As if Being 12 3/4 isn't Enough, My Mother is Running for President by Donna Gephart

Vanessa Rothrock is a typical seventh grader, except that her mother is governor of Florida and is running for president. Vanessa makes it to the regional spelling bee, and she's very upset when her mother doesn't show up. It seems like her mother is more concerned with becoming president than she is about caring for her daughter. Vanessa feels a little bit of sunshine when she starts receiving sweet notes from a secret admirer, but then something frightening happens. She starts getting notes threatening to kill her mother and her! The notes warn her not to tell anyone, but they also say July is a good month to die. July is when the Democratic National Convention will be held, and her mother will officially be chosen as the Democratic candidate for president. It's also the month Vanessa lost her father, and she doesn't want to lose her mother too.

This book probably has more appeal for girl readers. Vanessa deals with issues experienced by all middle grade girls. She's embarrassed by her slow physical development, except for her over-sized feet, and she's wants the cutest boy in class to like her, except that he's a jerk. She also has less common problems, such as having a bodyguard follow her everywhere and having to worry about being on the national news. The early part of the plot deals with Vanessa's obsession with spelling and boys, but it becomes much more serious once the threats appear. After that, the plot becomes more of a mystery as readers anticipate an attack on her mother.