Don't Vote for Me

by Krista Van Dolzer

Veronica rules the school.
David's starting a revolution.

It's class president election time, and no one is surprised when Veronica Pritchard-Pratt is the only name on the list. She's the most popular girl in school, a social giant who rules the campaign every single year. David, for one, is sick of the tyranny-which he says. Out loud. When Veronica hears about this, she issues a public challenge to David. With his pride on the line, David accepts his fate and enters the race.

But as the campaign wages on, and David and Veronica are also paired up for a spring musical recital, David learns this Goliath is more than just a social giant-and maybe deserves to win more than he does...

Genres: Middle Grade

240 pages, Hardcover

First published August 4, 2015

About the author

I'm a stay-at-home mom by day and a children's author by bedtime. I live with my husband and four kids in Layton, Utah, where I watch too much college football and look for my dead people online. I'm the author of THE SOUND OF LIFE AND EVERYTHING (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, May 2015), DON'T VOTE FOR ME (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, August 2015), and EARTH TO DAD (Capstone, Fall 2018) as well as the forthcoming THE MULTIPLYING MYSTERIES OF MOUNT TEN (Bloomsbury Children's, Winter 2019).

Reviews

[Chris Garner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Krista demonstrates with this novel, as with her first, that she can write stories and characters that are both funny and poignant. This book is more light-hearted than THE SOUND OF LIFE AND EVERYTHING (and how could it not be given their respective stories?), but even with more comedy and a lighter tone, this novel manages to leave an impression of deeper significance than a simple story about middle-school kids. Children will relate to this book, and adults will enjoy it, too. The focus on music is great, as is the way it encourages kids to see beyond the cliques and stereotypes at school. Great stuff!

[Kate Bystrova · Rating 3 out of 5]

David Grainger is a twelve-year-old band geek at Shepherd’s Vale Middle School, where his big mouth lands him in hot water yet again when he finds himself signed up to the race for class president, a position that has hitherto been held unanimously by the super popular Veronica Pritchard-Pratt. Caught between wanting to stand up to the ‘queen bee’ and fleeing the country, David finally resolves to step up and show Veronica that the populars don’t rule the school.

What David doesn’t expect is for Veronica to welcome the competition with open arms – she’s tired of winning by default.

And as if the stress of campaigning isn’t enough, David finds himself forced to cooperate with Veronica on a duet performance of La Vie en Rose for the school recital.

Inevitably, as the story and campaigns progress, an unlikely friendship is formed between the two running mates as they learn valuable lessons about making assumptions, responsibility and independence.

But there can only be one class president.

Don’t Vote for Me wastes no time, plunging you headfirst into the story within the breadth of a page through fast-paced, first-person narration that establishes the setting, characters and dilemma quicker than you can say ‘hyperbole’.

There were three kinds of kids at Shepherd’s Vale Middle School: the populars, the unpopulars, and Riley and me. It wasn’t that we were disliked; it was that we were invisible. We could have dressed up like Splinter and Casey Jones – the costumes were two Halloweens old, but we hadn’t grown much – and no one would have noticed.
So when I saw that sign-up sheet, I didn’t stop to consider what I was going to say, just caught Riley’s eye and flicked a thumb over my shoulder.
‘Looks like it’s time for the Pritchard-Pratt’s annual coronation.’

We’re taken straight into the story in an immediate and engaging way and a tone that is easy and conversational – a quality necessary today more than ever given our rapidly shrinking attention spans.

‘But why should we have to settle for Pritchard-Pratt?’ I demanded. ‘Does she represent our views, our opinions?’
The words poured out of me like water from a backed-up toilet. I’d been gaining volume, and now most of the kids scattered around the commons were staring up – or down – at me. Their attention made me want to keep talking, talking, talking.
‘No!’ I said, raising my fist. ‘So I say it’s time we fight!’
Stronger words hadn’t been spoken since that Patrick Henry guy had said, Give me liberty, or give me death! The other kids responded by raising their fists, too, and whispering urgently to their neighbors. Hope bloomed in my chest like a helium balloon. For the first time in my life, someone was paying attention.

