YA books about politics

Does anyone know of any good YA books about politics and elections? Of course, I love Ellen Emerson White's books series starting with The President's Daughter. Mitali Perkins' First Daughter series is also really good, about the adopted Bangladeshi daughter of a Republican candidate for the presidency (hmm, John McCain, anyone? Years and years ago?). Wide Awake by David Levithan is also amazing, and about an election that is unprecedented in terms of the types of people who are elected (in this book, a gay man and a latina). I'd love some suggestions for any other books to read that might be particularly relevant in these next few weeks! Thanks.

Permalink Reply by Khyrinthia on September 22, 2008 at 10:55pm: I think Meg Cabot has a series relating to that. All American Girl, I believe it's called. It's about a girl who becomes teen ambassador to the UN and goes out with the president's son, or something. And Micol Ostow just released a book called Popular Vote where the main character is the daughter of the mayor and is running in the school election.

I don't know how closely those really relate, but oh well.

Permalink Reply by Taylor Morris on September 23, 2008 at 10:05am: And this girl named Taylor Morris has this new book out called Total Knockout: Tale of an Ex-Class President that's about student council politics. :) It's about what happens when a president takes their power too far!

Permalink Reply by Khyrinthia on September 23, 2008 at 7:48pm: HOW DID I FORGET THAT ONE?! *hits self in head*

Permalink Reply by Jaden on September 23, 2008 at 10:41am: Well I've read a book called Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande and it has to do with a teacher teaching about evolution while alot of christian kids try to stop her. The main character is Meena and she is trieingto find a ballance of religion and intellagent design. It is one of my favorite books.

Permalink Reply by Megan McCafferty on September 23, 2008 at 10:48am: Election by Tom Perrotta uses a cutthroat election at a New Jersey high school to satirize the circus-like shenanigans of political campaigns in general. (With all due respect to the author, it's one of the rare examples where the movie adaptation actually improves upon the original source material. If you haven't watched Tracy Flick icing her cupcakes, you haven't seen Reese Witherspoon at her very best.)

As for nonfiction, I was one of 50 contributors to an anthology sponsored by Declare Yourself, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that encourages voter registration for 18-to-21 year olds eligible to vote in the Presidential election for the first time.

Permalink Reply by Jocelyn Pearce on September 23, 2008 at 10:22pm: I can't believe I forgot some of these! I absolutely love All-American Girl, and Evolution, Me, and Other Freaks of Nature, and I've been reading pieces out of Declare Yourself for ages & loving it.

Permalink Reply by oboefae on September 23, 2008 at 10:23pm: Little Brother by Cory Doctorow isn't about elections, but it does raise great questions about privacy and security and civil liberties. Awesome Patriot Act-related stuff.

Permalink Reply by Chelsea S. on September 23, 2008 at 11:16pm: I've read the All American Girl books by Meg Cabot. I've watched Election on cable when I should have been studying for an algebra test. Watching Reese Witherspoon play a goody-two-shoes character, the kind of character that REALLY gets under your skin was just as important.
I need to read the Declare Yourself book. A special note from Amber Tamblyn? Yes please. I love Amber Tamblyn.

Permalink Reply by Katie on September 23, 2008 at 11:26pm: I was about to suggest Wide Awake! How I love that book...
It seems very appropriate considering that it expresses a different "first" in election history. I wish I could help more with your list.

Permalink Reply by E. Kristin Anderson (Emily) on September 24, 2008 at 12:35am: Man! I love love love Barry Lyga's new book Hero-Type! It's about a kid who is an unlikely hero with a guilty secret who gets gifted a car by the mayor of town for saving a girl from a killer. But the car comes with "Support the Troops" magnets and his dad, a veteran, makes him throw them out, so he goes from hero to pariah instantaneously. I love this book because it looks at what it means to be patriotic - not just words, but actions.

A friend of mine also told me about Vote for Larry, by Janet Tashjian, which is the sequel to The Gospel According to Larry. I believe that one is about a kid who runs for president because even though the law says he can't be elected until he's 35, there's no law about running.

Permalink Reply by Marissa on September 27, 2008 at 5:18pm: I’m glad you enjoyed Ellen Emerson White’s The President Daughter’s series; I think it is finding a new audience after being reissued. I agree with the recommendation of Meg Cabot’s All-American Girl as well as the sequel, Ready or Not.

My favorite realistic political YA book, though, is Joan Bauer’s Hope Was Here. 16-year-old Hope proves that even when they’re not old enough to vote teenagers can get involved and make a positive change in a corrupt political landscape.

I hope that Joan Bauer joins YA for Obama. She doesn’t have a blog, and I would love to read her thoughts on teen involvement in this election. I think she would be proud to see how many young adults energized by Obama are like her strong protagonists come to life.

Permalink Reply by rh3a on September 28, 2008 at 11:20am: LIttle Brother, by Cory Doctorow. It's slightly sci-fi, and it doens't have direct relations (you won't see Mccain or Obama mentioned in the book) but their practices are deffinitly brought up. The relevance and importance about the Bill of Rights, the Patriot Act, stuff like that. He gets questioned and imprisoned because they think he's a terrorist (the main character) its amazing.