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. ( )

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.

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