Several parts of Don’t Vote for Me had me laughing out loud, using lots of colourful similes and juvenile turns of phrase that children will lap up. Young readers will also enjoy the slightly eccentric teacher characters, such as the reluctant Mr Ashton (‘Either he was very bad at interpreting social cues, or he was very good at listening to himself talk’) and the mildly threatening Ms Clementi (‘Hyperbole!’).

On top of this, there are also some nice parallels with how the world actually works, with the school serving as a microcosm for general society:

‘I mean, who died and made them popular?’
‘We did,’ Spencer said. ‘We talk about what clothes they wear, what songs they like to listen to, and what movies and TV shows they watch. They’re popular because we say they are.’

Veronica Pritchard-Pratt, our hero’s ‘nemesis’, is an interesting if slightly unbalanced character. The most popular girl in school, she is confident and satisfactorily independent, doing things like refusing to accept help from others, even her largely invisible boyfriend, Brady. But behind her glossy exterior lies a turbulent home life and a whack of insecurity. She isn’t set up as a horrible person at all, which is a nice change to many books set in school, but rather she is private and perceived by others as being cold. The part that stopped her being an entirely believable character, for me at least, was her lack of confidence with her friends/council members in one part of the book, where she lets herself be downtrodden and entirely unheard whereas throughout the rest of the book she’s ‘queen bee’ among her friends. Her lack of confidence at other points of in the book is understandable, but there is the odd bit that just feels out of character.

I also couldn’t help noticing a few bits of the story that I found jarring. At one point, for example, Veronica says she can’t hang about the music room because then people might talk about how she’s in band as well as being popular – ‘She was the queen bee of the populars, but she was an imposter – and I was the only one who knew’ narrates David – and she’s afraid that the news might reach her parents. This is despite the fact that she goes to band practice, frequents the band room before/after school and has been asked to play a duet in the school recital (which would necessitate extra practice – which she does at home as well as at school). This just seemed like a bit of a flimsy plot device as her friends, classmates and teachers are all surely aware of her musical involvement, not just David.

Also, towards the end of the book, David considers throwing the election because he thinks winning means more to Veronica. The idea sent up red flags immediately – Veronica had been the uncontested class president, but the moment a boy runs against her the outcome is up to him: either he wins, or he grants her the victory. The actual ending of the book doesn’t quite follow this trope, thankfully, but it lends itself enough to the idea (in the election and the music recital) to strike a little nerve.

There is also a part where Esther, a character who shows herself to be strong both mentally and physically early in the book, is approached by a boy who looks like he wants to kiss her, and instead of handling it the way you expect her character to – i.e. badass-edly – she squeals until David comes to her rescue because he is a ‘gentleman’. Perhaps these aren’t big things overall, but they certainly make me twitch.

I know this seems like a fair amount of complaints, but to be honest I don’t think they are massive points as I may be overanalysing. And I do think that children would enjoy reading this book – it’s a fun and easy read that even I, with my nit-pickiness and social-justice tendencies, enjoyed. It is also worth bearing in mind that I read the book before the text was finalised, and it is likely that it was tightened up prior to publication.

Despite a few lapses, Don’t Vote for Me is an enjoyable book, with strong characterisation that children will be able to identify with and a fair few hijinks that they’ll enjoy (paintballing included!). This is one book that will find a good fit in any middle school library.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

For the complete review visit The Little Crocodile

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was okay. It took me a while to read because I was not really interested in it. I didn’t really care for the characters - both the main ones were whiny. The boy seemed to annoying and whiny. Bought the book a year ago during the presidential elections because I thought it would be a good book for students to read during the presidential elections. Never started it. Not one I will keep in my collection.

[Mkoren25 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a really good book. It has a strong theme that everyone should listen to.

[Q · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute, but I'm too old for it at this stage in my life.

