Ready or Not (All-American Girl)

"All-American Girl" is the brand new book written by Meg Cabot, also the author of the famous series for teen girls, "The Princess Diaries".
PLOT SUMMARY: 15-year-old Samantha Madison lives in Washington DC with her mother, father, and two sisters (she's the middle child). Sam describes herself as total redheaded outcast--always dressing in black, listening to punk/rock music, etc. Her older sister, Lucy, is the most popular girl (cheerleader, nonetheless) at her high school and is dating the guy of Sam's dreams, high school rebel, Jack Ryder. Sam's younger sister, Rebecca, is a genius who attends a special school for gifted children. Sam's life abruptly changes when she saves the president of the United States from an assassination...while cutting her art lessons. Not only does Sam receive a broken arm, but she also becomes famous when the president himself announces that she is teen ambassador to the UN. Things couldn't get worse, right? Wrong! Because now she thinks the president's own son, David, may be in love with her and all she wants is for Jack to love her!
OVERALL THOUGHTS: I'm a little old for Meg Cabot's teen books but I must say that I am always amazed by her well-written/described characters and witty sense of humor. This book is well-written, and should be enjoyed by all teenage girls. If you like romantic-comedy novels with a little bit of fantasy twisted into it, then you should definitely read "All-American Girl". The plots are always simple, straight-forward, and a little bit predictable but it doesn't matter because these books are too good not to read.
I highly recommend "All-American Girl" by Meg Cabot.
Score:
98/100
A+

All American Girl

By: Meg Cabot

In All American Girl by Meg Cabot, Samantha Madison is lost between her older, very popular sister and her younger sister who is a certified genius. Sam's life goes downhill when she is caught selling celebrity photos at her school and is forced to attend Susan Bonne's art class. The day she skipped changed her life forever. Sam ended up in the wrong place at the wrong time when a assassin pulled out his gun and almost killed the president, but Sam stopped the assassin and became a world wide hero. As Sam's life is changed she just could think that the presidents son could like her! In Sam's art class she is just beginning to see what she draws and not assume what it looks like. But she is blind to what is right in front of her. Being the Teen Ambassador of the UN and a world wide legend, Samantha Madison finally sees. Will David and Sam fall in love or will Sam's blindness ruin it all?

I loved this book because it was just about a normal girl and how no one is unimportant. It just takes the right person to show you what you are truly made of! I recommend this book to people of all ages.

ENJOY!!!

All-American Girl is about a teenage misfit. Samantha Madison has wiry, copper-red hair & an all black wardrobe. SHe is your avergae rebellious girl. She spent most of her life hiding in the shadows of her older cheerleading sister and younger genuis sister until, she saves the President of the United States from an assassination attempt. Now she's constantly followed by news reporters and is the most popular girl in her school. Will her lfe ever return to normal? Will she be able to venture from the spotlight long enough to realize who she's fallen in love with?
Meg Cabot is a wonderful author. She's written the Princess Diaries Series and if you love Mia Thermopolis you won't be disappointed by Samantha and her crazy life.
I feel that All-American Girl could easily relate to any teenager, even the non-rebellious. You learn that maybe just because you're labeled one way doesn't mean you must act that way. If you're popular you don't have to own an all Abercrombie and Fitch wardrobe. If you're not popular it doesn't mean you have to be a goth or punk. You don't have to be an individual either, just be yourself. The story also teaches you to see a situation and life for what it is not just what you know or think.

Samantha Madison is what you would call an outcast. She's somewhat of a goth/artist. Her best friend, Catherine, wears clothes from like the 1800's, she's in love with her older sister Lucy's boyfriend, and her younger sister is a certified genius.

When Lucy tells their parents that Samantha is charging people to have their picture drawn with their favorite celebrity her parents enroll her in art class, where she meets David (the president's son), and is humiliated on her first day, which causes her to ditch her next art lesson, and end up being in the right place at the right time to save the president's life. Which immediatley throws Samantha into a whirlwind of popularity and press conferences. Not to mention that the president's son may be falling in love with her. How could someone's life go from so normal to so crazy?

Meg Cabot has another hit with "All American Girl." Obviously she can write on any topic, and this one was original and refreshing compared to the other teen/young adult books out right now. This is a must read for all fans of "The Princess Diaries." A lot of teenage girls will be able to relate completely to Samantha.

Samantha Madison is what you would call an outcast. She's somewhat of a goth/artist. Her best friend, Catherine, wears clothes from like the 1800's, she's in love with her older sister Lucy's boyfriend, and her younger sister is a certified genius.

When Lucy tells their parents that Samantha is charging people to have their picture drawn with their favorite celebrity her parents enroll her in art class, where she meets David (the president's son), and is humiliated on her first day, which causes her to ditch her next art lesson, and end up being in the right place at the right time to save the president's life. Which immediatley throws Samantha into a whirlwind of popularity and press conferences. Not to mention that the president's son may be falling in love with her. How could someone's life go from so normal to so crazy?

Meg Cabot has another hit with "All American Girl." Obviously she can write on any topic, and this one was original and refreshing compared to the other teen/young adult books out right now. This is a must read for all fans of "The Princess Diaries." A lot of teenage girls will be able to relate completely to Samantha.

Number one New York Times best-seller, "All American Girl" is an outstanding book in which the author, Meg Cabot, really relates to teenage girls. This book is hilarious in an undescribable way. I would definately rate it five stars.

In this book, the main character Samantha, or 'Sam', gets into trouble and as a punishment she has to take art class. While waiting for her housekeeper to pick her up she sees the president walk into a store. As he's leaving the store, a man standing next to her pulls out a gun and aims at the president. She jumps on him, saves the president's life, and becomes a hero.

Once recovered from her broken wrist that she got while stopping the assasination attempt, Sam returns to art classes, where, throughout the rest of the book, she learns a valuable lesson, to paint what she sees and not what she knows. Without her realization of it, this moral helps her overcome the other obsatcles that are thrown at her as she grows up in the rest of the book.

This is my favorite book, and I would recommend it to girls ages twelve and older. I cannot wait to read other books Meg Cabot has written, so I can see what else she has to offer.

Is this book controversial? You bet! Is it funny? No doubt about it. Is it appropriate reading material for all ages? Depends on what you deem appropriate.

I've read with interest other reviews for READY OR NOT, Meg Cabot's sequel to All-American Girl. I even agree with a lot of them. But before I start my review, let me remind you of one salient point--this book is a work of FICTION. It was written by a HUMAN who has her OWN views of life.

