In the new young-adult novel First Daughter: White House Rules (Dutton), the title character is an irrepressible Pakistani-born adoptee, Sameera “Sparrow” Righton. Sparrow, whose Republican father has been elected president, is so irrepressible that she has a real-life blog.

Sparrowblog.com, written by First Daughter author Mitali Perkins of Newton, Mass., tracks the news about children of the 2008 presidential candidates with a positive spin. The year-old blog, offers encouragement and advice to candidates’ offspring. Sparrow is protective of Bridget McCain, the Bangladeshi-born adopted daughter of John McCain who, like Sparrow, has dark skin.

On a less serious note, Sparrow suggested that Oprah Winfrey campaign for Barack Obama “in all the O places,” such as Oregon and Ohio.

— The Boston Globe