Granddaddy’s Turn: A Journey to the Ballot Box

In an emotional story that begins in the South during the height of voter suppression, a boy named Michael joins his grandfather as he prepares to vote for the first time. Yet when the time comes, a deputy rips up his grandfather’s ballot, turning them away. Years later, as an adult Michael casts his own vote, “I knew that—just like my granddaddy—I would never take it for granted.” Bandy and Stein succinctly explore a close family bond, set against historical injustice. Ransome’s emotive watercolors strongly convey the grandfather’s dignity and Michael’s quiet pride as he reaches a milestone that was kept from his forebear. Ages 6–9. Authors’ agent: Spencer Humphrey, Rocky Hill Group. (July)