Just as everyone isn't going to agree on whether or not abortion is right, or the war in Iraq is necessary, or whether religion should be allowed in public schools, no two people are going to agree on whether or not Sam should have sex with her boyfriend at the age of almost seventeen.

That said, I loved the book. I'm a thirty-year-old happily married mother of two, and I still enjoyed Ms. Cabot's individual brand of humor, the trials of being a teenager, and the ability of one person to make a difference in the world.

The Samantha Madison of All-American Girl has grown up. She's older, she's dyed her hair because she "needed a change," and she's wondering what to do now that her boyfriend, David, who just happens to be the son of the US President, has invited her to Camp David over Thanksgiving weekend to play "parcheesi."

Sam is all ready reeling--from the realization that she either looks like a cute Ashlee Simpson (her older sister Lucy's comment on the dye job, which is not good) or a dead Joan of Arc (her younger sister Rebecca's comment on the hair, which could be good depending on how you look at it); the fact that "life studies" in art class obviously means "naked people" (really not good that the first naked man you see is a complete stranger); and the knowledge that the President seems to think providing the teens of America birth-control should not be done without their parents approval.

I truly enjoyed READY OR NOT. The message is a powerful one--the sexuality of a person should be based on their maturity, not their age, and that birth-control is a personal decision of the person engaging in sexual activities. That said, however, never once does the book become preachy about teen sexuality. I can understand where some parents might not like having their teenage daughters reading about a sixteen-year old who decides to have sex with her boyfriend, but I personally would rather have my daughter read a book about a girl who knows what a big decision it is, comes to peace with it in her mind, and seeks out ways to avoid the dangers that are associated with sex no matter what your age--pregnancy and disease--then have her feel ashamed to research her decision.

I think the subject matter was wonderfully handled, and by no means is the entire book about Sam trying to decide whether or not to have sex with David. A lot of reviewers will attempt to make it be so, just because the subject matter is a touchy one. But it's also about Sam wanting to be her own person, not just "the girl who saved the President." It's about learning to love yourself as you are, and understanding the intricacies of your family, and taking important steps in your life to make the world a better place.

Samantha Madison grew up in this book, and that's how it should be. Any parent who thinks their teenager isn't thinking about sex is sadly mistaken--it's just a fact of life. And Meg Cabot presents a wonderful story about the highs and lows of falling in love, of making life-altering decisions, and being the best person you can be.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"

Samantha Madison is an excellent artist and everyone at school pays her to draw them with their favorite celebrities, but this ruins her life because her parents find out and make her go to art classes after school. Also she has a big sister, Lucy, who is a cheerleader and Sam always gets stuck with her hand-me-downs. Sam's younger sis is a certified genius and she's only nine! To top it all off, Sam is in love (or thinks she is) with Lucy's boyfriend Jack who is also an artist. One day, she is dropped off for art class but since she was humiliated in front of the whole class the day before, not to mention in front of David, a cute guy in her class who just might like her. So anyways, she was hanging out in the record store that is right next to the art class and she noticed a guy who seemed a little odd. She went outside to wait for her ride home since the class would be over by now, and then the president came by to get a cookie from the cookie store next to the record store. This happened to be the perfect timing for Sam to save the president from an assination attempt! To find out how she saved him, what happens with David and Jack, and to figure out why the president happened to be there at that time of the day, read this really exciting book! I would also reccomend all of Meg Cabots other books.

This is my favorite book. It is about Samantha Madison who is a very diffrent type of girl. A diffrent 15 year old girl. Who as a popular older sister. She is also in love with her sisters boy-friend! She got caught selling celeb. pictures at school. So now she must take art class. I forgott to tell you her little sister is a smarty pants. So as I was saying, one day she decided to skipp art class. She went to a music store and saw a very wierd guy. She then went to wait for her ride outside the art studio. The as she was at the cross walk she was wating and so was the wired guy!!!! She saw the president car pull up. It is not that big of adeal because she lives in D.C. The president was going to Cookie Capitol!!!!!! As he was walking up, she saw the wired guy doing something in hie poncoh and all the sudden............he pulled out a gun and amied towrad the priesdent of the U.S.A!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then she jummped on his back and................ Read the book and you will find out what happens to Sam and the president. Was she to late? Did she get hurt?Was the priedent killed? Read the book and you will see!!!!!!!!!!!

-Ally H.

If you saved the president from a bullet shooting towards his head, how much would your life change? Samantha Madison went from going unnoticed at John Adams Preparatory School to having the press waiting outside her house 24/7 just to get a glimpse of her. After Sam's extremely popular sister got her in trouble for failing German class she is forced to take art classes twice a week. This is where she meets David the president's son who just might be in love with her. Unfortunately Sam is undoubtedly in love with her sister's boyfriend, jack, who is an artistic rebel. This book is basically all about how much Sam's life changes with a little publicity and a lot of unwanted attention. I thought All American Girl by Meg Cabot was a great book. I really liked how the author used the top ten reasons to start some of the chapters. I felt that even though the plot was kind of far fetched I could still relate to the main character in some ways. I would recommend this book to any one who is looking for a good realistic-fiction book with a little comedy on the side. I defiantly plan on reading the sequel Ready or Not by Meg Cabot.

Love all comes down in this book All American Girl that tells of a young teenager named Sam, whose obsession is art. She soon learns that now she has to take art lessons for the rest of the summer. David on the other hand is the son of the president and has girls running after him. David also takes the art course, and never sees Sam, never hears her, and doesn't notice her whatsoever. Until one day, a suspicious man pulls out a gun and attempts to kill the President. Thankfully, Sam sees the man and jumps on him, saving the president. This one event single-handedly changed Sam's life forever, so now does David notice her? She now notices him looking at her from every direction she faces. The President has offered dinner for Sam and her family, maybe it's a different direction in Sam's future or maybe it's just the beginning of a new start. If you like books that are about teen love and relationships make sure this is on you summer reading list. If you have read these books; The Notebook, The Seventeenth Summer, and Angus Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging you are geared up for reading this fantastic, heartfelt, romantic book All American Girl by Meg Cabot.

