V is for Voting

Book Title:  V is for Voting

Book Author:  Kate Farrell

Book Illustrator:  Caitlin Kuhwald

This book addresses:  Civic engagement, diversity, occupation of indigenous lands, political activism

Potentially Tricky Vocabulary:  

Homelands: where a person or group of people is from

Objective: dealing with facts as they are, without letting personal feelings influence you

Footnote: a note or reference, usually placed at the bottom of the page, to inform the reader of some historical fact or evidence that they may need to know

Unbought: not able to be bribed 

Undeterred: not discouraged or prevented from acting

Zeal: eagerness and interest

Questions to ask the student before reading: 

• Why is it important to vote?

• What does it mean to be an engaged citizen?

• What do you think it means to protest? How can protest help? Does protest always work?

Historical context to give before reading:  

For younger readers: Voting is an important part of our democracy. It’s how the people in government, the people in charge, know what the people want, it’s how presidents and other political leaders get elected, and it’s how some laws are put in place. However, not everyone has always had the right to vote. Some groups have had to fight for that right. Even today, it is harder for some people to vote based on their citizenship status, where they live, or their access to resources. It is very important that everyone is able to vote in order for the laws and leaders of this country to reflect what the people want.

For older readers: When the United States was founded, the founding fathers decided that it was important that everyone get a say in the government, and thus they decided to build a democracy where everyone gets a chance to vote. However, the founding fathers had a different idea about what everyone meant. At first, only select white men could actually vote. Throughout history, more and more people have protested for and won the right to vote - black men, white women, black women, and indigenous people. Even today, however, the ability to vote isn’t equal. It is harder for some people to cast their vote. When not everyone can vote, this means that not everyone has a say in what laws are made and what happens in this country, even though everyone living here should have that right. This is why voting and political engagement are important. It’s how the people in government, the people in charge, know what the people want. 

(The questions to ask the student and historical content above are interconnected. The historical context is typically going to be a supplement to what your student might not know. Some students may already be knowledgeable about a subject, others may not know much yet. Pay attention to what your student already knows and share the historical context accordingly.)

While reading: 

Point out/talk about how the illustrations connect to the text. G, N, S, T, and U each feature historical figures that are identified in the back of the book. For H: Ask your student “Do you know what that means?” Depending on your student’s answer, choose to share any of the following: [When Europeans arrived in the Americas, they didn’t respect the indigenous people who lived here and colonized and took their land. The relationship between our government and indigenous people is still fractured, but there are indigenous and non-indigenous people working to repair it]. 

After reading: 

Talk through the voting rights timeline and featured historical figures with your student. Do they recognize any? 

Follow up activity (time permitting):  

Have the student choose a letter and accompanying text (ex. K is for knowing that you can take part) and draw their own illustration.

All definitions were adapted by Karina Connolly from the Merriam Webster online dictionary.