Wide Awake

David Levithan's Wide Awake takes place in one possible future. It is set "a few decades after 9/11" during a presidential election. For the first time in United States history a gay Jewish man is going to be elected president.

Duncan proud to work for a candidate whose campaign offices welcome the work of those not yet old enough to vote. Duncan and his boyfriend Jimmy, along with a few other friends from his high school volunteer most of their free time to helping the Stein-Martinez campaign.

When the last votes are in, it looks like Abraham Stein will become the new president of the United States of America. But if something has worked once it will likely work again, and the governor of Kansas, where Stein won by 1000 votes, calls for a recount.

Will the same thing happen to presidential hopeful Stein as happened to Al Gore? Not if Abraham Stein can help it. He will not concede an election he knows he won. The popular vote nationwide has him ahead by millions of votes. Instead, he call on all of his supporters to come to Kansas! If the people are in Kansas watching the governor how can he continue this blatant attempt to control the election?

But what sane parent would let there sixteen year old go to Kansas, all the way from Jersey, to protest? And if Duncan can get to Kansas, will having Stein supporters on his front lawn make the governor of Kansas any more or less moral than he already is?

Levithan, David. (2006). Wide Awake. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.