participate and it reminds me of why I want to vote. They are interesting characters individually but it's their work together as a team that makes the story so great! Honestly, I'd love to read a sequel about Marva and Duke continuing to be involved in their community and fighting racism and voter suppression.

I highly recommend this book for teens, activists, romance lovers and anyone looking for a great novel by a Black author! You can purchase a copy here.