This is my favorite book. It is about Samantha Madison who is a very diffrent type of girl. A diffrent 15 year old girl. Who as a popular older sister. She is also in love with her sisters boy-friend! She got caught selling celeb. pictures at school. So now she must take art class. I forgott to tell you her little sister is a smarty pants. So as I was saying, one day she decided to skipp art class. She went to a music store and saw a very wierd guy. She then went to wait for her ride outside the art studio. The as she was at the cross walk she was wating and so was the wired guy!!!! She saw the president car pull up. It is not that big of adeal because she lives in D.C. The president was going to Cookie Capitol!!!!!! As he was walking up, she saw the wired guy doing something in hie poncoh and all the sudden............he pulled out a gun and amied towrad the priesdent of the U.S.A!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then she jummped on his back and................ Read the book and you will find out what happens to Sam and the president. Was she to late? Did she get hurt?Was the priedent killed? Read the book and you will see!!!!!!!!!!!

-Ally H.

Meg Cabot, the author of the excellent Princess Diaries series, has written another wonderful book that will eagerly be devoured by teen girls. Samantha Madison was just an outcast living in the shadow of her older, popular sister Lucy and her geeky genius sister Rebecca who was so smart, she was taking college-level courses at age 11. But Samantha was an outsider- she died all the clothes in her wardrobe black, hung out with all the artist and drama-type kids at school, and as far as she could tell, her only talent was drawing. So when Lucy discovered one day that Samantha had been doing celebrity drawings in German class and charging them to other students, Lucy immediately tells on their parents. Samantha's parents assume that she had been getting a C- in German because she had been spending all her time drawing, so they enrolled her in Susan Boone's art classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays for two hours after school where they felt she could creatively express herself. Samantha, enraged at her parents for enrolling her in these classes and at Susan Boone for criticizing her artwork, decides to ditch class one day and hang out in the record store above the studio, Static, instead. So when Samantha waits for her housekeeper, Theresa, to come pick her up, Samantha was in the wrong place at the wrong time and jumped a guy next to her just as he was about to shoot the President. Suddenly, Samantha's world changes dramatically, including being invited to the most popular girl at school's party and catching the eye of David, the first son, who also happens to be in her art class at Susan Boone's. If you are a fan of the Princess Diaries series, you will LOVE this laugh-out loud, romantic ride.

Samantha Madison is the middle child of her family. Her older sister is pretty and popular and younger sister is a prodigy and a certified genius. Her best friend Catherine wears clothes from the 1800's and she is in love with her sister's boyfriend. When Lucy tells their parents that Sam is drawing people for money with their favorite celebrities. Her parents enroll her in an art class. That is where she meets David and is humiliated in front of everyone, including him. So she misses her next art class and ends up stopping the assassination of the president. Samantha is immediately thrown into the world of popularity and conferences. Oh and David just so happens to be the president's son and he is falling in love with Samantha. How hectic can a person's life get.
This is the best novel that Meg Cabot has wrote. This novel was fun to read. I enjoyed every minute of it.

All-American Girl stars 15 year old Samantha Madison, middle child and urban rebel. Sam's life is pretty normal being the mid kid between her popular older sister Lucy (whose boyfriend, Jack, Sam happens to be in love with) and her genius kid sister Rebecca. But that all changes when Lucy shows their parents the celebrity pictures Sam has been charging people to draw. So her parents force her into art lessons. Sam reluctantly goes and humiliates herself on the first day there. The only good thing is that she met David, a fellow artist who happened to like her combat boots. But the next day when Sam decides to skip art class she ends up stopping an attempted asassination on the president's life by a Christie Brinkley, "Uptown Girl" loving man. Soon Sam is being hounded constantly by the press and given unwanted responsibilities and popularity. But that's not the worst part. The worst part is that the president's son just might be in love with her.
Armed with her Top 10 lists Sam is a refreshing character. Even though I'm sure none of us reders have ever saved the president's life, you can still easily relate to Sam. Excellent read!

I think Meg Cabot is an outstanding author she writes amazing books. But this is the best yet. I have read almost every single one of her books. But this took my breath away!!!!!!!! Read this book today. It is something you should put 10-15 dollars for!! My friend and I love to discuss this important topic. I think to have a fantasy about a President is some what undersatnble for young adult readers. I also think it gave me a diffrent view about Presidents. Let me just tell you he goes somewhere wierd. I alos think Sam is really cool how she saved him and all. I also think her little sister is very too smart. I think her older sister is pretty cool. I think she has a tought time being the middle child because she is very diffrent for her family. I think her art teacher is wacked!!! I think David is so totally hot. Saying what they say in the book. I think if this book ever had a sequal. It should be called, American Girl All American Once Again. It would be about her as she gets older and her and David start to date more. Also they live happily ever after. Well read Meg Cabots ALL AMERICAN GIRL.

This book was hilariously entertaining. Meg Cabot really is too much fun. I have read a handful of her books, and they are all infused with a wonderful sense of humor and maybe even a little hyperactivity disorder, which turns out to be a great combination. All-American Girl is no different. It's about Samantha, a high school sophomore, who is forced to take art classes because she is getting a C- in German. While skipping art class because she felt her creativity was being stifled due to the appearance of a pineapple in her drawing, she manages to save the president from a deranged Christie Brinkley fan. Yes, as absurd as the premise sounds, Meg Cabot manages to draw the reader in anyway. Throughout the story, Sam struggles with her new popularity and figuring out which guy she is really crushing on, the president's son or her older sister's boyfriend. I think anyone who remembers the insecurities that went along with going to high school and who would enjoy a good laugh would love this book.

Light but enjoyable reading from the author of The Princess Diaries. Samantha is a typical, if slightly rebellious teen trying to find the place in her household as a middle child. Her older sister is a cheerleader and dating a guy Samantha secretly believes is her own soul mate. Her younger sister is a genius who attends a special school for super-intelligent kids. Sam tries her hand at rebellion by dying all her clothes black, but her biggest problem is making good grades in German class until she foils an assassination attempt on the life of the president while she waits for the family's housekeeper to pick her up from art class. That's when her life changes in ways she couldn't really imagine.

All American Girl is a different twist on the theme of The Princess Diaries: What happens to an ordinary girl when something extraordinary changes her life. But it's a fun book to read while fantasizing about the big event that could change everything in your life.

Though this book didn't come up to my expectation, it was on the whole a nice read. Honest, humorous and well-paced, Ready Or Not was typically Meg.

I didn't have a chance to read All American Girl but fortunately the book itself doesn't relate much to its prequel so I could still give a complete review. The plot was original to me. I've yet to read anything with a teenage ambassador in it, at least not one who saved the president ad then later became his son's girlfriend.

