All-American Girl

Sophomore Samantha Madison is redheaded, a middle child, left-handed, and, in her opinion, one of the only teenage girls left who have not succumbed to the soul-sucking fashion trends of modern-day society. She's a wannabe radical: she dyed her wardrobe black, and she's in love with her popular older sister Lucy's boyfriend Jack, who's as "radical" as they get.
Sam thinks it's the end of her already lousy world when, as a punishment for bad grades, her parents send her to art lessons at Susan Boone's. Sam's a good artist, but she doesn't take well to criticism, and so when on the first day Susan Boone accuses her of not drawing what she knows, Sam decides not to come back. Ever.
Which turns out to be a good thing, because while she’s show more hiding from Susan Boone at the following lesson, she manages to stop an assassination attempt on the president.
All of a sudden Sam is the “it” girl at her school, the US, and the whole world. The president awards her the position of teen ambassador to the UN, and his cute son David (who is also in Susan Boone's art class) thinks there's something special about Sam. Only Sam knows there's nothing very heroic about what she did. And she doesn't understand why David's being so nice to her, or why her heart skitters when he smiles at her, or why she feels so bad after David finds out she had used him to make Jack jealous at a party. Because she's totally in love with Jack.
Right? (Review by Steph from GoodReads) show less

After re-reading this I still really like Sam, her friends, family and story. Meg Cabot knows how to make her teens feel utterly real - from the way that they talk to the decisions that they make. I found myself laughing aloud several times and, despite some of the dated pop culture references, it retained a fresh feel. Mind you, this novel is only eight years-old. In a few more years a lot of these pop culture mentions will fall flat. Eventually, they may have to pull a Sweet Valley High/Nancy Drew and update some things. Fortunately, the humor found here isn't completely reliant on pop culture. Just reading through Sam's thought process, actions and rationalizations are a riot.

Read the full review at my blog, The Eclectic Book Lover.

I just finished re-reading this book for the first time since I was about 12 or 13, and back then I absolutely loved it. Upon reading it again at 20, this book surprisingly held its own and was just as good as it was when I was an annoyingly peppy preteen girl.

Some aspects of the main character were a little more annoying than they were when I was 13. I mean why dye all your clothes black and be so melodramatic about being a middle child? Other than that, Meg Cabot remains as engrossing and hilarious as ever, and she is definitely still one of my old favourites.

In this perfect example of a good teen chick lit, Samantha Madison finds her life forever changed when she saves the president of the United States from and assassination show more attempt. The reader gets to accompany Sam on her amazing and crazy ride where certain hilarity ensues, along with a little "frisson" between her and the president's son, David. It wouldn't be a good chick lit without a cutsie romance and All American Girl definitely delivers! David is totally on my "Fictional Boys Who Are Too Perfect For Their Own Good" list.

All American Girl is pretty far fetched and of course none of the events would actually happen. Even if you, as a teenage girl, did happen to save the life of the president, I doubt that it would have the effect that it did on Samantha Madison. The Dali Lama would probably not send you well wishes and the Smithsonian would most likely throw out your arm cast, not display it in their museum. Yes, it is far fetched. But that's what makes it such a hilarious and fun read. Who doesn't want to slip into the world of a good chick lit every now and again? Seriously, if the president's son had a crush on me, I would be one happy gal!

Definitely recommend if you're looking for a funny Sophie-Kinsella-like read for a younger audience. Meg Cabot is always a winner and I would recommend any of her books! show less

Enjoyable tale about a girl that saves the life of the President's son from an assasin. I loved Sam's crazy sisters and her elder sister's boyfriend. By contrast, the passages between Sam and the President' son were handledwith care. Charming, funny and warm.

This story is too funny yet too good to be true. By pure accident, Sam is tossed into a world that she really doesn't desire to be in. It amused me to no end that because of one action on her own part, her life changed so dramatically. One of Meg's best, IMO.

Okay, so I know most Meg Cabot books follow the same formula of girl is in love with/dating a boy that isn't right for her, she meets another boy, she is faced with doing what is right or what is easy, and then she starts dating the second boy who saw her for who she really was the entire time. But I'm okay with that, because it works, and more importantly - the girl always does "what's right" even though she thinks the boy won't like her for it. So getting the boy is, in the end, never the most important thing, but a bonus.

This isn't the first time I read this book, but I enjoy it every time I do. It's no Princess Diaries, but it's still pretty good, and Meg Cabot always delivers something that's enjoyable and quick to read.

Meg Cabot writes the book differently, and it is her own beautiful style. I would recommend this for maybe a twelve-year-old or so. Her description of art is very precise and well written because you must truly learn the rules or art before you are able to bend them. It is rather adorable even the way she says that the main character is in 'love'. The feelings are...well nice-ish, but a little over, which makes the book enjoyable.