Prom

Prom
By Laurie Halse Anderson
Viking, 2005. 215 pgs. Young Adult

Ashley Hannigan, self-proclaimed "normal" girl, doesn't care about prom. She cares about ditching detention, making plans to move away from her crazy but loving family, and moving in with her boyfriend, TJ. When the prom advisor steals the prom money, though, Ashley is caught up by as her best friend Nat tries to save the prom. Along the way, Ashley discovers maybe she cares about the prom--and her future--more than she originally thought.

While this is not my favorite of Laurie Halse Anderson's books, it is still a good book. Ashley is a likable character, rough around the edges and still discovering herself. From the title, one might expect a fluffy, happy story, but this book definitely has some bite to it, and it's much more a story of discovering one's self than a story about a dance.

AE