Samantha's life was alluring to me because it both depicted a life of a normal girl and one of a young celebrity. Being famous wasn't cool as it might sound, in contrast, it brought Sam more troubles than ever. In addition to coping with common issues - going to a school she didn't like at all, having one best friend only, being semi-ignored by her parents and shadowed by the seemingly perfect sister - she also had to avoid public prying eyes into her relationship with David and the likes. I enjoyed reading those parts, which made me laugh yet feel bad for Sam at the same time.

Sex was also a subject dealt with in this story. It was bold and fun. However, it annoyed me Sam freaked out too much on being asked to "do it". What was also ironic was even though Sam misread David and all the time she was way too nervous, she was the one who later decided to take it to the next level.

Anyway, I do like a lot of things about this story: the cute moments of Sam and David, how Lucy cared and protected her little sister, and the funny life drawing lessons. Besides, the book could somehow help you with your SAT tests as Meg included lots of SAT words there.

I would not say this is my favorite book but if you're looking for an entertaining one, you may consider Ready Or Not.

What happens when a girl saves the President by attacking a guy with a gun? She falls, breaks her arm, and becomes a national hero. Life was normal for Sam until one day she finds herself saving the President's life. Now she's on her way to the hospital.

After she gets out of the hospital she finds paparazzi and news reporters outside of her home and an answering machine message with the most popular girl in school asking her to come to her party. Sam feels pressured and confuse by all the changes. When the President asks her family to have dinner at the White House Sam meets the President's son, David. As the story goes on they get to know each other more by going on dates and going their art classes. Then one night at a party David finds out that Sam likes someone else and he gets upset and leaves.

Will he forgive her or will they stop being friends. To find out all the questions read All American Girl by Meg Cabot.

All American Girl

Meg Cabot

Sam Madison is a fifteen-year-old resident of Washington D.C. She is a freak compared to her sister Lucy, the most popular girl in her school, and she is as dumb as a door nail compared to her younger sister Rebecca who is a certified genius. Then one day, while skipping art class, she jumps on the back of a would-be-assassin and saves the president's life. Now she is the teen ambassador of the UN. Not to mention the fact that the president's son just might be in love with her. From there Sam's life gets turned up-side-down. Read this book to find out how Sam handles her new found fame.

This book is an awesome read for girls everywhere from ages 12-15. Meg Cabot does a fantastic job with this funny, interesting can't-put-it-down-novel. I liked this book because it was funny, and I could relate to it. This is one of my favorite books. I strongly recommend this book for anyone who likes modern and exciting books.

This book is about a girl, Samantha, who saves the president's life and falls for his son.
I may be in the minority on this, but I thought this book was horrible. I personally really disliked the Samantha character. Is she SERIOUSLY as dumb as Cabot makes her to be? Is she honestly still worrying every second over her parents finding out that she skipped her class? What's the big deal? Does she have to worry over it every 5 seconds? Is she REALLY so dense that she doesn't realize she likes the president's son? And why on the back of the book does it say "Top 10 Reasons Samantha's Life is Over" and "the president's son could like her" is on there.. why would that mean her life is over??
Samantha "fully" gets on my nerves in this book. She's annoying, stupid, and just plain dumb. She HONESTLY thinks that saving the president's life is "ho-hum, lalala no big deal". Hating the protaganist really doesn't help when reading this book, which had a lot of potential at the beginning, although the whole reason WHY she has to take the drawing class is ridiculous (she's not allowed to draw pictures of celebrities?? ohhkay.)

Is this book controversial? You bet! Is it funny! No doubt about it. Is it appropriate reading material for all ages? Depends on what you deem appropriate.

I've read with interest the other reviews for READY OR NOT, Meg Cabot's sequel to All-American Girl. I even agree with a lot of them. But before I start my review, let me remind you of one salient point--this book is a work of FICTION. It was written by a HUMAN who has her OWN views of life. Just as everyone on the store isn't going to agree on whether or not abortion is right, or the war in Iraq is necessary, or whether religion should be allowed in public schools, no two people are going to agree on whether or not *SPOILER* Sam should have had sex with her boyfriend at the age of almost seventeen.

That said, I loved the book. I'm a thirty-year-old happily married mother of two, and I still enjoyed Ms. Cabot's individual brand of humor, the trials of being a teenager, and the ability of one person to make a difference in the world.

The Samantha Madison of All-American Girl has grown up. She's older, she's dyed her hair because she "needed a change," and she's wondering what to do now that her boyfriend, David, who just happens to be the son of the US President, has invited her to Camp David over Thanksgiving weekend to play "parcheesi."

Sam is all ready reeling--from the realization that she either looks like a cute Ashlee Simpson (her older sister Lucy's comment on the dye job, which is not good) or a dead Joan of Arc (her younger sister Rebecca's comment on the hair, which could be good depending on how you look at it); the fact that "life studies" in art class obviously means "naked people" (really not good that the first naked man you see is a complete stranger); and the knowledge that the President seems to think providing the teens of America birth-control should not be done without their parents approval.

I truly enjoyed READY OR NOT. The message is a powerful one--the sexuality of a person should be based on their maturity, not their age, and that birth-control is a personal decision of the person engaging in sexual activities. That said, however, never once does the book become preachy about teen sexuality. I can understand where some parents might not like having their teenage daughters reading about a sixteen-year-old who decides to have sex with her boyfriend, but I personally would rather have my daughter read a book about a girl who knows what a big decision it is, comes to peace with it in her mind, and seeks out ways to avoid the dangers that are associated with sex no matter what your age--pregnancy and disease--then have her feel ashamed to research her decision.

I think the subject matter was wonderfully handled, and by no means is the entire book about Sam trying to decide whether or not to have sex with David. A lot of reviewers will attempt to make it be so, just because the subject matter is a touchy one. But it's also about Sam wanting to be her own person, not just "the girl who saved the President." It's about learning to love yourself as you are, and understanding the intricacies of your family, and taking important steps in your life to make the world a better place.

Samantha Madison grew up in this book, and that's how it should be. Any parent who thinks their teenager isn't thinking about sex is sadly mistaken--it's just a fact of life. And Meg Cabot presents a wonderful story about the highs and lows of falling in love, of making life-altering decisions, and being the best person you can be.

Reviewed by: Jennifer Wardrip, aka "The Genius"

So many people think that without tragic consequences a book has no value..... but I laughed out loud many times throughout the book. It was a very enjoyable read.

