Vote

by Gary Paulsen

Overview

   Kevin Spencer, the hero of Liar, Liar, Flat Broke, and Crush, has a knack for tackling big ideas and goofing up, so what's next? Politics, of course! He's running for office, and his campaign is truly unique.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780375990533
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	05/14/2013
Pages:	144
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 7.40(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

GARY PAULSEN is the distinguished author of many critically acclaimed books for young people. His most recent books are Crush; Flat Broke; Liar, Liar; Paintings from the Cave; Lawn Boy Returns; Woods Runner; Masters of Disaster; Notes from the Dog; Mudshark; Lawn Boy; Molly McGinty Has a Really Good Day; The Time Hackers; and The Amazing Life of Birds (The Twenty-Day Puberty Journal of Duane Homer Leech).

Editorial Reviews

Meet Kevin Spenser—a willy-nilly kind of kid who finally has a "keeper" girlfriend. His life has been consumed with crazy schemes to snatch up the girl of his dreams throughout the first three episodes of the series—Liar, Liar, Flat Broke, and Crush. Tina Zabinski is his steady girlfriend and in order to keep her, he elects to make a lasting impression by throwing his hat into the campaign for a recently vacated student body presidential seat. After all, this cool dude is capable, gifted, and a worthy candidate. Kevin's theory is that it is undemocratic to have a contender run unopposed—he learned that in social studies class, and a good looking new guy at school and mortal enemy, CA$H, who already has a slogan, is handing out buttons and eyeing Tina. The spotlight falls on Kev as he springs into action, strategizing and analyzing his qualifications and addressing the issues that will make him electable. Friends team up to lend support as the dynamics of pre-election rules are detailed in each chapter. It is entertainment at its best for middle schoolers, as the fourteen-year-old celeb hurtles through many hilarious adventures toward his claim-to-fame. Emphasis on family, friends, and school are commendable features. The slim book promises a quick read and an enticing conclusion—Kevin is planning the world's most perfect third date with Tina! Does another Gary Paulsen series title loom in the future? Reviewer: Barbara Troisi

Children's Literature - Barbara Troisi

Gr 5?8—Fourteen-year-old Kevin Spencer finds himself running for student-body president against handsome Cash Devine. He hadn't planned to, but now that he and Tina Zabinski, the world's best-smelling girl, have had their first date, he wants even more to impress her. If Cash wins, she may just realize that he is amazing and that Kevin is a dud. Unfortunately, Kevin's nemesis seems always to be a step ahead. A funny addition to the several books about Kevin, Vote is filled with lessons and commentary about today's political system, with subtle jibes that kids are not likely to notice. A good book for reluctant readers and fans of Paulsen's "Lawn Boy" (Random) series.—Terry Ann Lawler, Burton Barr Library, Phoenix, AZ

School Library Journal

Kevin knows the buzzwords that will surely get him elected student-body president; it's unfortunate that he's running for the wrong reason. Kevin's gotten into trouble before (Crush, 2002, etc.). In this fourth, funny outing, he navigates the mostly self-created obstacles of eighth grade. This time, having achieved a first date with his new girlfriend, Tina, he realizes that a new student, good-looking Cash Devine, is running unopposed for student-body president--and capturing lots of attention in the process. That just doesn't seem right to Kevin. After all, he's the one with all of the natural leadership ability, and he knows, somehow, all of the ins and outs of campaigning. However, he might not know quite as much as Cash's campaign manager, Kevin's clever rival, Katie. The strength of this effort comes from the surfeit of hyperbole that Kevin effortlessly churns out in his rarely self-critical but frequently amusing first-person narration. Each chapter title offers yet another pithy rule for aspiring politicians: "The True Politician Deftly Sidesteps Problems That Might Arise from an Overabundance of Truth," for example. Many of these "rules" seem unlikely to arise from the brain of an eighth-grader however, making this a little less credible than others in the series. Still, especially for kids who have watched recent elections, Kevin's brand of campaigning is readily recognizable. (Fiction. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews