Long May She Reign by Ellen Emerson White

Meg Powers is the daughter of the President of the United States. She's about to enter her first year of college. She's living through the worst year of her life. Last June, Meg was kidnapped by terrorists. She survived the unthinkable, the stuff of nightmares. Her captor is still at large. Ahead of her is the grueling physical therapy to heal her broken body; the challenge of leaving the safety of the White House for her freshman year at college. Will she ever forgive her mother, the President, for her "cannot, have not and will not negotiate with terrorists" stance - even when it came to her own daughter? And more difficult still, can Meg forgive herself for having the strength, the intelligence and the wit to survive?

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"Our rgz pick for election month is Long May She Reign by Ellen Emerson White. Fourth in a series, this compelling, witty read provides a fascinating look into White House life, as well as a realistic portrayal of being related to one of the most powerful people on the planet. Long May She Reign is about politics, power, and the presidency, but it's ultimately a book about healing and forgiving - and those are two things most of us have to do at some point in our lives, even if we never get to be a First Daughter." - Mitali Perkins, readergirlz diva "[R]ichly drawn characters, dry humor, dead-on dialogue." - Booklist "A novel to luxuriate in." - Publishers Weekly, starred review "This is an intense, suspenseful, and stirring read." - School Library Journal Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books of the Year Booksense Children's Pick Note that this is the fourth book about Meg Powers. Read them all: - The President's Daughter - White House Autumn - Long Live the Queen - Long May She Reign

Ellen Emerson White

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On the nightstand: Usually, a cat named Abigail, blocking light from the lamp in a most irksome manner. I read 8-10 books at any given time (lots of non-fiction, and some fiction), and switch from one to another, until one captures my full attention.

Favorite drink while you write: If I'm feeling flush, an iced decaf latte from Starbucks with 4 shots. If not, a homemade latte - which is still good, if slightly less strong. (French press, freshly ground coffee, heated milk - I can make it last for quite a few hours of work-time.)

Favorite bookstore: The Strand, in New York City

Favorite library: The most impressive library around is the Library of Congress, I would say. I used to spend a lot of time in the Reading Room at the main branch of the New York Public Library, but the convenience of the Internet means I don't go there as often as I once did, which is a shame. When I lived in Boston, I used to like hanging out in the garden area at the Boston Public Library - which is about as much nature as I can handle at a given moment.

Pets: Wacky cats (including a crippled, neurologically impaired diabetic cat with no tail named Florence - oy!), and a fine black setter mix named Maggie

Place to write: I am very boring and work at a desk, but I also like writing by hand in a small notebook when I'm on the subway or Amtrak. My handwriting is terrible, and I can't always read it later, which is frustrating.

Inspiration: When the Red Sox win, Life is Good.

Dream book tour: Bookstores located next to ski resorts or baseball stadiums would be ideal.

Writer buddies: I know very few writers, actually, but R.L. Stine, Nancy Krulik, Daphne Grab, and Nocila Griffith are among them.

Cure for writer's block: I lie down a lot.

Favorite outfit: Unfortunately, I dress like an aging jock/college student. It's quite pathetic. I never go anywhere - even at night, as a rule - without sunglasses.

Long-hand or laptop? Longhand and desktop. I prefer longhand, but time is often an issue.

Stilettos or Uggs? Lange ski boots

Next up: Not a clue. Probably a sequel to my adult mystery, and maybe a spin-off from Long May She Reign.

Author idols: Probably Anne Tyler.

Website: www.ellenemersonwhite.com + MySpace + Facebook

Roundtable: readergirlz divas and postergirlz discuss Long May She Reign

 

 

rgz LIVE!

Discuss the book with the author herself. Ellen Emerson White will be chatting live at the readergirlz forum on Tuesday, November 18th at 6 PM PST/9 PM EST. The chat will last for about an hour.

In honor of National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month, we're going to have a bonus chat this month. Cynthia Leititch Smith and Joseph Bruchac will be chatting live at the readergirlz forum on Thursday, November 6th. This chat will also start at 6 PM PST/9 PM EST and last for about an hour.

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Just because you're not 18 yet doesn't mean you can't get involved in what's been called the most important election of our generation. Underage or not, there are loads of ways you can sound your political voice!

