Rock That Vote

July 15, 2022
Choosing a class pet has never been so tough. The democratic process is in full effect when a classroom of students must vote on selecting and naming a new classroom pet that will join their existing pet rabbit, Mango. The students work in small groups to make posters that promote their animal of choice. After a brief kerfuffle between two friends (one saw the other voting for a different pet after both agreed to vote for a tree frog) is resolved, a pet duck is chosen, and the students elect to call their new pet Froggie. The brightly colored illustrations--a mix of gouache, colored pencil, brush marker, and digital finishing touches--present a vibrant classroom full of diverse children, and the text features a flowing rhyme scheme that reads aloud beautifully. But the message of the importance of voting feels superficial. The drama of the friends voting different ways is resolved a shade too quickly and without visual or textual clues supporting the importance of anonymity in democracy. If you're looking for a "B side" book about voting for storytime, this is acceptable; if you're looking for more...keep looking. (This book was reviewed digitally.) The vote was not rocked. (Picture book. 4-8)

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Starred review from October 10, 2022
The runaway rhythm and bouncing energy of an elementary school classroom’s vote for class pet foregrounds communal involvement—and genuine excitement—around the voting process. Fleming’s rhymes focus on characteristics instead of specific candidates—“Who wants FINS? Who wants PAWS?.../ Who wants WINGS? Who wants CLAWS?”—adroitly covering a range of species. “Hedgehog, lizard, hamster, goat?/ Make a sign and rock that vote!” invites participation as students draw campaign posters for their favorite animals. Cummins’s mixed-media art evokes the scrawled excitement of youthful creativity. A lesson in conflict resolution includes a teacher-led solution: “Let’s work it through./ Let’s understand./ Listen./ Share.// And now shake hands.” Illustrations feature kids of various abilities, skin tones, and hair textures, creating an inclusive, enthusiastic picture book about the power of community and of choice. Ages 4–8.