Too many books (and people!) are scared to address the reality that teens think about sex a lot. (Remember when certain organizations banned Judy Blume books?) I found this book to be refreshingly realistic with an appropriate level of detail. I loved the many discussions incorporated into the story - for example: parental surprise that not only underprivileged kids engage in premarital sex; why using multiple methods of birth control is a good idea; that "good" sex takes practice; that you need to wait for the right partner; that people you think are having sex may not be, and vice-versa; and that you absolutely need to be able to have meaningful discussions with your partner. I felt that Sam's reactions afterwards were very easy to relate to, and worked with the story.

I would not consider this book appropriate for pre-teens, but it isn't intended for them anyway. High-schoolers will find it both a pleasantly light and informative read.

Samantha Madison knows she's destined for ruin. Not only is she the middle child,(everyone knows the middle child gets the least attention)but she just also happens to have a cheerleader, older sister Lucy, who has got one CUTE boyfriend and, her little sister just happens to be a certified genuis. When her parents send her to a professional artist, Susan Boone, so she can express her artistic ability, instead of drawing movie hunks in German class(which by the way she is failing)Samantha is sure all her family is against her. So nothing else can go wrong right?Not! She becomes the whole laughting stock of the art class, because Susan keeps saying she doesn't "see" what she draws and guess who throws a fit? Oh, yeah did we mention that this idiotic guy named David makes a cute comment on her boots and Sam gets all blushy? Humiliated and angry Samantha cuts her art class and only happens to pounce on a guy with a gun and save the President's life, breaking her arm in the process. Suddenly Samantha finds herself thrust into the limelight, she so wants to escape. Everyone thinks she's a hero, even though she knows she is far from one. Coke and Pepsi want her to sponser their soda, Barbara Walters wants to interview her, and she is made Teen Ambassador to the UN. What could get worse? How about she finds out the president's son, turns out to be David, and he might just be in love with her?
Meg Cabot has once again showed us that she can make a good book out of any topic. I loved her Princess Diaries books and I think I like All-American Girl even more. It is so sweet. I can't wait for All-American Girl 2!

After enjoying "All American Girl" immensely, I was excited to read its sequel "Ready or Not," preparing myself to see just as much humor and fun as witnessed in the first novel. I was greatly disappointed with the quality of writing and the plot of Ready or Not.

First of all, the lists. I admit in the first book the lists were rather annoying (there were too many of them), but at least they were witty and had substance. But the lists in Ready or Not seemed like fillers put there to 1) lengthen the book and 2) stay "loyal" to the format of the first book.

example:
[from "Top Ten Reasons I Suck as a Girlfriend"]
4. But I have too many problems of my own. Like, for instance, I need to decide if I agree with him. My boyfriend, I mean. About us being ready. For you-know-what.
3. I'm not sure I do.
2. At least, not most of the time.

(Tell me, do number 2 and 3 REALLY add ANYTHING to the list?)

Another reason I hated Ready or Not: character inconsistencies. Especially on Lucy's part. Where did the vain, prissy sister go? Not only is Lucy very unusually nice to her sister, but she also fails to pay as much attention to her appearance as she did before. Now we could chalk this up to "character development" but there was nothing put into the story that would make Lucy change her attitude--nothing at all. Now about Samantha... where did the rebellious, outcast personality go? In the first book, she was trying to be an individual. In the second, all she cares about is that people might find out about her and David in Camp David.

Also, I have a big problem with Samantha's utter stupidity in this book. First, whenever she uses "difficult" words (like "vernacular"--according to her, that is a difficult word) there is always added in parentheses: (SAT word meaning "[long, usually unnecessary definition]"). This gets extremely annoying after the tenth or eleventh time she does it. Second, she immediately assumes David asks her to have sex with him when he only asks her to stay overnight at Camp David with him. Third, she keeps on beating around the bush when she's talking to David about the sex situation and doesn't even have the courage enough to call it sex (throughout the entire book, the penis is called "you know what" and sex is called "Doing It"--yes, both words capitalized).

One more thing: in the beginning, every time Samantha mentions David, she doesn't use his name. She calls him "my boyfriend."
First few pages of the book alone:
"This isn't a very encouraging thought, considering that my boyfriend, who is Lucy's age, will be going off to college next year."
"Rebecca goes to a school for gifted kids, Horizon, the same school my boyfriend..."
"Susan Boone owns the art studio where my boyfriend and I take drawing lessons... I go to learn to become a master at my craft, not to make out with my boyfriend."
"We live in Cleveland Park, a section of Washington, D.C., that isn't actually that far from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, a.k.a. the White House, where my boyfriend lives."
and so on.

Overall, the book was a huge disappointment and waste of time.

This book is about a girl named Samantha (Sam) Madison. Like most other heroines in Meg Cabot's books, Sam has something unusual and bizarre happen to her, something which happens to be a blessing in disguise.
Sam saves the president of the United States from assassination by jumping on the back of the attacker. She ends up breaking her arm, but saving the life of the leader of the free world.
I liked Sam's character. Sam's something of an urban rebel slash sensitive artist slash middle-child reject (her words, not mine). She dresses all in black, as she is in mourning for her generation. But I've got to say, Sam was a pretty believably character. I found her quirks really entertaining (like she's a picky eater and blushes practically all the time, being a redhead.)
Overall, I give this book five stars, because it was just a whole lot of fun! :)

Which is no doubt why her Princess series and All American girl have been so successful and well liked.
This book is absolutely fun, fun, fun! I enjoyed it and I am on the brink (praise the lord) of exiting my teens. This book brings back all the teen angst of a young girl trying to deal with life while attempting to come off completely sane as she does it. Will she succeed?
I highly recommend this book for you if you are shopping around for a book to get a young girl. It has everything, a cute President's son, slightly nutty but caring parents, snappy dialogue, action, frustrating "I'm totally stuck" moments, and yes, even Gwen Stephani. Plus, this book is very clean so you need not worry about giving something inappropriate.
Cabot is an absolute scream and if you have the time you should definitely read this book yourself!

