I Voted: Making a Choice Makes a Difference

by Mark Shulman, Serge Bloch (Illustrator)

As we approach the 2022 midterm elections, this witty, nonpartisan book will help explain the concept of voting to the youngest readers.

I Voted explains the concept of choosing, individually, and as a group, from making a simple choice: "Which do you like better, apples or oranges?", to selecting a class pet, to even more complicated decisions, like electing community representatives.

You may not always get want you want, but there are strategies to better your odds!

Serge Bloch's effortless and charming illustrations paired with Mark Shulman's funny and timely text create a perfect resource for discussing current events with your children.

Backmatter includes information about the United States electoral process.

Selected for the CBC Champions of Change Showcase
A Junior Library Guild Selection
A Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year!

Genres: Picture Books, Nonfiction, Childrens, Politics, Government, History, Social Justice

40 pages, Hardcover

Published January 21, 2020

Reviews

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This cutely illustrated book is all about choices. It teaches children in very simplistic terms the importance of making choices.

And, it also shows kids how their choices can make a difference in their community. This book also spends time explaining the process of voting.

Reading Level: Ages 4 – 8 years – Pre-school – 3rd Grade

[C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic, relatable story about why it’s important to vote.

No political bias is presented toward any parties or candidates.

[Sonja · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was just really cute. A great illustration of the importance of voting. Start 'em young!

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Voted : Making a Choice Makes a Difference by Mark Shulman and Serge Bloch, PICTURE BOOK Neal Porter Books, (Holiday House), 2020, $19. 9780823445615

BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3) - ADVISABLE, EL - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: AVERAGE

Every time you make a choice, you can say you voted! But sometimes voting is more than just making a decision. When your class votes for a class pet, the votes may decide a different pet than what you wanted. What can you do to help your side win? Let people know what you think, work with others who have your same ideas, and talk to people who want something different, maybe you can change their mind. When you are 18, you can vote in an election, you can help choose your leaders! There are even things you can do now to make a difference.

It's a major election year! Mark Shulman's voting primer is a great guide to what it's all about. Full of positive ideas and ways to get involved, it emphasizes that every election is important, even if it is for student government or the class pet. Not political, it includes further descriptions at the end about the US Government system and resources for further information.

Lisa Librarian
https://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com/20...

[Bethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars! A concise, child friendly look at the voting process starting with an accessible example of the selection of a class pet, then comparing it to an actual election of a government official. Quirky, fun illustrations. Very practical, more info in the back matter explaining the branches of government. I subtracted half a star because it didn’t say what the president actually does, like it did for the other branches.

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

A simple explanation of what voting is and what it aims to accomplish. The only problem is that it sets forth the idea that the "thing" that gets the most votes from people wins. And we all know, in this country it doesn't work that way. That said, this is a wonderful book on the election process.

Additional info on the voting process included.

[Ariel]

This book is about how people vote it is very interesting because it shows and tells how people vote.
I did not read it I listened to it on vooks.

[Joanne Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Voted is an interesting mix of interactive and expository. The book starts by explaining what an opinion is, AKA a vote. The language is simple and clear, but conversational. The first half is about rule of majority. The second half is about the US Government, particularly as it applied to elected officials. The middle is about ways one can decide how to research whom to vote for in any situation using political office as an example. It ends with pointed instructions on influencing adults in the reader's life to cast a vote in political elections. The five pages of backmatter include a basic overview of the branches of government in America, steps to voting, more actionable steps for young readers, and resources for further study. It was cool overall, but felt a little ridiculous toward the end inciting little ones to action. I agree with instilling the idea of the necessity, duty, and privilege of voting in even the youngest minds (though the author never discusses privilege) but the book gets a bit ridiculous trying to incite the target age to political action. And while he mentions multiple times that one should try to convince other people to vote for your side he only once hints at the manner in which one should do it. It is only natural for kids to argue or become divisive. I think if he is going to goad kids into action, he ought to also instruct them on how to do it civilly. Perhaps used in conjunction with the excellent "Facts Vs. Opinions Vs. Robots," by Michael Rex. I give it four stars on the condition it is used responsibly.

