Tag: elections

REVIEW: Killer Research by Jenn McKinlay

REVIEW: Killer Research by Jenn McKinlay

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

The mayoral race between Ms. Cole from the library and the incumbent, Mayor Hensen, is heating up. And Lindsey and her Crafternoon friends are all in for the campaign. In fact, children’s librarian, Beth, is serving as Ms. Cole’s campaign manager.

But when a dead body is found in Ms. Cole’s car, the mayor and his cronies smell blood in the water and turn up the heat on their smear campaign.

So Lindsey, Sully, and Beth start sleuthing, determined to clear Ms. Cole and clear a path to her election victory.

Review

This is one of those series that’s easy to fall into no matter how long it’s been since you read the last one. This is the 12th book in the Library Lovers Mystery series by Jenn McKinlay, and it’s a must-read for me and has been from the beginning. The main characters feel like old friends, and it’s no work at all to dive into a new book.

My book friends did not disappoint in this outing. I was completely invested in seeing Ms. Cole cleared, and I cheered every time she verbally stomped on the mayor when he tried to stir up trouble. The mystery kept me guessing, and I enjoyed watching the story and the solution play out.

I don’t know that you have to read this series in order. It helps, though, because of the history with Ms. Cole throughout the series. It’s so satisfying to have seen her evolution from the beginning of the series until now, especially in her relationships with Lindsey and the Crafternoon group. That said, I still think the story is easy enough to follow if you decide to drop into the series here.

Series fans, of course, should absolutely pick this one up and enjoy watching Lindsey work the case – and Ms. Cole work the election!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read

REVIEW: Running by Natalia Sylvester

REVIEW: Running by Natalia Sylvester

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Mariana Ruiz’s father is running for president. He’s been in the state legislature before, and he’s currently a US Senator for Florida. Mariana knows what politics means for their day-to-day life. But she hasn’t really registered that his run for the Republican nomination means this election is at a whole new level.

Joe, her father’s assistant, is dictating her comments for TV spots and interviews. Her bedroom gets made-over like an elementary school classroom, complete with motivational posters, against her will because reporters are going to be seeing it. The whole family will be interviewed. No matter how many times Mariana asks to be left out of things, no one listens. So she disappears before the interview and goes to a friend’s house. That’s the first time Mariana pushes back. But it won’t be the last.

Review

This was excellent! No only does the book look at big issues like politics and the environment and activism, but it also drills down to interpersonal issues like family unity, teenage autonomy, family obligations, and political identity. For most of Mariana’s life, politics was just what her father did. It was background noise like other parental jobs might be for teens. But her father’s run for president amps up all the pressure over appearances and media scrutiny. Mariana’s discomfort starts there.

Then, a school assignment converges with a friend’s personal issues and raises her awareness about real life factors – things that impact people she loves. Things that used to just be political talking points. Mariana connects with students at her school who are more politically aware and engaged. She sees her father’s voting record, and it doesn’t line up with what he’s always said he believes. The more she learns, the more the idealized picture of her father fractures.

There are no easy answers offered, which I loved. This is Mariana’s coming-of-age story where her assumptions are torn down and what she rebuilds is a new comprehension of not only her family but also the larger world. And she realizes she has a place in it, and she has a unique platform where her voice can be heard. I loved this! (Language, LGBTQ+, TW: gaslighting)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥♥½ – I loved it! Would re-read.

BONUS REVIEW: The Campaign by Leila Sales

BONUS REVIEW: The Campaign by Leila Sales

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Amulet Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Seventh grade is off to a less-than-stellar start for Maddie. And it feels even worse when her favorite teacher, Mr. Xian, tells her that the new mayoral candidate is campaigning on a platform that includes a cut to all arts programs in the public schools. If she wins, there will be no music, no drama, no art – and no Mr. Xian. And since no one is running against her, this is all essentially a done deal.

Maddie convinces her post-college nanny, Janet, to run for mayor. Janet agrees that the arts are important, and she wants to be a voice for people like Maddie who can’t vote. But Janet and Maddie are both in for a steep learning curve over what running for mayor entails.

Review

I enjoyed this! Maddie is quirky, and I liked her. I was amused – and saddened – at how often her mom was off at some seminar to be a better parent rather than actually sticking around and BEING a parent to Maddie. And don’t even get me started on Maddie’s dad. I was happy that the family pieces of this were part of the backdrop to the larger story rather than the focus. Thankfully Maddie had Janet!

The friendship pieces here were also part of the backdrop, but a little more pertinent as Maddie has to face her friendship issues during the campaign. She discovers that it really isn’t just about what the other kids are or aren’t doing, but also about what SHE was doing and not doing in these relationships. It’s a smaller piece of the book, but I liked it. I think kids will find some interesting pieces here to talk about, too.

But the focus of the book is on this local election. And I loved this whole part of the story. A local election has more direct impact on our day-to-day lives. It’s also where citizens can get the most directly involved which is what Maddie and her friends do. Some readers have raised the issue that a mayor wouldn’t have any voice in what the school curriculum includes, but I think as a springboard, that doesn’t matter to the goal of the book or how I would use it with kids. I thought questions could be raised, too, about why the townspeople didn’t ask harder questions of the councilwoman about the issues they had in town. If she hadn’t addressed them as part of the council, why would they think she would as mayor? But, again, this is a springboard to conversation. This book isn’t going to be a perfect illustration of every city government.

Readers get to see Maddie – and Janet – learn how to get on the ballot, how to find and connect with voters, and how to look outside personal preferences to the needs of the larger community. This book is, in my opinion, meant to LAUNCH a conversation, not be the be-all-end-all. Use this to help readers ask questions about the same processes in your community. Get involved in a local campaign as a family. Attend a town hall or a debate. If you are looking for a way to talk with kids about the upcoming election season, start here!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥= Great! Might re-read