Prom Kings and Drama Queens
by Dorian Cirrone

    PROM KINGS AND DRAMA QUEENS by Dorian Cirrone
    Category:  Contemporary
    Age Recommendation:  Grades 6+
    Release Date:  2/26/08
    Publisher:  HarperTeen
    Reviewed by:  Katie Hayes
    Rating:  4 Stars


    Emily Bennet has all kinds of goals for her junior year of high school. She wants to beat out obnoxious Daniel
    Cummings for editor-in-chief of the school newspaper. She wants Brian Harrington, the gorgeous boy next door
    (literally), to notice her. She wants revenge on the Mean Girls who ditched her in eighth grade. And, after reading a
    newspaper headline about a hurricane that shares her name, she wants “Emily Rocks South Florida” to describe
    her own life.

    Of course, nothing is that simple, and on the way to achieving her goals, she ends up in handcuffs while chasing
    down a headline. She facilitates a secret romance between a boat captain and a dancing grandmother. She starts to
    realize that there’s more to Daniel, the rival she’s been so intent on beating, than she knew. And she ends up
    becoming passionate about a good deed she never intended to do.

    Despite some overly cutesy elements (her snobby ex-friends are twins named Brandy and Randy), this is a light, fun
    read that keeps getting better as it continues. Ms. Cirrone keeps the book from getting weighted down with high
    school stereotypes and adds some interest with a subplot about Brian’s grandmother and the captain of the junior
    class cruise.

    In the end, Emily figures out how to rock not by beating someone at something or by getting revenge, but by doing
    something good and loving it. In a world driven by competition, that’s a message we could all use.