by Abby McDonald
Candlewick Press, $16.99, 288 pages
The Anti-Prom tells the tale of a prom night that isn’t about flowers and gowns and limos. It’s the story of three unlikely girls who are thrown together and reluctantly decide to help each other get what they’ve always wanted. The story is told alternately by Bliss–the popular gal, Jolene–the troublemaker, and Meg—the wallflower. Sometime before the sun rises they realize that their secret wish coming true isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Can they undo everything?
The Anti-Prom moves at lightning speed — after all, the entire story takes place during prom night. Even when the girls become closer, confessing secrets and revealing hidden parts of their personalities, it’s often done during wild scenarios including breaking and entering, bribing a little girl with Twinkies, and blending into a wild college party. This book captures the capricious spirit of teenagers. Even as they begin to become friends they still slip back into their old roles, meanly zinging each other. This is a book full of characters that every reader will recognize. Even if they weren’t the popular girl, troublemaker, or wallflower, they knew her…or thought they did. You won’t be able to put down this book until page 288.
Reviewed by Jodi M. Webb