cover image Every Vote Matters: The Power of Your Voice, from Student Elections to the Supreme Court

Every Vote Matters: The Power of Your Voice, from Student Elections to the Supreme Court

Tom Jacobs and Natalie Jacobs. Free Spirit, $15.99 trade paper (224p) ISBN 978-1-63198-069-5

The Jacobs, a father-daughter team (who are a judge and a former attorney), examine 15 Supreme Court cases that were decided by one vote. After providing a brief time line of historical impediments to voting rights and some background on the Supreme Court, the Jacobs walk readers through cases that include Evan Miller v. Alabama, regarding the sentencing of juvenile offenders; Goss v. Dwight Lopez, about students’ right to due process; and United States v. Antoine Jones, about GPS monitoring and the right to privacy. Clear explanations, relevant supplemental cases, reader-directed questions, and suggested resources help make the legal issues at play relevant and readily accessible. Whether readers finish the book inspired to exercise their own future voting rights, it’s a fascinating window into recent U.S. legal history. Ages 13–up. (Mar.)