Mum's Monday: All American Girl by Meg Cabot

This book is told from the prospective of the middle child, of the Madison family, Samantha, Sam for short, who prefers art to German lessons. She has a strong creative side. Much to her mum Carol’s disapproval.

One of the things I like interweaved into this book, is the ‘Top Ten Lists’, Sam composes, they are written in a good clear way and enhances what we learn about who Sam is.

I really feel for Sam, having a younger sister, Rebecca and an older sister, Lucy, with their own various issues, with Sam stuck in the middle and her life being arranged by her mum for her, especially Tuesday’s and Thursday’s after school, I see Sam has lost some of her control of her life. However, school is important and she should make more of an effort in her German lessons, over all.

I am glad, initially, that Sam gave the art class a chance. It is brilliant to read how, we as the reader, also get an art lesson. Art is not who has, done the best or perfect painting, but that you have followed the instructions from the art teacher, Susan Boone.

This part is very well written, and was done so well, that I understood what was actually required, during the lesson.

I can also see things from Sam’s point of view, art is meant to be creative.

The chapter where Sam is the hero and saves the President of the United States of America life, breaking her arm in the process, is written, so it reads at such a fast pace, and one, I can see the ‘dilemma’ Sam has got herself into and two, the ‘Number one thing, on her ‘Top Ten’ list she knows her life has changed’, is really funny.

This book is realistically, written, on what can happen, after someone, saves the president’s life, but it is still good to read and the reactions to certain situations are, in keeping with the characters in this book.

After the initial first part of, ‘You saved the President’s Life’ has passed, the story then proves, that it is still a book for teenagers to read, this by going onto the subject of, dating boys and ‘Typical teenage boy stuff’. The only difference is, and in keeping with the storyline, one of the ‘Boys’ in question, is the President’s son, David. This is cleverly done, keeping it a teenage book and not distracting from the books storyline.

I am glad to see, after a rocky start, Sam is progressing in her art class. This has been written really well and seems to have been well researched. Sam has to now juggle this as well as the duties of the ‘United States Teen Ambassador to the UN’. Another ‘Top Ten’ list gave me, the reader, more of an insight, into what was happening in Sam’s life, and how it had changed, more so than before.

Chapter 21, turns Sam’s thoughts about Jack (Sam’s older sister, Lucy’s boyfriend) upside down. Once David, the president’s son, gives her a different, point of view, Sam begins to think, Jack isn’t always right. It is good to see two sides to the situations.

The story also shows, that an unlikely person, may give the best advice, after you have, heard what they have said in the past and understood it. ‘Seeing’ can help in so many ways.

This book shows, you should really speak to people, or person, before you make a public statement, much to the President’s annoyance.

It is good to see, that at the end, Sam doesn’t want to be, anyone else but, herself, and also just be with the one she loves.

I liked this book, and wanted to keep reading it, to find out what happened to Sam in the end. I wasn’t disappointed. I did think putting her plaster cast in a museum was an amusing way to preserve a moment, that will, in time become an, historical highlight in, America’s history.