[Monika Kilijańska · Rating 4 out of 5]

Warto się zastanowić jak sami podchodzimy do decydowania i kwestii wyborów. Czy bierzemy sprawy w swoje ręce? Analizujemy czy działamy pod wpływem impulsu? Czekamy na jakiś rozkaz, przyzwolenie, radę czy jesteśmy samodzielni? Odwlekamy decydowanie w czasie, bo może samo się jakoś rozwiąże? Każda z tych postaw ma podłoże w naszym dzieciństwie. To rodzice, nauczyciele i inne osoby będące dla nas w dzieciństwie autorytetami, uczyły nas jak podejmować decyzję, głosować, wybierać, bronić własnego zdania. Jak być samodzielnym. A przecież to samodzielność jest chyba najważniejszą umiejętnością, w którą chcemy wyposażyć nasze dziecko.

Książka pokazuje, że dziecko uczy się podejmowania decyzji właśnie podejmując decyzje. Na początku to wybór pomiędzy jabłkiem czy pomarańczami, lodami czy babeczkami, trampoliną czy basenem. Z czasem dochodzi do coraz ciekawszych wyborów, bo głosowania na jakiś pomysł w klasie. To pierwszy zalążek prawdziwej demokracji, tak ważnej w dorosłym życiu. To właśnie te pierwsze wybory pokazują, że mamy wpływ na to jakimi będziemy wyborcami.

Więcej na: https://konfabula.pl/demokracja-to-sz...

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lively artwork featuring mostly youngsters and future voters complements an easy-to-understanding explanation of why voting matters. Because the author begins with a discussion of a choice between apples or oranges and then moves into more challenging choices, readers will find it easy to relate to the text. I also appreciated that the book is nonpartisan, steering away from one political party or another, and offering suggestions for how to be an informed voter. It also discussed the importance of one vote and how sometimes the candidates or choices voters support don't win, which is simply part of the political process. It would be hard not to feel guilty about failing to vote after reading this book. There is even additional material that puts all of this in context with a brief discussion of the three branches of government: executive, legislative, and judicial. This title would be a helpful addition to any classroom library devoted to history, social studies or government.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every time you make a choice, you can say you voted! But sometimes voting is more than just making a decision. When your class votes for a class pet, the votes may decide a different pet than what you wanted. What can you do to help your side win? Let people know what you think, work with others who have your same ideas, and talk to people who want something different, maybe you can change their mind. When you are 18, you can vote in an election, you can help choose your leaders! There are even things you can do now to make a difference.

It's a major election year! Mark Shulman's voting primer is a great guide to what it's all about. Full of positive ideas and ways to get involved, it emphasizes that every election is important, even if it is for student government or the class pet. Not political, it includes further descriptions at the end about the US Government system and resources for further information.

For this and more of my reviews, visit http://kissthebookjr.blogspot.com

[Sarah Threlkeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ice cream or onions? That's an easy choice! Ice cream or cupcakes? That's a bit trickier. And voting for people who will make decisions that affect your community can be trickiest of all. This picture book clearly explains what voting is, what the process can be like, why it is important to vote (no matter what the election is about), and how to be an informed voter. Even though kids can't vote in political elections, they are encouraged to talk with grownups about voting and make sure the adults in their lives actually go to the polls (or the mailbox) and participate in democracy. The one flaw in the book is the focus on polling stations, which many states no longer have; mail-in ballots are not mentioned at all. Back matter includes steps for voting, a succinct explanation of the U.S. government, books and links for further reading, and suggestions for how kids can impact elections. A valuable resource before 2020 election day.

[Ms. Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an easy to understand explanation of what voting is, why it is important, and how it affects people, from kids to grownups. No matter how old you are, you've got opinions (is ice cream better than cupcakes?) and any time you choose, you've voted! People can vote on things from a classroom pet all the way up to the President of the United States.

This fun book talks about the basics of choice and voting, and its importance throughout life. The branches of the national government are described in the back and humorous illustrations capture politics throughout the pages.

This review originally posted at Bookworms in the 'Burg: https://bookwormsintheburg.blogspot.c...

[Paola Mercado · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love how cute and simple this book made it for children to understand the meaning about “voting." Giving them real life experiences was perfect because children were able to use things such as deciding on ice cream, what food they liked best, or choosing a class pet, which can all serve as voting examples because they must decide on what they really want. I’d have to say that Serge and Mark did an amazing job with the cute illustrations that were provided to demonstrate the text on each page so that children could get a visual of what was occurring through every page. I’d have to say this book would be perfect for students in kindergarten through 2nd grade and I would use it in a lesson about the responsibilities of a citizen.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can be split into two parts for storytimes. Simply explains the concept of voting - what it is, why it is important, how to vote, how to prepare for voting, etc. It explains it in clear, simple sentences (1-3 per page), starting off with voting for food or a class pet and covering what happens when you do not vote and why even one voice/vote matters. Then it explains how you can prepare to vote - listening, engaging with others, learning more information. After that, it teaches you how grown-ups vote - qualifications, registering, lining up, voting, and even the sticker part! Great breakdown for young children. Plain illustrations - mainly black, white, red, and blue.

