The Model President

By Brian Tacang

Meet the candidates for Winifred T. Langley Middle School sixth-grade president Millicent Madding: A smart, creative, junior inventor extraordinaire, who is dedicated to making the school a better place. Fiona Dimmet: A popular, beautiful, fashion-obsessed model, who is dedicated to making the school a better dressed place. When it comes to the competition for class president, it seems like Millicentis a shoe-in for the position. After all, she's the only one taking the campaign seriously . . . until Fiona finds a way to turn the whole election process upside down by making it one gigantic fashion show With a platform that promises free makeovers to anyone who votes for her, Fiona is suddenly surrounded by supporters clamoring to be as fashion forward as their new favorite candidate. Has the whole school gone mad? One thing's for sure: If Millicent wants to be president, she'd better whip her plain-Jane look into shape and learn how to wow the school--fashionista style

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060739142
• ISBN13: 9780060739140
• Release Date: January 2009
• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.3" x 0.9" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

Courtesy of Teens Read Too

Middle school inventor Millicent Madding knows nothing about fashion, and neither do any of her friends, the secret society of smart kids known as the Wonderkinder. Ever since her parents disappeared in the time machine that they invented, Millicent has lived with her eccentric Uncle Phineas (also an inventor), who doesn't make enough money for her to buy clothes anywhere but at the Dollar-A-Pound Overstock Kid's Clothing Store. Only recently has Aunt Felicity, who'd had amnesia for years after a tragic miscalculation in her cannon caused the former circus performer to crash horribly off course outside the circus tent, come to live with Millicent and Uncle Phineas, and even then, Millicent still can't understand the idea of wearing something like a girdle for the sake of looking good. On the day that Millicent is to give her speech for the class president election, Winifred T. Langley Middle School receives a slew of new students - members of Pretty Liddy's Junior Fashion Academy, temporarily misplaced due to a termite problem. Millicent is worried sick that her beloved friends will fall victim to the Pretty Liddy's taunts, but the Wonderkinder, as well as every other person in the school, are enchanted by top model Fiona Dimmit and the fashion advice she gives. When the competitive Fiona decides to run against Millicent in the election, Millicent is shocked when the principal agrees, especially to the part about turning the election into a fashion show! Although everyone else seems to have lost their minds, Millicent must now make the decision to stand up for her principles or play the game. I was greatly taken aback by this book, since it turned out to be almost the opposite of what I was expecting. This is certainly not your average middle grade chick-lit novel, and a story like this is much better suited for an audience who craves humor and unrealistic situations. Reviewed by: Allison Fraclose

Fashion election

Reviewed by Sara McGinn (age 9) for Reader Views (3/09) Millicent Madding, a sixth-grade inventor, is running for class president and is the star of "The Model President" by Brian Tacang. Millicent is horrified when she hears Fiona Dimmet from Pretty Liddy's Junior Fashion Academy is coming to her school. Fiona is extremely fashionable and makes fun of how Millicent dresses. Millicent is lucky when she makes friends with Paisley, a young fashion designer who was also transferred from Pretty Liddy's. Soon Fiona decides to run for sixth-grade president as well and turns the election into a fashion show! Millicent is overwhelmed when she hears the election is going to be a fashion show. She does not have any thing to wear! Luckily, all that changed when Paisley came to the rescue! This book was well-written and a fast read! The author did a fantastic job, making me feel like I was in the book! My favorite parts in this book are when Paisley helps Millicent in the fashion show and that Millicent and Paisley became friends. I also find it interesting that Brian Tacang was a fashion designer before he became an author. It definitely adds to the quality of the book. Recommending this book isn't a problem because this book was terrific! I would highly recommend "The Model President" to my friends!

Timely, Thoughtful, Very Funny, and completely Unexpected!

"The Model President" is a wonderful mix of common sense and lighthearted oddness. It is a thoughtful story which is both caring and silly at the same time. The story is not meant to be a reality based account of teen life no more than Willy Wanka's Chocolate factory was meant to be about the normal trials of day-to-day living. And yet it does focus on real life issues regarding peer pressure and what truly matters regarding leadership. I am sure Hillary Clinton would love this book since it is about strong female leaders. Reading pure realism is not what I was looking for in "The Model President" and fortunately I did not find average (boring?) people within it. Instead I found marvelous characters such as Mrs Alpa, Mr Pennystacker, Goody Constance Madding, Pretty Liddy, Paisley Slub and so many, many more. As odd as Uncle Phineas can be I would love to meet someone like him; he is a delightful combination of strange brilliance and wisdom. Millicent is so lucky to have him for an uncle. All of the characters are nicely developed and they stretched my imagination beyond it's safe and sane haven. I wanted to learn something about human relationships, about dealing with the quirks of living day to day with people that do not behave or think as I do. I also wanted to enjoy myself reading about them in fantastic ways and I certainly was not disappointed. Brian Tacang has a extremely creative way of presenting a story with often bizarre, yet somehow quite real, characters. It is a zany reality show -- a great escape -- that teaches and entertains and I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes to read and learn and laugh all at the same time.