#IMWAYR- Monster Needs Your Vote

Czajak, Paul and Grieb, Wendy (illus.) Monster Needs Your Vote
September 4th 2015 by Mighty Media Kids
Copy Provided by Mighty Media Press

When Monster finds out he is not old enough to vote, he decides to run for president instead. Looking for a platform, he first embraces his own passions, which include more summer and dessert, but when these don't reverberate with the public, he decides he can also champion the cause of education, especially in regard to libraries. Even when he realizes he is also too young to run for president, he keeps campaigning for the issue and is able to make a difference despite his age.
Strengths: The colorful, appealing illustrations have many crowd scenes that evidence diversity, which is refreshing. There is a bicyclist wearing a helmet! Books about the election process are always in demand with elementary teachers, and this would be a fun way to introduce younger readers to politics and why people get involved.
Weaknesses: I am very picky about verse, and the scansion on some lines is off. From a middle grade perspective, it seems absurd that Monster doesn't also realize he is too young to RUN for president, but younger readers will think this is goofy fun, and feel that they know more than Monster does.
What I really think: Too young for my middle school, although perhaps this would be a good book for middle school students running for student council who think that changing school lunches is a good platform! Elementary schools will want to look into this series, in which Monster also needs a costume, sleep, a Christmas tree, and a party.

There is a campaign kit that is very helpful, and has information about presidents as well as the election process. I almost wish that some of this information had been included in the book!
http://mightymediapress.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/MMP_MonsterCampaignKit.pdf

It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday at Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe and It's Monday,What Are You Reading? day at Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers. It's also Nonfiction Monday.