I have actually been looking forward to this one for some time. I actually read the fourth book in the series just recently. It was a new release, but the earlier three books were actually released in the early-to-mid-1990's, when I was in high school. The publisher has decided to reissue the first three with updates so the setting will be more modern. I am sure it had something to do with the strong support Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin were having during the course of the election.

The main character is a 15-year-old girl growing up in one of the suburbs of Boston. Meghan Powers is pretty much living the life of an avereage teen with one exception. Her mother is a very popular Democratic Senator. That has led to a creative family situation as her family has two homes (one in Massachusetts and one not far from DC). It has also meant that her mother has not been around as much as she would have liked.

Things are about to get even more interesting for Meg and her two younger brothers because their mother Katherine has decided to run for President of the United States. The book artfully takes the family, and the readers with them, through the election process from the start of the primary season through the debates and on through Inauguration Day. It is not easy on the family because everyone must sacrifice. Through there caring and dedication, though, they are making it through.

Meg is a smart and witty kid with a great sense of humor. She shines on her own while also being a great supporter for her mom even as she sometimes hopes that her mother will lose so they can go back to the simple life they once had. Like the rest of her family, Meg must learn to deal with Secret Service agents, a crazy schedule, and all the changes that come about as she is going to a new school and moving into the Residence at the White House.

What I really liked about this book (and the fourth book in the series, which is called Long May She Reign) is that Meg is not just dealing with the challenges of being in the first family, but also with the everyday things that all kids face like insecurity and starting to date. She has trouble adapting to her new school and even loses one of her long-time friends who can't deal with her mother's new status as the leader of the free world.

This series is definitely one of those that fall into the young adult genre, but the richness of characters and the plotlines makes it complex enough for even the most intense readers while also staying accessible to the originally intended audience.