What is an election? by Caryn Jenner

So far this year, in my little part of the planet, we have had both local government elections and a state by-election, and a federal election looms within the next three months, So local young readers have been bombarded with advertising and so forth with vocabulary like 'party', 'candidate', 'vote' and 'polling booth'. But do they understand what an  'election' is?

This book, part of the DK FindOut series, provides a simple but comprehensive explanation of where and how democracy began and how it has developed over the years and just what happens when people are required to exercise their vote every so often. Beginning with a close-to-home scenario of school elections for class president, it moves beyond to national elections and while the photographs are predominantly from the US, it does embrace the procedures in other parts of the world.

Because this is a levelled reader, ostensibly for 'beginning readers', the explanations are clear yet comprehensive giving the young person who at least has an awareness of the process being undertaken an insight into what actually happens. Therefore, IMO, the target audience would be those who might be involved in class elections who know that it is more than a popularity contest. Rather than an individual read, its importance lies as an introduction to that which will dominate our news bulletins in coming months shared and discussed by the class teacher, so students begin to understand what is meant by 'Let's have a vote' and the concepts of 'majority rules' and living with the consequences of the choices.

As we mature we begin to realise what a precious thing a vote is, and the need to exercise our rights in an informed manner. This book begins our students' understanding of that privilege.

Themes: Elections.

Barbara Braxton