I would have liked this book better if the protagonist, Sam, had been given a more likeable love-interest. It is such a big part of the story that it rather ruins the book. One is left wondering what she could possibly see in the pompous David, who might as well be wearing a label "President-In-Training." He puts her down, laughs at her misfortune, and yet she feels "fluttery" around him. I don't think it sends a good message to girls at all, which is why I was seeing red at the end of the book. I kept waiting for Sam to call him on his lack of respect, and yet she wound up apologizing to him. It's enough to make you gag.
Sam is an endearing protagonist, genuine, creative and original. It was weird, but she seemed to be the only "real" person in her family. Actually, Sam, Catherine (best friend), and Jack (second love-interest) seemed to be the only "real" people in the entire book. Everyone else seemed two-dimensional, like characters in a comic strip. The older sister "Lucy" is a typical airhead and the younger sister "Rebecca" is a typical brat. However, Sam's narrative is a fun read. Although the book left me in a rage, I have to say that if an author can leave the reader with such intense emotion, she must be pretty talented. I guess I would recommend this book, but only if you are prepared to question the values it assumes to be correct. Don't just buy into the "guy is always right" mentality. Oh, and I couldn't stand the "draw what you see" mantra either. Let's just say you feel quite protective of Sam throughout the book, and wind up wanting to rescue her from the repressive, rigid society she lives in.

This book is about an extreme individual, named Samantha (Sam, for short.). She likes to wear black, listens to NO DOUBT, likes to draw, lives in the absloute shadow of her older sister, who is a social butterfly, and her younger sister, who is a certified genius. Sam is also in love with her older sister's boyfriend, Jack, who she considers as her equal and soul-mate for life. The trouble is, he doesn't know. No, wait. That's not the problem. The problem is that her parents found out she was charging people at school for celebrity portaits and she now has to attend a boring old drawing class, learning about how to draw thing she is already a hundred times better at doing before she even had to take the stupid class. But that's not the half of it. One day, she ditches. And saves the president from an assasin attack. Now, she's famous world-wide, and in much favor of the president, but that's STILL not even the worst part of it. The worst part is. . . The president's son might be in love with her.

I bought this book together with All American Girl. After reading that one, though, I was kind of fed up with the story and let Ready or Not sit on my shelf until the Meg Cabot Readathon led me to finally reading it and I can honestly say I'm so happy about that.

What I loved most about Ready or Not was that it took place a year after All American Girl and that all the characters were so much more mature. Also, I felt like the plot was a lot more straight forward. Different from the first book the second one was a super fast read for me.

Meg's writing style is what I want to put emphasis on in this review, because I felt like it was more settled than in some of her other books. The protagonist's voice is still very funny and all the dialogues and descriptions kept me laughing - but it wasn't too much.

Lucy was amazing. Truly amazing. I loved how much she had grown from book one to book two but also the development we could see in her during book two. It's not only believable, it's also very inspiring and I felt like I was being taught a very important lesson - of course, in funny and snarky Meg Cabot style.

All in all the book was an plain enjoyable read. Quick, fun, heartwarming. What I missed was Rebecca. I loved her character in All American Girl and would have liked to see more of her.

This is a story about a girl named Samantha Madison, an urban rebel who is very artistic and shy. She feels kind of stuck between her older sister Lucy, who is a cheerleader and has the most gorgeous boyfriend, and her younger sister Rebecca who is a genius and loves Star Trek. Samantha feels like a nobody compared to them and is suddenly forced to join an art class because she is caught drawing celebrities in German. She has a crush on Lucy's boyfriend, Jack, and can't stand the fact that her older sister is with him.

One day when Samantha Madison decides to skip art class, she sees the president come out of Capitol Cookies and someone (Mr. Uptown Girl, lol) is holding a gun aimed right toward him, determined to kill him. Samantha decides to save the presidents life and takes the matters into her own hands. But what happens when she's labeled a hero?

Samantha also has an art show to help host and it turns out that Jack is going to participate in it and he expects her to choose him as the winner. But does she actually choose him as the winner? Does David, the one who Samantha thinks has a crush on her, become her boyfriend? Read to find out.

Yes, it's funny-Meg Cabot still has her light sense of humor, and farfetched, yes. it certainly isn't the best teen book I've ever read, but it's worth the read. I recommend this book to any girl that is 12 years of age plus.

Once again Meg Cabot has released another unforgettable book, "Ready or Not", the sequel to 2002's "All American Girl". I could barely put the book down the entire time I was reading it, unlike many novels I find today in bookstores.

In "All American Girl", Samantha Madison, the middle child and sister of a certified genius and the most popular girl in school recieves international attention and recognition for the first time in her life when she saves the life of the President of the United States. She begins to date the son of the President after meeting in art class and they fall in love.

"Ready or Not" occurs one year after "All American Girl", when Samantha and David, the President's son, have been dating for a year. They begin taking an art class with an unexpected course subject and Samantha keeps feeling like a loner at school. After he asks her to spend Thanksgiving with him and his family at Camp David, she misunderstands his intentions and thinks he is trying to get their relationship to the next level. Samantha spends the majority of the book stressing over David's and her relationship, which causes her to become closer to her sister, Lucy. More is realized about certain characters, mainly Lucy, and the novel ends in a way that will keep you pining for more installments of the "All American Girl" series.

The reason this book was so unforgettable was because the plot was so unreal in some ways- how many girls get to date the President of the United States' son? In some ways, I thought "Ready or Not" was better than its predecessor, but there was a lack of dialogue and too much thought put into one subject. Depsite this, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and it will continue to be one of my favorite books of all time.

I almost never post reviews, but this time I felt compelled. I've read almost all of Cabot's backlist, adult and teen. And I love her voice, but she often skirts far away from controversy.

I LOVE that she tackled this one. In the last few years, Judy Blume and Norma Klein have given way to censorship and PC thinking. You have the "sweet" books and the "trashy" books and very little in between. I'm so happy that Cabot acknowledged the reality that many of her readers WILL have sex before marriage, regardless of what their parents hope. Girls, even sweet girls, NEED to see realistic representations of sexuality, and I think those authors brave enough to tackle the issue need to be applauded.

All American Girl Published by HarperCollions 2002
By:MegCabot 398 pages

0-06-442779
Reviewed by: Jessica
A 10th grader named Samantha Madison just saved the President of the United States. The whole world thinks she is a hero, but Samantha knows she's not. She has been appointed the teen ambassador to the UN, and she thinks the President's son is in love with her. She has a younger sister, who is a genius and an older sister, who is the most popular girl in High School. Last , but not least, she is in love with her sister's boyfriend. This book can teach people to be
themselves and not judge people by their looks. I think teenage girls would love to read this book.

