Rosemary Clement-Moore. 2007. New York: Delacorte Press. 320 pages. ISBN 978-0385734134.
Plot Summary: Maggie Quinn has supernatural powers—she has dreams that tell her when something bad is going to happen and she can see things that no one else can. So not only does she have to deal with such evils as cheerleaders, jocks and prom queens, she has to find out how to stop the evils behind a series of suspicious accidents happening in her high school. As reporter for the school newspaper, she sleuthes out the clues; her role somewhere between Nancy Drew and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She is helped along the way by a very cool college student interested in the supernatural.
Critical Evaluation: Rosemary Clement-Moore has a keen wit and this book is laugh-out-loud funny. At first, I thought her acid wit would be wasted on teen readers. Would they be able to fully appreciate just how funny it is? Clement-Moore focuses her wit on the classic social classes of high school—the elite girls (all “Jessicas”), the jocks, and those just trying to get by. Maggie is the girl reporter with a keen eye and sarcastic tongue. Her series (“Maggie Quinn: Girl vs. Evil”) is horror with a sense of humor.
Reader's Annotation: Should Maggie even try to save "the Jessicas" and the jocks?
About the Author: Prom Dates from Hell is Rosemary Clement-Moore’s first book for young adults. It was a finalist for the RITA award from Romance Writers of America for best first novel. Her next book in the series, Hell Week, won the 2009 RITA Award for best young adult novel. Clement-Moore says on her website that she has been writing all her life, even when she should be doing other things. Her current interests are reading, sewing, sailing and Guitar Hero. Visit her website at http://www.rosemaryclementmoore.com/readrosemary/Home/Home.htmlGenre: Supernatural Mystery, Romance.
Curriculum ties: N/A
Booktalking ideas: Reading an excerpt from the beginning of the book that highlights the author's and protaganist's keen wit would be a good start to a booktalk.
Reading Level/Interest Age: Grades 9 and up.
Challenge Issues: The only issue is the supernatural—talk of ghosts and evil spirits. The character of Maggie Quinn is Catholic but not an active churchgoer. Some may find this combination offensive.
Why chosen: This book is very funny.
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