The Daughters (Daughters Series) »

Joanna Philbin is the daughter of "Live with Regis and Kelly" host, Regis Philbin. She received her BA from Brown University, and later went on to receive an MFA in Creative Writing from The University of Notre Dame. She wrote feature and television scripts before becoming a full-time novelist. Joanna is currently working on the third title in The Daughters series, due out May 2011.

In this charming YA series tailored for younger teens, Joanna Philbin explores what it's really like to grow up in the thick of the celebrity world. The novels center around three friends: Lizzie, the daughter of a world famous super model; Carina, whose father is an internationally recognized media magnate; and Hudson, daughter of an a-list pop star. As these three level-headed girls work to strike a balance between ordinary high school events—like finding dates to the homecoming dance—and glamorous family functions— like walking the red carpet with mom and dad—they discover the pitfalls of fame and the importance of friendship.

In book one, we meet Lizzie—the awkward-looking daughter of Katya, supermodel extraordinaire. Lizzie's not sure she can ever conquer her fear of cameras, but when she's approached by a fashion photographer who believes that Lizzie is "the new face of beauty," our sweet and usually shy heroine is thrust into the media...

Publishers Weekly

The daughter of talk show host Regis Philbin tackles a topic that’s close to home in her predictably glam (think paparazzi chases, designer apparel, and Fashion Week appearances) but thoroughly enjoyable debut. This first book in a series about growing up with celebrity parents follows 14-year-old Lizzie (daughter of a supermodel), Hudson (daughter of a pop icon), and Carina (daughter of a media tycoon)—best friends who feel doomed to live in the oppressive shadow of their superstar parents. The other girls’ struggles are barely touched on (presumably to be explored in later books), as Lizzie’s adventures in “ugly modeling” (“using people who aren’t traditionally beautiful to sell products”) and the unanticipated side effects of her newfound popularity take center stage. Despite the potential for a contrived story, Philbin’s portrayal of the girls as down-to-earth overachievers who crave normalcy keeps the book in believable territory. Lizzie’s physical insecurities (given that her gorgeous mother has been called “walking proof of God”) and growth make her particularly relatable. Who knew? Stars’ daughters—they’re just like us. Ages 12-up. (May)