Maw Books

Maw Books – book reviews, book recommendations, book lists, author interviews and more!

When Donna Gephart discovered my blog and sponsored me in my Reading & Blogging for Darfur Awareness Campaign, I knew that I wanted to read her debut novel As If Being 12 3/4 Isn’t Bad Enough, My Mother is Running for President (perfect title!) Donna sent me the nicest emails and also doubled her donation (shhh . . .  should I have mentioned how awesome and generous that is?!).  So you can imagine how nervous I was to actually read her book.  What if I didn’t like it?  What would I say?  Fear and trepidation as I opened the first page.  Let me tell you this:  I shouldn’t have worried!  Honestly, I really enjoyed this book and fully recommend it!  When I expressed that to Donna she said,

I know what you mean about wanting to like someone’s book because you like that person or something they stand for.  I’ve had several experiences where I was disappointed by something someone wrote, so your nervousness at reading my book makes perfect sense.

My feelings exactly.  While reading a interview with Donna Gephart from Cynthia Leitich Smith at Cynsations I really enjoyed Donna’s own summary of her book.  So instead of my summary, I bring you hers:

A brief summary: Preparing for spelling bees, having a secret admirer, and waiting for her chest size to catch up with her enormous feet are pressure enough, but Vanessa Rothrock must also deal with loneliness and fear as her mother, Florida’s Governor, runs for President of the United States.

Young readers will learn about primaries during this election season as well as the trials and t-r-i-b-u-l-a-t-i-o-n-s involved in competing in spelling bees. All the while, they will hope for this klutzy character to come to terms with herself, her mother’s campaign and ultimately find the courage to thwart an assassination attempt.

Just in time for election day!  A novel that not only is a wonderful coming of age story about the pressures of growing up, but a glimpse into the behind the scenes happenings of an election.  What I love about As If Being 12 3/4 . . . is that it’s a perfect blend of Vanessa’s life.  It’s not heavily focused on the election and it’s not heavily focused on her school day or the spelling bees, although it’s too funny that she has a Secret Service agent guard her locker and stand outside the bathroom. And things get crazy when a secret admirer starts passing her notes and it becomes a national security issue.

Donna Gephart’s writing is great.  Not only does she successfully combine a wide range of topics such as grief, single parenting, working mothers, mother/daughter relationships, the election process and the life and times of a “want to be normal” teenager but she does it with style.  The storyline keeps you turning the page for more and cheering Vanessa on as she deals with crushes, embarrassing moments (which are national embarrassing moments), and other teenage insecurities.

I can only imagine if I read this as an almost thirty something mom and enjoyed it, that preteens will enjoy it even more.  Vanessa is a character that they will be able to relate to and enjoy.  They’ll come away with the thought, “I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels this way” even if their next move might not be to the White House.

And stick around, coming up next is a great interview with Donna and a yummy recipe for “Mrs. Perez’s Drop-Dean Delicious Lemon Squares” which I kept wanting to taste while reading the book!

Links of interest:  Donna Gephart’s website and blog.  Edited  to add:  My author interview with Donna and her yummy lemon square bars.
Genre:  Middle Grade Fiction, approx ages 9-12.
Publisher:  Delacorte Books for Young Readers.  February 12, 2008.
Hardcover, 240 pages. ISBN:  0385734816
As If Being 12 3/4 Isn’t Hard Enough, My Mother is Running for President is available from your favorite independent bookstore, Powell’s, or Amazon.

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