[Cindy Dobrez · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy to understand guide to the voting process, explained with examples like voting for the class pet and then expanding out to adult voting and selecting our local, state, and national leaders. Because this is for the very young, it doesn't explain the role of the electoral college in electing our president, creating a misunderstanding that the person with the most votes always wins. Even so, this is a great intro to the voting process and our duty to exercise our vote. "If you don't vote, you don't get to choose."

[Jenn Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book that explains in very straight forward terms what voting is, how it works, and why it's important. It discusses voting in general terms (e.g. choosing a class pet) as well as voting for politicians and why that matters.
I understand why they didn't talk about the electoral college in the main text, because that's more complex than the rest of the content, but it could have been referenced in the back where the branches and levels of government are discussed.

4.5

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Draws the elementary school reader into the importance of voting by discussing the process of choosing a class pet. From there the author transitions into process of electing our government representatives, which begins with familiarizing oneself with the candidates and their positions on the issues. Layout of illustrations and text makes this title a very readable and an excellent addition to any library which serves an elementary audience.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book starts out with simple questions containing two choices we often have to make in life. This introduces the concept of voting individually and then as a group. It goes through the best ways to vote, how to work together to vote, how to compromise and also the feelings that come along with not getting what you vote for; a very important lesson for children and adults alike. Voting makes a difference, no matter how little we think our voices matter.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVED THIS BOOK! A fabulous and kid-friendly explanation of what it means to vote, why it's important, and what kids can do now (before they can legally vote) to be a part of different voting opportunities and processes. This is "non fiction", but reads like any other picture book...very simple and not overly done. This will go right in my school's library and I will use it next year even though it's not an election year.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An introduction to voting for preschool through third grade.
I Voted starts kids off with the idea of picking a favorite, understanding that your side doesn't always win, and how sharing ideas can change your mind or other's.
There is even a bit at the end about making sure the adults in your life are voting.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect introduction to voting for kids. It makes the concept easy to understand, comparing voting to choices, showing kids that voting is making a choice for what you think is the best. A great primer on voting at the end of the text helps older kids dive deeper into the concept, continuing the learning.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect explanation of what voting is and how it works for young readers. Clear, easy to grasp and written in terms and examples that a child can readily understand. Fun illustrations too.

This doesn't go into the complications of our Electoral College but rather sticks to the basics and that is fine for the age level.

[Meg · Rating 3 out of 5]

A timely and well-done classroom staple that will likely last through election years. I like how this book introduces young audiences to voting and its importance without taking a partisan stance... it also describes voting in age-appropriate ways that would pair well with a mock/classroom election for ages K-4.

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear and adorable explanations of the reason we vote, how all votes matter, and how to handle things when the voting does not result in your choice being chosen. I really liked that I could use this book for all of my K-5 students. It is wonderfully done! I enjoyed the illustrations as much as the process as it is explained so well.

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

In "I Voted", the author explains the concept in such a way that a child can understand. He uses simple real life classroom situation on choosing a pet, to further explanation on in what it means to vote. The author also provides information on who can or cannot vote and a description of the voting process from start to finish.

[Dale Barlow · Rating 5 out of 5]

(E-NF) 03.22.2020: per NYTimes: Children's Books/Picture This recommendation...; 06.20.2020: written prior to absentee voting so just a hair bit outdated but very encouraging about why adults need to vote and what under 18-yr. old’s should do to be involved in helping adults choose how to vote; lots of additional voter information at the end of this great book; 2019 early-nonfiction hardback via Madison County Public Library, Berea, unnumbered pgs.

11.06.2024 NOTE: I got this book out again after recent NY Times recommendation, discovering that I had already read it but never put the information on this GoodReads site (until now)

[Elizabeth]

This is an excellent book that very simply explains what voting is and why it is so important. Sadly, it's not 100% accurate, as it doesn't explain how the majority of people could vote for someone to be President, and yet they aren't President.

[Susanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good read aloud explaining the basics about voting and how as young people you can participate. Doesn’t go into the US system of delegates and all of that. I’d recommend this for kindergarten through 2nd grade.

[Suzie Friedman · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful book! The author presents concepts in a fun, clever, and relatable way. Young readers will be able to grasp what voting is and why it's important. Text and illustration layout are lovely and easy to follow. Excellent choice for the young and the young at heart!