Tag Along

Gr 7 Up—In this The Breakfast Club-esque novel, four teens with little in common find their destinies intertwined on the night of their junior prom. Andrea, a goody-two-shoes, is grounded and no longer able to attend the big bash after her mom discovers wine coolers in the bottom of her closet. Across the street, Paul's panic attacks are back, and he's too afraid to let his self-involved, popular girlfriend, Lannie, know about them. Thankfully, his understanding mom gets him off the hook by telling Lannie that Paul has diarrhea, which is somehow less embarrassing. Meanwhile, hilarious, flashy Roemi has rented a tuxedo and is ready to make school history by going to the prom with another guy, with whom he has been chatting online and is finally going to meet in the flesh. Unfortunately, he gets stood up. Finally, there's Candace, who goes to school in the city and is just hanging out in the suburbs, doing graffiti, and avoiding the police. These teens end up together in a SUV and have a memorable night, getting one another out of trouble and, through their new friendship, gaining the confidence they need to stand up for themselves. Each character ultimately finds happiness and a solution to his or her problems. Despite the cheesy aspects, readers will enjoy this feel-good story.—Lindsay Klemas, JM Rapport School for Career Development, Bronx, NY