From Publishers Weekly
Cabot (The Princess Diaries) presents another teen-pleasing novel and another likable heroine in this story set in Washington, D.C. Feisty, red-haired Samantha, a self-described "urban rebel" who has dyed all of her clothes black, is a 15-year-old middle child, uncomfortably wedged between her popular, cheerleader older sister, Lucy, and her brainy 11-year-old sister, Rebecca. And she has a major crush on Jack, Lucy's nonconformistartist boyfriend, whom she feels is far better suited to her than to her rather vacuous sister. The entertainingly opinionated narrator's wry top-10 lists add considerably to the tale's charm and speedy pacing, among them, the "top ten reasons why I can't stand my sister Lucy" and the "top ten signs that Jack loves me and not my sister Lucy and just hasn't realized it yet." Sam's life suddenly changes dramatically when, while standing on the sidewalk one afternoon, she foils an attempt to assassinate the President. She becomes a national hero overnight, is named teen ambassador to the United Nations and eventually lands the president's son as her beau. Despite these rather unlikely plot twists (in a comic coincidence, the president's son also happens to be a fellow student in her art class whom she finds attractive), Sam's spunky and intermittently affecting narrative, as well as the true-to-life voices of the supporting cast of characters, make this a convincing and diverting tale. As Sam learns important truths about herself, Cabot interjects a worthy message into her comedic caper. Ages 12-up.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
From School Library Journal
Grade 7 Up-Artistic and concerned about social issues, 15-year-old Samantha Madison becomes everybody's All-American Girl (HarperCollins, 2002) when she thwarts an attempt on the life of the president. This entry in Meg Cabot's Princess Diaries series focuses on Sam's hopeless crush on her sister's boyfriend, and her growing friendship with the president's son. There's lots of humor as she sorts out her relationships with her popular older sister and brilliant younger sister. There's also changing expectations from classmates who now view Sam as a celebrity. Fortunately, Sam's determination combined with some good advice from a new art teacher lead to a predicable happy ending. Narrator Ariadne Meyers makes the story funny and hip with great comic timing and "totally" teen intonation. Though the plot is pretty standard, the dialogue has lots of laughs. Libraries where the Princess Diaries have been flying off the shelves will find this a popular addition to their audio collection.
Barbara Wysocki, Cora J. Belden Library, Rocky Hill, CTCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