There have been a few attempts at the president's life before. It happens. But what happens if you are there when it happens, and then decide to take out the assassin before he hits the president? Well a lot of things. First of all you get your arm broken. Second, you become an instant hero. Third, you get invited to the president's house for dinner and become "teen ambassador to the UN". Lastly, you find out that the cute boy in your art class happens to be the president's son. All of this happens to fortunate, (or unfortunate) Samantha Madison in All-American Girl.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I had to put it down every few pages and go downstairs to pace myself, only to come back up a minute later. I couldn't exactly relate to Sam, (since I've never saved the Presidents life before, let alone seen the President in real life color) by I enjoyed looking at her story as an on looker. The only thing was that it was a bit like The Princess Diaries series (also by Meg Cabot) (which I also enjoyed), but it was unique enough that although I noticed it, I didn't care.
All in all, a great book!

First, let me say, I am perfectly comfortable with reading about pre-marital sex and I'm not disgusted by the topic. Now that I have that out of the way...

I was really let down by this book. It was Princess Diaries all over again. I've read almost all of Meg Cabot's books, and although the first All-American Girl novel was not a favorite, I still thought it was well-written and a good read. I was excited to read Ready or Not since the first book was so cute and funny.

However, much like other readers I've spoken to, Meg didn't do justice for the relatable character Samantha Madison. The first novel was filled with all sorts of subplots and wonderful storylines detailing Sam's love for hamburgers, love for art, and love for the individual she was. In Ready or Not, we met a new Sam: A whiny, insecure Sam who flips out about the topic of sex, much like Mia in the Princess Diaries. The message of "parts vs. whole" that her art teacher tries to get across to Sam in her new life drawing class is minimal, for Sam spends more time worrying over the naked guy she has to draw and whether her boyfriend wants to play Parcheesi (her code word for sex).

Ready or Not was a huge disappointment. The shortness of the novel should have hinted something to me at the book store, since there is basically nothing to the plot except Sam's worries over sex and how the popular girls at school will treat her.

Sam's old interests have evaporated in this sequel, including her trademark red hair. While parts of the book are still somewhat funny, this shouldn't even be called a sequel for it has VERY little to do with the first book.

Samantha Madison is a typical New Yorker. Well not really, she is in love with her older sister Lucy's boy friend Jack, and her younger sister is a genius, and she just saved the president of the United States! When she ditched her art class she see's an attempt on the President's life. But she finds out that David, a guy in her art class is the president's son! Soon, Sam and her family are invited to dinner the WHite House, and she is appointed Teen Ambassador to the UN. Theresa, her nanny pushes her to invite David to a party, people soon start to realize Sam is not all they think. And David, could (key word COULD)like Sam. What will Sam do? Read this great book!
Read all of Meg Cabot's book they're really good.

Samantha Madison is a typical New Yorker. Well not really, she is in love with her older sister Lucy's boy friend Jack, and her younger sister is a genius, and she just saved the president of the United States! When she ditched her art class she see's an attempt on the President's life. But she finds out that David, a guy in her art class is the president's son! Soon, Sam and her family are invited to dinner the WHite House, and she is appointed Teen Ambassador to the UN. Theresa, her nanny pushes her to invite David to a party, people soon start to realize Sam is not all they think. And David, could (key word COULD)like Sam. What will Sam do? Read this great book!
Read all of Meg Cabot's book they're really good.

Samantha Madison thinks she doesn't fit into her family because she has an older sister who is the most popular girl in school and a younger sister who is a certified genius. She just been caught selling celebrity portraits at school in her German notebook which she is making a C-minus in. Now she is being forced to take art classes. She's just been appointed teen appointed teen ambassador of the UN. And...the prsidents son just might be i love with her!!

The reason I like this book is because alot of the things that happen people can relate to. I also like all the conflicts that go on with her and her friends. It is an awesome book and keeps you interested in the book.

This book was cute. While I usually enjoy romantic subplots in Meg Cabot's books, I think the most interesting relationship in All-American Girl was the relationship between Samantha (the heroine) and her sister Lucy. I think their story was a strong core for the book, and ended up being what caused me to love it. The plotline with the president was interesting, and served to put Samantha in situations that were difficult for her, therefore forcing her to grow and change as a character. I thought that David as a romantic interest was a little bit boring. And Meg Cabot used the word frisson way too much. I think it would have been sufficient to refer to the word just a few times, rather than once every few pages. There were lists at the beginning of each chapter that I thought added some interesting comedy to the book.

Wow! Meg Cabot keeps getting better and better! When I finished all the available books from The Princess Diaries I knew I had to read this one!
I'm glad I did! You can really relate to the reality in this book! Sure, the chances of you saving the president from assasination is nil, it's still highly entertaining to read about!
Sam Madison's life is on a slippery slope! Her sister, Lucy, just ratted her out on drawing pictures of people with celeberties at school for a charge, so know she has to attend drawing lessons with Susan Boone! She skips class one day and when waiting for her housekeeper to pick her up she saves the life of the president which changes her life forever!

The thing that bothered me most of all about this book was the character inconsistiency at the end. I did not read the first book so I can't say how Sam changed from one book to the next but the whole problem Sam had through this whole book was the fact that she wasn't ready for sex and she THOUGHT her boyfriend was. Despite the fact that she asked about birth control, she still consistiently indicated that she wasn't ready. She even avoided David because she was so distressed about going away for the weekend with him. She didn't even want to go!!! To make this a really good book, Sam would have asked David what he meant about 'playing Parchisi'. She would have told him what she was feeling. They would have discussed the whole issue. THAT would have been Sam making a MATURE decision. Poor David didn't even have a clue what was going on in her mind and appeared to be shocked by the idea when she finally springs it on him. Because of this, the ending was very disappointing. It was almost like "Oh well, we're alone, I have contraceptives, we might as well do it even if I wasn't ready and you don't look like you're very ready either."

There is one other thing I didn't like about the book: the white trash reference...very biggoted

I teach a fourth and fifth grade class and ordered this book through the school book orders to read myself because it looked good. I wasn't disappointed! I've never read the Princess Diary books, but I plan to now. The book has a pop culture flavor and tone that really appeals to the young crowd. The main character, Samantha, isn't a popular pretty girl, and doesn't even really want to be. I think a lot of young girls in love find themselves facing the same issues as Sam and hopefully they'll figure things out the same way. There is only one thing that may not make this book appropriate for all readers. A part of the female anatomy is mentioned (in connection with Georgia O'Keeffe's art).

All American Girl is an awesome book. Samantha (Sam) Madison lives in Washington D.C. and after getting a D in German she is forced to take a drawing class. During her first art class she is humilated because she didn't draw what she saw. She skips her next art class and she ends up saving the president's life.
I really enjoyed reading this book because you find out how somebody's life could turn upside down in one day. This book is something that could be happening to a person right now but it still is a little fantasy. This book can also be very funny at times.I think girls my age would enjoy this book a lot. Read this book and find out what happens to Sam.

