The (Un)Popular vote by Jasper Sanchez

 

The (Un)Popular Vote by Jasper Sanchez

When Mark Adams witnesses dangerous rhetoric about the safety of LGBTQ+ students in his high school, he decides he can't sit idly by and begins his campaign for student body president. His dad is a well-known congressman, and Mark has always loved politics.

The problem is, Mark Adams is a relatively new student at Utopia High. He moved there so he could transition, and he doesn't know many students beyond his small queer friend group. To make matters worse, his dad continues to pretend he still has a daughter, and not a son, and he has insisted that Mark keep a low profile, lest his transgender child create problems for his political ambitions.

I enjoyed this book so much and not just because Mark and his friends use French Club as a cover for the queer kids to hang out together. The POC and LGBTQ+ representation is excellent. I felt so many emotions while reading this, and I rooted for Mark the entire way.

I'm cis, white, straight, a woman, and nearly 40, so take this with a grain of salt if you need to, but I think The (Un)Popular Vote is probably an accurate description of what life is like in high school for queer kids today. It's a great book for high school students to see that their thoughts, feelings, and voices are valid and necessary.

Funny and heartfelt, The (Un)Popular Vote is definitely a must-read for any teen, especially queer teens and/or those who love politics. I keep a shelf of books I hope Sebastian will read when he's older, and this will be the next addition.

Thank you to Harper Collins Canada for sending this copy my way.

xo

Jenn