Everyone who went to high school, whether or not they attended the prom, can relate to prom night. This book addresses the sensitivity of various prom-related issues by making light of them. The protagonists in Springer's collection all worry about the prom—whether they will get a date, what they will wear, what kind of impression they will make on their date or their date's parents, and what will happen after the dance. But many of these kids are outcasts, somewhat like the fat girls and the nerdy boys who never expect to experience prom night firsthand. In Springer's collection and in real life, there is quite a bit of pressure to attend this once in a lifetime event.

Springer's characters are exaggerated, as are their situations, which allows us to ridicule the hype associated with the high school prom and cheer for the underdog...