Lillian's Right to Vote: A Celebration of the Voting Rights Act of 1965
by Jonah Winter
illustrated by Shane W. Evans
Schwartz & Wade Books, 2015
Lillian is a 100 year-old African American woman standing at the bottom of a steep hill. “It's Voting Day, she's an American, and by God, she is going to vote.” As she walks slowly up the hill to the voting station, she remembers her great-great grandparents, who were slaves and her great-grandfather, who earned the right to vote with the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment in 1870. Then she recalls her Grandpa Isaac being charged a poll tax, and her Uncle Levi being forced to take bogus “tests” and being turned away from the polls when he couldn't answer the ridiculous questions.
She remembers going to the polls with her parents when the Nineteenth Amendment allowed women the right to vote, and being chased away by angry mobs. She pauses to encourage a young man she encounters to vote, and begins to recall the historical figures who fought for the right to vote. When she finally reaches the voting booth, she sees her young self voting for the first time under the protection of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and once again, she casts her vote.
Drawings by Shane W. Evans depict Lillian and her contemporaries in full color, while ancestors and historical figures are often whited-out like ghosts that accompany her along the journey. The illustrations appear to be pencil-sketches with collage and wood-cut style patterns and textures. The illustrator creatively uses angles and close-ups to portray protestors marching (with a focus on their legs and feet) and Lillian's wrinkled hand reaching out to press the button as she arrives at the voting booth.
An author's note at the end of the book reveals that the character of Lillian was inspired by Lillian Allen, a resident of Pittsburgh who campaigned and voted for Barack Obama in 2008 when she was 100 years old. It summarizes the history of voter rights in the U.S. and concludes with concerns about “voter ID laws” that are still in effect in some states.
While the book is suggested for readers age 5-9, it may also have appeal to older readers who are better able to understand the complex political issues presented. It would make a better introduction to election day in the elementary school classroom, than a book to be used for recreational reading.
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Jonah Winter has written many highly acclaimed books for children, including You Never Heard of SandyKoufax?!, which was named an ALA-ALSC Notable Children's Book and a Booklist Top of the List, and You Never Heard of Willie Mays?!, which received four starred reviews and was named a Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book. He divides his time between Santa Fe, New Mexico, and a small town in Pennsylvania.
Shane W. Evans is the author and illustrator of numerous books for children, including We March and Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom, which received the Coretta Scott King Illustration Award. He lives in Kansas City, Missouri, where he runs Dream Studio, a community art space.