Check out WKCD - What Kids Can Do - at http://www.whatkidscando.org and get inspired by stories of young political activists who haven't let age stop them from participating in politics. From the 16-year-old editor-in-chief of a political newspaper to a 14-year-old who registered hundreds of people to vote - their stories are sure to compel you to political action. Fight for what you believe in, rgz!

These tunes were hand-picked by the author to accompany her book - with the exception of the final two tracks, which were added by the readergirlz.

I Love Rock and Roll by Joan Jett
Cretin Hop by The Ramones
My Favorite Things by John Coltrane
My Favorite Things from The Sound of Music
A Spoonful of Sugar from The Sound of Music
Climb Every Mountain from The Sound of Music
Shall We Dance? from The King and I
Jumpin' Jack Flash by The Rolling Stones
Twentieth Century Fox by The Doors
We Are the Champions by Queen
Strong by Robbie Williams
Mother Mother by Tracy Bonham

What did you think about Long May She Reign? Have you read the other books in the series? Talk about the books at the readergirlz forum. Here are a few questions to get you started:

Meg absolutely worships the Boston Red Sox. Why do you think the team is so important to her? Do you follow any sports teams? Which ones, and why?

In Long Live the Queen, the book which leads up to Long May She Reign, the President -- Meg's mother -- is faced with a terrible situation. She can put either the country first and make no attempt to negotiate with the terrorists, or she can put her child first, and try to negotiate. Do you think she made the right decision? Why, or why not??

In Long May She Reign, Meg is dealing with a number of physical issues, which affect every single aspect of her life. Often -- because of fatigue and pain -- she makes some very bad choices. Are there better ways that she could have handled the situation? If so, how? What would you have done?

In Long May She Reign, Meg gets involved with a boy who turns out to be much more interesting and intelligent that she expected, and her original assumptions turn out to be wrong, for the most part. Have you ever misjudged someone based upon a faulty first impression? Or, has anyone ever made false assumptions about you? How did it feel?

Meg thinks that it will make her parents happy if she tells them she is going to major in English, but she actually loves politics and would rather study political science and law. Do you think she should do what she thinks her parents want her to do -- or should she follow her own interests? Do you think it is more important to please your parents, or try to explore your own dreams?

Although Meg never wanted to be famous, she is. In fact, she is so famous that photographers follow her everywhere, and she never knows when she is going to appear unexpectedly on television, the Internet, or on a magazine cover. What do you think it would be like to be a celebrity? How would it make your life more difficult? Would certain aspects of fame be fun?

Meg's family has a hard time discussing some of the difficult things which have happened to them. What are some things they could have done to make things easier? Do you think they handled the situation well? Can you imagine the way your family might face similar crises?

 

Invite: Probably a Red Sox theme. There would be no phone number, for security reasons, but 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is the correct address.

Food: Serve Coca-Cola (or Tab, if you can find it!), Cool Ranch Doritos, tacos, grilled cheese sandwiches, French fries, lattes, popcorn with Parmesan cheese. Yoghurt and salads, to honor the President. Some apples, maybe.

Décor: American flags! Photos of the White House, downtown Washington, Boston, and the Berkshire Mountains. As much Red Sox memorabilia as is humanly possible to locate.

Movies: The Sound of Music - Play it on a continuous loop. C-Span could also play in the background, and at the top of the hour, everyone could turn to CNN, to see what's happening in the world at that moment in time. Alternatively, show highlights from the 2004 and 2007 World Series. (With luck, the 2008 World Series can be added to that list!) Episodes of The Brady Bunch would also be appropriate.

Crafts: I can't see Meg doing crafts. It is mentioned in one of the books that she once made a Christmas ornament so ugly that it is tactfully hung on the back of their tree every year, so that no one will have to look at it. What I can picture is Meg sitting down with the editorial pages from all of the major newspapers (New York Times, Boston Globe, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, etc.), reading the op-eds, and discussing them, at length. (The sports pages might also suffice.)

Recommended by postergirlz, the readergirlz advisory council

Fiction:
Long Live the Queen by Ellen Emerson White
First Daughter: White House Rules by Mitali Perkins
Wide Awake by David Levithan

Non-Fiction:
First Daughters: Letters Between U.S. Presidents and Their Daughters by Gerard W. Gawalt and Ann G. Gawalt
Declare Yourself: Speak. Connect. Act. Vote. More Than 50 Celebrated Americans Tell You Why

 

 

Join us in December to discuss How to Be Popular by Meg Cabot.