I have just finished All American Girl and I really enjoyed it. When I first went to get this book, I was a little iffy because it seemed like another predictable pre teen book with a moral. However, for some reason I decided to try it out and discovered it was really a captivating and touching novel. It was really thought out well on the author's part and had a fantastic, suprising and very cute ending. It did end up being a little bit predictable. I really would recommend this book to most girls, however, if they didn't like the Princess Diaries series they might not like this because it is pretty similar. I do think that this book was overall very good and enjoyable.

All American Girl is an awesome book. Samantha (Sam) Madison lives in Washington D.C. and after getting a D in German she is forced to take a drawing class. During her first art class she is humilated because she didn't draw what she saw. She skips her next art class and she ends up saving the president's life.
I really enjoyed reading this book because you find out how somebody's life could turn upside down in one day. This book is something that could be happening to a person right now but it still is a little fantasy. This book can also be very funny at times.I think girls my age would enjoy this book a lot. Read this book and find out what happens to Sam.

This spunky book is about a girl named Samantha Madison. She's a red headed artist, who wears black all the time and is kind of a hot head. She gets caught selling drawing at school so she's forced to take drawing lessons. Sam meets a cute guy named David who dresses like her!... She gets humiliated the first day so ditches the next lesson. Instead, she saves the life of the President! Before you can say "Picasso", Sam's life changes drastically. She's made teen ambassador to the UN and is a celebrity. She also finds out David is the president's son!
Sam finds a new friend in DAvid...but her heart is devoted to someone else! Read ALL AMERICAN GIRL by Meg Cabot to find out what happens!

Once I started to read "All American Girl", I couldn't stop. I didn't stop reading for six hours(I stayed up all night)until I finished the book.
One of the really interesting parts of the book is that the plot is hard to believe. Sometimes, books with outrageous plots can be annoying, but I think anyone who enjoyed the "Princess Diaries" series would also like this book. However, "All American Girl" is great for any 12-15 year old girl. I also liked how after reading the book, you felt like you knew Samantha like she was your best friend.
I would have given this book a five star rating if not for one thing. After I read the book, I realized that it was a lot like the "Princess Diaries" Series. This is mainly because Samantha(of All American Girl) and Mia(of Princess Diaries) both: have similar outlooks on the social pyramid that is high school, are at similar places on that pyramid, live in big cities, and end up suddenly becoming famous. The last part was what really bugged me. Both of them had to deal with reporters scrambling to get a glimpse of them. It really saddened me that Cabot(author) had to use the same type of girls in similar situations in the two books.
Even so, "All American Girl" was an amazing book, and I would reccomend it to any girl.

All-American Girl is a story of self-discovery for our underdog heroine, Samantha Madison. She is an artist and a wanna-be rebel who is in love with her sister's boyfriend Jack, a 7-11 obsessed, self-proclaimed intellectual. Samantha first uses her artistic abilities to sell celebrity drawings to her snotty classmates until her parents sign her up for art lessons as a way to channel her talent without operating a side-business or failing her German class. It is at her art class where Samantha meets the president's son for the first time. From there, the story progresses.

The only drawback to this book is the fact that it takes place in the nation's capital. Having frequented Washington DC several times, I felt a little suffocated with Cabot's writing, especially from her knowledge of DC from a tourist's point-of-view. Her directions and descriptions of DC landmarks and highlights are accurate, however, who can say they know Federal employees that actually live there? Samantha's parents seem to, as they are somehow able to afford to live there, and in a Victorian house no less. Those houses go for over a million now-a-days. Really, the setting was a little far-fetched.

Ms Cabot definitly has a love for the Washington DC/Maryland area, as seen from her novels All-American Girl and Avalon High, but again, her stories are touristy as they always refer to landmarks in the DC, Maryland areas (ex: National Cathedral, Naval Academy, etc). I mean, I don't mean to beat this over the head, but if you're looking for a genuine connection between plot, setting, and characters, I recommend The Traveling Pants Series (who hasn't read that?!)

BOTTOM LINE: An entertaining read for its intended audience, however there is only a tourist sense of knowledge when it comes to time and place. Also, young readers should know that approximately one in fifty-million chances, will a politician or a president's son actually have a personality like David's. Otherwise, All-American Girl makes for an entertaining read.

Here are the top ten things that are really throwing Samantha Madison for a loop these days:

10. Becoming a better artist = taking a class called Life Drawing. But Life Drawing = drawing naked people.

9. The fact that people still recognize her as "that red-haired girl who saved the President's life," despite her newly black hair.

8. Her sister, uber-popular cheerleader Lucy, seems to be falling for her S.A.T. tutor.

7. Who is also the class nerd.

6. Having to work at the Potomac Video because being a national hero doesn't stop Sam's parents from thinking that she needs to realize the value of a dollar...as though anyone can get far on a dollar these days.

5. Having to cover a shift at work for a co-worker who was arrested during a protest.

4. Facing off to evil Kris Parks, head of Right Way, the school's abstinence club.

3. Speaking of abstinence, Samantha really didn't mean to imply on MTV, while speaking against a portion of the President's Return to Family initiative, that she was sexually active. She's not.

2. But does she want to be?

1. And when her boyfriend, David, who happens to be the president's son, invites her to Camp David for Thanksgiving weekend, does he really just want to play Parcheesi when he says so, or is that code for "I want to have sex"?

Laugh, agonize, and say, "Oooh, ouch!" as you follow Sam through family trials, her rebellion against conformity at Adams Prep School, and her decision over whether or not to have sex with her wonderful boyfriend. Although this is the sequel to ALL-AMERICAN GIRL, don't panic if you haven't read the first book; you can pick up on Samantha's story pretty quickly here. Sam, whether she likes to admit it or not, is a great role model for all kinds of girls, and her funny, very real story will hit home for a lot of people.

--- Reviewed by Carlie Webber

All-American Girl was a fantastic book! I love Meg Cabot's books, but towards the last Princess Diaries book, it was getting a bit old. This book is full of laughs! I could not put it down. It is great if you just need a laugh. The main character, Samantha, doesn't really fit in anywhere and is constantly annoyed with her two perfect sisters. Then, when she is supposed to be in drawing class one day, a guy tries to shoot the president...but Sam jumps on him... and saves the president's life! From there, her life is filled with surprises she never would have dreamed of. All-American Girl is definitely something you should read!