[Cristina · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s that time of year again at Shepherd Vale Middle School: the 7th grade student election of class president. Glancing at the sign-up sheet, David notices that there’s only one name on the list, none other than Veronica Pritchard-Pratt. Winner by default in previous years, David, a band geek, is tired of the populars ruling the school. He voices his opinion loud and clear to his buddy standing next to him and draws a small audience as he continues with his outburst. Word gets around fast, and soon, Veronica finds out. She challenges him to run against her, and with the help of David’s loyal friends, they set out on a campaign to defeat her. Soon after, their band leader, Mr. Ashton pairs the opponents for an upcoming duet and they are forced to get to know each other. Previous assumptions David had about Veronica dissolve as an unlikely friendship begins to take shape. Later, he realizes that maybe he didn’t deserve to be crowned the next class president after all.

Written in first-person narrative with lively similes, Don't Vote for Me is a fast-paced, humorous, witty, and engaging story. Krista Van Dozer quickly engages the reader and immediately establishes the tone, mood, settings, characters, and plot. Through the use of situational irony and inferences, misconceptions are overturned leading the characters to learn valuable lessons in generalizations, stereotypes, and friendships.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a soft spot for contemporary MG fiction. I think that this age group is the perfect opportunity to start discussing a lot of real life issues that kids either are, or will possibly someday, tackle. My favorite topic of these, is dealing with middle school life. Ah, middle school. It has the power to be so amazing, and so awkward. I generally tend to snatch up any book that deals with that wild world, and Don't Vote for Me was no exception.

This was a cute, if slightly simple story line. David, our witty protagonist, overzealously vows to overthrow his middle school president and tyrant, Veronica Pritchard-Pratt. This creates a funny, misguided campaign with David's friends at the wheel. I admit, it was pretty hilarious to watch them try to run against such a popular girl. There were a lot of giggle worthy moments. It took me back to my middle school friendships.

Below all the whimsy though, was another story line. One about a girl who was misunderstood. Veronica isn't quite what she seems on the outside, and once David starts to discover that he slowly realizes how unfair he was really being. It was refreshing to see a an MG story about not judging others. Still, I felt like this addition could have been a lot stronger. I wanted to see more growth from both Veronica and David, but there just wasn't time.

Final verdict? A sweet, fun story about MG politics and friendships. With a little bit of a moral thrown in, it's a solid 3-star read.

[Sage Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so reminiscent of the stuff I read when I was the right age for this. To adult me, it felt a little simple, but it was still enjoyable. One of my main complaints, though was that we were told up front that David was invisible but never shown this. The inciting incident happens immediately, which usually is a good thing, but in this case never gives us a chance to see the main character the way he's described. On the other hand, we do get plenty of things shown about David. One of my favorite elements is that we're shown how his interests are inherited until he signs up to run for president, but it's never explicitly said.

Lots of fun to see alternate campaigning strategies, because by and large, class elections can be boring in the real world. But elections aren't the only goal for the book. There's also a lead up to a concert where David and Veronica have to do a duet. So there are dual goals to be reached through the plot, woven together as the two characters learn about each other and connect.

Overall, I enjoyed this but still felt it was a little too simple for me as an adult reader. I give it a high 3.5 stars.

I won this book through a Goodreads First Reads giveaway

[Rebecca Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Don’t Vote For Me by Krista Van Dolzer, Veronica Pritchard-Pratt is running for Class President. Again. David thinks someone else should have a say in how things at school are run and makes the mistake of saying so out loud. David ends up running against Veronica, trying to figure out how to steal votes from the most popular girl in seventh grade But as David spends more time with Veronica, on the campaign trail and practicing for the band recital, he finds that there’s more to Veronica than he thought, and maybe she deserves to win the election.vote for me

Don’t Vote For Me is a fun romp through the antics of a middle school class office election. The reader learns, through David's eyes, that the grass isn't always greener at the popular table in the caf. It’s a fun read for any middle grader.

[K.L. Hallam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Election season at Shepard's Vale Middle School, but if your name isn't Veronica Prichard-Pratt chances are you won't be running for President. Even though the sign-up sheets are calling out for a challenger. Which is where twelve-year-old, trumpet player, David Grainger enters, to take a bit of wind from her sails. Veronica for the side of the populars, and David for the band geeks (BGs). Reluctantly, he's in the game, representing those who feel invisible and disenfranchised.

There's much more going on than an election. Veronica and David are brought together with their music. I loved this part! I felt an affinity for Veronica and her story. A story she doesn't let anyone find out about, until David.
You never really know who people are just by looking at their outside.

