Skip to main content

Raising a Citizen (includes book and website reviews)

The kid has to complete a certain number of book reports every quarter. Included in the book reports are online quizzes from BookAdventure.com. Some of the questions on the quizzes are pretty specific about plot points. Tonight the kid took a quiz based on the book, Vote!, by Eileen Christelow.

When we were first told we had to use the site, I was skeptical. But the quizzes seem fair. Tonight though, the site proved pretty awesome. Here are a few of the questions the kid was asked about Vote!
  • What do you have to do if you want to vote?
  • What are political parties?
  • Why does a politician want to do a good job? (Answer was to get reelected)
  • Who decides who could vote?
  • What did the Constitution say about voting?
  • What do the candidates hope to do in a debate?
  • How old do you have to be to vote?
Perhaps these should be the first questions asked of GOP candidates at the next debate?

And that brings me to the awesomeness that is Vote! 

Christelow has crafted a picture book that teaches kids more about voting than I suspect most of us get in our whole K-12 education. Example? At the very end of this simple tale of an election, there is a timeline of voting rights in the USA. One of the cartoon characters, the yellow dog, remarks after a notation about the 1975 Voting Rights Act amendment, something about "1776-1975 and finally everyone can vote!" She also includes in the timeline notes about women's suffrage, the 14th amendment, ex-prisoner's voting rights and the 2002 Help America Vote Act.

I had bought the book for the kid when she was really small. It came out in 2003, so maybe when she was an infant, as we have the hard book copy. I hadn't read it to her in years and this was the first time she read it on her own...and all of it, including the supplementary material such as the timeline and definitions.

Because it is a picture book, I hadn't thought to make her reread it. But because I saw it was marked as third-grade level reading and was a 10-question quiz, I figured she could use it for her book reports. And I am so glad I did. One doesn't always read the supplementary material to an infant. Or at least she doesn't always remember that in 10 states ex-felons can't vote. But she knows that now and I saw that look in her eye that says, "Oh, hell no!" Thanks, Eileen.

Popular posts from this blog

I wrote a book: J Is for Justice! an Activism Alphabet

  From A to Z, discover your power to speak up for what you believe in and change the world! With empowering language and vibrant illustrations, this alphabet board book calls little ones to action with big and small steps that children can take to lead the way and become the next generation of activists. Written by Veronica I. Arreola Illustrated by María Díaz Perera Purchase your copy today! Women and Children First Using my Bookshop Affiliate link Using my Amazon affiliate link

Join the Summer of Feminista

After I posted about the Census and Dept of Ed boxes that don't properly include Latinos & Latinas, I received some comments & emails about this blog. Comments from Latinas about how they felt like they were raised in a feminist way, but without knowing or learning the word feminist. Comments about struggling with feminism as a Latina. Comments about feeling shunned in women's studies courses (as someone who has two women's studies minors broke my heart). So it's been stewing...What can I do about this? The Summer of Feminista (or so I'm calling it now, other suggestions much appreciated!) was born. If you are a Latina and have issues with feminism, things you want to discuss about feminism or merely reflect on how your abuelita raised you in such a radically feminist way despite the fact that she never uttered the word, then I am asking you to submit a guest blog post between the June 29th and Sept 14th, in other words, the rest of the summer. While I ...

Kim Moldosky on Amelia Earhart's continuing legacy

  Listen & Subscribe at Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts Kim Moldofsky is an all-around creative person and lifelong learner with a penchant for adventure. Inspired by Amelia Earhart, she  recently flew in a restored 1929 biplane. Read Kim's newsletter to keep up on all the things she has going on. This is her  first book.  Ways to support The Feminist Agenda podcast (affiliate links): Archer & Olive : Use code feminista10 to save 10% on most items Buy books my Bookshop site Purchase books mentioned and reviewed in this episode through my Bookshop affiliate links: It's Her Story: Amelia Earhart a Graphic Novel  Hail Mary: The Rise and Fall of the National Women's Football League  People & things mentioned in this episode:  Wally Funk   1918 pandemic   Amelia's NYT Letter to the Editor   ERA   Dr. Kristin Neff Follow The Feminist Agenda on Twitter 🟣 Instagram 🟣 Facebook The ...