Confessions of a First Daughter

November 30, 2009
Being a member of the first family isn't all glitz and glamour for high-school senior Morgan Abbott, daughter of the first woman president of the United States. In this humorous account of her woes and public humiliations, Morgan loses a class election to her nemesis, "Practically Perfect Brittany Whittaker" ("Leave it to me to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory") and gets assigned a new secret service agent after Morgan and her boyfriend sneak off to make out. While Morgan is wallowing in misery, she gets a chance to reclaim self-respect and simultaneously do something good for her country. All she has to do is successfully play the role of her lookalike mother while the president sneaks off to attend an important secret meeting in Africa. The improbability of the successful masquerade runs high, but Morgan emerges as a sympathetic, somewhat klutzy character readers will embrace. Her romantic encounter with her secret-service replacement is likely to make hearts flutter, and the fall of her number one enemy evokes a sense of justice being served. Ages 12âup.

December 1, 2009
Gr 7-10-Morgan Abbott is just your normal 18-year-old except for one glaring detail: she's the First Daughter of the United States. Although outsiders might think she's got it alla hot boyfriend, cool best friend, tricked-out limo, and 24/7 protectionshe's actually got her share of problems, too. Konner is pressuring her to go beyond kissing; her mother's presidential duties keep her very busy; and the paparazzi and tabloids have started to take notice of Morgan's sometimes zany behavior. When circumstances arise that would allow her to act as her mother's double so that Mom can go out on a top-secret mission, the teen accepts the challenge. After all, this could make up for all the crazy stuff she's done in the past. Plus, when her new, totally cute, young secret service agent starts getting friendly, who knows what could happen? This is a light and entertaining read for teens who like some politics with their romance."Traci Glass, Eugene Public Library, OR"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2009
Grades 7-10 Calloway offers a look inside the White House through Morgan Abbotts angstasthe daughter of the (female)president.There aresome good capers and excellent food, butthey dont compare to the boyfriend impediments, the nosy press, and the lack of mom time. In a fresh (if improbable) twist, the president needs a decoy while negotiating peace in Africa, and Morgan is ready for the job. Much of this is unlikely, and the 20-year-old genius Secret Service agent screams plot device. But as political chick lit (with the accent on the chick), allowances can be made. Hopefully, Malia Obama will skip this one; the future might scare her.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2010
The pressure of having a mom who's president is starting to get to Morgan, who can't do anything without it landing in the newspapers and making her mother look bad. A top-secret assignment (involving a cute secret service agent, no less) helps Morgan prove that she's a leader too. The unrealistic plot won't matter much to those looking for breezy, romantic escapism.

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)