Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.88 AVERAGE
3.88 AVERAGE
Colbert’s “The Voting Booth” perfectly illustrates how important activism is and how the fight for social justice, specifically black power, isn’t over. As a reader who will never understand the experience of being black, I was moved to tears multiple times over the realistic descriptions of the fears associated with standing up for you own rights, feeling alienated by a white society, and getting pulled over by the cops. Every black person has been affected by politics their entire life and don’t have the privilege of not voting.
Yet, it isn’t always heavy. Colbert includes a romantic storyline centered around two black teens, meaning their whole character isn’t centered around the trauma they’ve faced. They have chapters of joy, excitement, and thrill like every child deserves.
I recommend this book to everyone, even if they’re not politically active. Maybe this will encourage you to make a difference in your community as well!
Yet, it isn’t always heavy. Colbert includes a romantic storyline centered around two black teens, meaning their whole character isn’t centered around the trauma they’ve faced. They have chapters of joy, excitement, and thrill like every child deserves.
I recommend this book to everyone, even if they’re not politically active. Maybe this will encourage you to make a difference in your community as well!
This was really sweet... and set in an alternate version of 2020 in which teenagers on Election Day had school and gigs with their band and were, like, out in public. It draws a really great portrayal of a white guy parading as caring and woke when he really can't see past his own entitlement, but without being heavy-handed about it. And there's a cat!
So Eartha Kitty is like the best cat name I've ever heard in my life.
I'm fine with Brandy Colbert, but I do find her writing a little bit tedious. I don't really feel like her writing feels like a YA style. I can't really put my finger on what it is exactly.
I think part of it is that she spells things out exactly as they happen and doesn't leave anything out. It gives us no room for interpretation or elegance or any sort of imagination that we might be building. The plot is always predictable and realistic. if we introduce a problem it will be met and confronted and exactly the way you expect. I know other authors do this, so that can't be all there is.
I think maybe a plot so truly predictable feels like she's talking down to the reader. this shouldn't be a big problem writing-wise I'm sure it doesn't bother most people...but I'm the type who is reading a young adult book trying to figure out what it has to say about the experience of youth... And I think she is underestimating the complexity and illogical nature of people in that age group. I also think that maybe it's because her writing is not at all witty (I'm not an insult I'm just an observation. Not every author is funny and that's okay) So I have our time just taking a story of face value like that. There are no truly unique moments happening. It's all very benign.
Also she does this sort of forced, methodical character development. She'll introduce a character and then go ahead and info dump a memory or part of their lives that's supposed to be significant onto the reader, expecting that we'll care about them. Maybe I just don't find her characters very interesting. I wish I knew why.
I'm also not really sure who this book is written for...fans of Nicola Yoon? Jennifer Niven? sometimes I got the feeling that it was written for white people as like an explainer or something. I'd honestly don't have a problem with having shit explained to me, but it doesn't feel like a very interesting plot premise. Makes it feel like a clip episode of a TV show.
I think what maybe flawed about the format is that it takes place in the span of less than a day, giving it a very indie movie feel, putting a lot of pressure on the bland event of one day to view the work with significance or something...the idea that people can come into your lives and immediately change whatever's happening. And I don't have a problem with that...necessarily, but having to depend on flashbacks for character development is really tedious and unrealistic as a writing technique. I have rarely ever been as bored as I was reading about Marva talk about how important her cat is to her or her boyfriend we've never even met...
Though honestly the whole time that she was talking about going to his family's like lake house or something, I was feeling a little bit of a Get Out vibe, which tells you how damaged my brain is. I guess I probably just wanted something to happen that was interesting for once.
Obviously I give no fucks about this love story. It is so very uninspiring. So, so vanilla. So, so The Sun is Also a Star. Ugh. And it's super sucks that that's the entire payoff of the book not the results of the gd election. I mean I looked like somebody had just fumbled a ball whenever this ended.
I'm fine with Brandy Colbert, but I do find her writing a little bit tedious. I don't really feel like her writing feels like a YA style. I can't really put my finger on what it is exactly.
I think part of it is that she spells things out exactly as they happen and doesn't leave anything out. It gives us no room for interpretation or elegance or any sort of imagination that we might be building. The plot is always predictable and realistic. if we introduce a problem it will be met and confronted and exactly the way you expect. I know other authors do this, so that can't be all there is.
I think maybe a plot so truly predictable feels like she's talking down to the reader. this shouldn't be a big problem writing-wise I'm sure it doesn't bother most people...but I'm the type who is reading a young adult book trying to figure out what it has to say about the experience of youth... And I think she is underestimating the complexity and illogical nature of people in that age group. I also think that maybe it's because her writing is not at all witty (I'm not an insult I'm just an observation. Not every author is funny and that's okay) So I have our time just taking a story of face value like that. There are no truly unique moments happening. It's all very benign.
Also she does this sort of forced, methodical character development. She'll introduce a character and then go ahead and info dump a memory or part of their lives that's supposed to be significant onto the reader, expecting that we'll care about them. Maybe I just don't find her characters very interesting. I wish I knew why.
I'm also not really sure who this book is written for...fans of Nicola Yoon? Jennifer Niven? sometimes I got the feeling that it was written for white people as like an explainer or something. I'd honestly don't have a problem with having shit explained to me, but it doesn't feel like a very interesting plot premise. Makes it feel like a clip episode of a TV show.
I think what maybe flawed about the format is that it takes place in the span of less than a day, giving it a very indie movie feel, putting a lot of pressure on the bland event of one day to view the work with significance or something...the idea that people can come into your lives and immediately change whatever's happening. And I don't have a problem with that...necessarily, but having to depend on flashbacks for character development is really tedious and unrealistic as a writing technique. I have rarely ever been as bored as I was reading about Marva talk about how important her cat is to her or her boyfriend we've never even met...
Though honestly the whole time that she was talking about going to his family's like lake house or something, I was feeling a little bit of a Get Out vibe, which tells you how damaged my brain is. I guess I probably just wanted something to happen that was interesting for once.
Obviously I give no fucks about this love story. It is so very uninspiring. So, so vanilla. So, so The Sun is Also a Star. Ugh. And it's super sucks that that's the entire payoff of the book not the results of the gd election. I mean I looked like somebody had just fumbled a ball whenever this ended.
Marva and Duke are both 18 years old and eligible to vote for the first time. Marva has been waiting her whole life for this chance, and is determined to also help others vote as well. At the election site she meets Duke, also Black and 18 years old. Duke is told he is not registered in that precinct, so Marva offers to drive Duke to another polling location. Casting a vote turns out to be an all-day ordeal, and the two teenagers get to know a lot about each other during that day. Duke is still reeling from the death of his older brother, who was a strong advocate for racial justice. Marva is dealing with a long-term boyfriend who has decided not to vote and her Instagram-famous cat who is missing. The entire story takes place in one long day (much like The Sun is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon). Great characters and an intriguing premise and also a serious look at voter suppression. I predict that my middle school readers will love it. Recommended for grades 7-up.
Cheesy YA book, that I enjoyed. I really liked that the plot revolves around voting and voter suppression. It wasn’t deep by any means, but a way for students to see real issues.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Super "the more you know" PSA syrup, but also a fun, lighthearted romance with a positive message about civic duty and "being the change you want to see in the world". So, I'm torn between wanting to mock it and wanting to champion it. Can I do both?