American Prom Richard G. Calo

At last! A book that takes prom as seriously as high schoolers do. Written for teens and their parents and counselors, American Prom is not about hairdos and prom dresses or how-to lists and planning calendars. It is about the meaning of prom: what teenagers use it for, what parents believe about it, why it is so desperately important to teenagers, and the role it plays in moving into young adulthood.

Filled with hundreds of prom-night stories that teenagers shared with Richard G. Calo on , American Prom offers accounts of first love and all the hopes and anxieties that come with it. Perhaps surprisingly, many of the best stories come from guys. In all of the stories, high schoolers pour out their hearts on such emotional issues as:

• how to turn a wished-for prom date into a real prom date
• how to make one’s lifetime crush crush back
• how to handle boys (or girls) who demand sex on prom night
• and many more issues regarding this important milestone in any teen’s life

American Prom helps teens prepare for their proms, mentally and emotionally. For parents, it provides a window of understanding into what teens are really thinking about before, during, and after prom, and how they can help them prepare for it. And for teachers and counselors, it offers tremendous insights into the contemporary prom and what teens think about it.