READY OR NOT

In this sequel to All-American Girl (2002), Samantha Madison, now almost 17, must cope with hero status in society (she saved the President’s life) but unpopularity at school, the disconcerting but nonetheless intriguing discovery that models don’t wear a stitch of clothing in life-drawing class and the possibility of sex with her boyfriend David, who just happens to be the President’s son. The central comic misunderstanding that drives this attenuated, sitcom-like story is an invitation from David to join his family at Camp David over Thanksgiving weekend. David tells Samantha that there are lots of fun things to do there, including Parcheesi, which Samantha concludes is a code word for sex. This drives Cabot’s funny, outspoken heroine into a tizzy as she tries to figure out if she’s ready or not, a situation that thoroughly confuses her boyfriend and later culminates in a mortifying public debate with the President. Cabot is a witty writer who has the ability to practically channel teen-speak, and while this work is thinner than her usual fare, fans should come away satisfied. (Fiction. 12-14)