[Terry]

Adult Reader Reaction: Enjoyable! Although there are aspects of the story that seem predictable, the author does a great job adding a fresh take on life in middle school. These are the kids in your neighborhood. I particularly like how the author challenges the reader to look deeper into "the populars," and that although Veronica's cronies may be stereotypical, she is not. Last but not least, it is always refreshing when the adults play roles that are realistic, not farces or objects of derision. This is a wholesome, worthwhile read.

Read whether we recommend buying or borrowing this book in the full review at The Reading Tub®. You can add your review, too.

[James Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

from Mary:

When I started this book about sixth-grader David, I thought, "Why are there so many stories about the trials of the geeky, marginalized kids and none (or few) about the populars?" But it was well-written and interesting, so I continued reading. And the most popular, powerful girl in grade six is not just a main character, she becomes a sympathetic character with plenty of problems of her own. There are also secondary characters who are not necessarily sympathetic, but who deserve some understanding.

David's parents are very interesting to me. They had the opportunity to get out of stressful jobs as lawyers and did. They made choices that worked for them.

Funny and moving.

[Gayle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Veronica has been the class president by default(nobody runs against her).David a fellow class mate opens his mouth in jest saying he would run against her and the campaign is on. Veronica is known as a "popular" but in the story David finds out when they have to play a song for recital in band class and spend time practicing what makes Veronica tick. They both learn from each other that it's the person who matters and not what people think of them. Great read!
I got for free through Goodreads Giveaways.

[Myrna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the humor, the action, and the music! It was fun to watch David react as he get to know the other characters and realized they were more than what they appeared to be at school. My son (going into 8th grade this year) wouldn't put it down until he finished it, and he doesn't usually like contemporary fiction (unless it's a book in the Origami Yoda series). We agreed that our favorite scene was the one that included paintball guns.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say? I read it twice! My favorite thing, and this is a spoiler, so be warned, was that the main character didn't turn out to be a loser who couldn't win a school election. He actually turned out to be...well...cool! The characters were believable and really likable. I don't think there was one you wouldn't believe you could meet anywhere.

I would absolutely recommend this to anyone looking for a fun, not-too-long, read!

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! I have a 12 yr old grandson that might not be a BG but is not quite a popular either. It was an easy read and at different times I cheered for Veronica and at times for David. They each had to learn that not everything is as it seems. For this age group, this can be a hard lesson. This was just the book I needed to read this week. I will recommend to my grandson and my 72 yr.old husband! Good job

[Alisa Inman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book free in a giveaway. While I think this is an easy read, and light hearted (mostly) and enjoyable there isn't anything truly special about it. Seemed predictable to me, and while the characters are strong there seems to be some inconsistency with their personality in parts of the book.

I think is good as an easy read for someone just entering middle school or middle school age, but nothing that I see as memorable or a soon to be favorite book.

[Deena Lipomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

When class president incumbent Veronica challenges David to enter the next race, he finds himself taking it on as a representative of the non-popular kids, but the more he gets to know his opponent, the more he wonders if he made the right choice. With humor and heart, David reveals to the reader that there is more to people than the side they show at school. A nice friendship MG.

[Ben · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a very good book. It had a lot of detail and was very descriptive. I thought it didn't have a lot of description of his personal life at home. I didn't even find out the characters name until I was a fourth through the book! This is why I only rated this book three stars.

[Krista Dolzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Writing this book was a headache and a half, but I'm glad I persevered. It's definitely grown on me.

[Chantele Sedgwick]

Fun book about a boy who takes matters into his own hands when he runs for class president and tries to beat out the most popular girl in school.

[Barbara Andrews]

My granddaughter loved this book. Since they are studying elections in school she got a real kick out of it. Received this book from Goodreads First Read

[Nayaab · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad one. Kept me hook on the middle , but the end droned on and on.. Took me awhile to read to :/

[T.J. Burns]

I received a copy of this book from Sourcebooks Jabberwocky via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Faith · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ok book, but it feels like it can drone on sometimes. :/

[LAR · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had great story but was very predictable.