Twelve year old Vanessa Rothrock has a few problems: she trips over her own feet and injures herself more than the average person; she wants to win the state spelling bee championship; she doesn’t get to see her mom very often because she is the governor of Florida; and, last but not least, someone is threatening her mom’s life as she becomes a contender inthe presidential race. It’s a lot for a kid to handle! Vanessa does her best to convince Governor Rothrock to drop out of the race because she fears for her safety. 240 pages Ages 9-13

Recommended by Deborah E. Cohen