Three-sentence Review: The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert

A three-sentence review of The Voting Both by Brandy Colbert published by Disney-Hyperion

Marva is fired up to vote for the first time; Duke is eager to check a trip to the voting booth off his list so he can concentrate on his band’s gig. But voting isn’t as easy it should be, and circumstances push Duke and Marva together for a day of attempted suffrage in Chicago. Brandy Colbert is a master of tight plotting and memorable characters, and this book is no exception.

Here’s an answer to one of my 85 beta reading questions:

What made the plot unique?

As an 18-year-old voting for the first time, I was nervous to take this important step. And my biggest problem was being grownup enough to get out of my car at the polling station. After that, it was easy. I rarely read books about first-time voting experiences (or any voting experiences), so this book is quite unique. This plot is instructive for teenagers who might encounter a worst-case scenario. It also highlights how hard voting can be and leaves plenty of room for discussion of whether it should be this hard to vote.

In an election year that also features a global pandemic, this story will resonate with readers, and give readers younger than eighteen a framework for what voting might look like when they turn 18.