How I Created My Perfect Prom Date

"I, Nicole Maris, swear that I'm going to get serious about life. Really. I'm going to find a cause or a disease or something to devote myself to." So promises our young heroine--that is, just as soon as she secures an appropriate prom date. Nicole is a confirmed member of the (capital P) Popular crowd, and as such, just any old date won't do. She's got her heart set on hunky Brad Selden, but when he asks someone else she's left scrambling for an escort. Her next-door neighbor and childhood friend Chase--with his grungy look and class clown behavior--is hardly a ready candidate. But the ambitious Nicole is hell-bent on a successful makeover, as well as convincing the whole school they're a real couple.

Told in alternating chapters from Nicole's and Chase's points of view, this frog-to-prince tale of prom and popularity skips along at a rapid pace with funny, realistic dialogue and plenty of plot twists and turns. A secondary story line featuring Nicole's mom and Chase's dad adds depth to the lightweight romp, and also sets up the cliffhanger ending. Fans of Todd Strasser's witty work will also enjoy How I Changed My Life and How I Spent My Last Night on Earth, two more titillating titles about the students of Time Zone High. (Ages 12 and older) --Brangien Davis


Genre: Young Adult Fiction