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21 Proms

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David Levithan - Author

John Green - Author

Libba Bray - Author

E. Lockhart - Author

Parker, Daniel - Author

Rachel Cohn - Author

Ned Vizzini - Author

Holly Black - Author

Melissa De La Cruz - Author

Sarah Mlynowski - Author

Elizabeth Craft - Author

Aimee Friedman - Author

Jodi Lynn Anderson - Author

Leslie Margolis - Author

Brent Hartinger - Author

Lisa Ann Sandell - Author

Will Leitch - Author

Adrienne Maria Vrettos - Author

Billy Merrell - Author

Daniel Ehrenhaft - Author

Across 21 stories, prom is the shared setting for varied social experiences: dates may disappoint or surprise, and some characters sit outside the usual prom scene. The collection also imagines alternatives, including a backwards prom and a night spent watching teen films.

More about this book

Sometimes the night of your dreams can be a total nightmare. The prom. It's supposed to be one of the best nights of your life. Or, at least, you're supposed to have a good time. But what if you'd rather be going with your best friend's date than your own? What if a sinister underground society of students has spiked the punch? What if your date turns out to be more of a frog than a prince? Or what if he's (literally) an ape? There are ways you can fight it. You can protest the silliness of the regular prom by hosting a backwards prom - also known as a morp. You can throw a prom for fat girls. You can stay at home to watch old teen movies and get your cute neighbor and his cuter brother to join you. You can dance to your own music. Here, 21 of the funniest, most imaginative writers today create their own kind of prom stories. Some are triumphs. Some are disasters. But each one is a night you'll never forget.

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Book Analysis

At a Glance

Discover

Coming of age· ExplainedSocial expectations· ExplainedAlternative celebrations· Explained

Consider

Relationships and intimacyLanguageRomance

Personalised Fit

Beyond the Cover

coming of agesocial expectationsalternative celebrations

Fiction

Themes in Context

More than one version of prom

Stories include characters outside the usual prom scene and ideas such as a backwards prom or staying home for films.Exploratory / explanatory

How the book presents it: The collection presents a range of possible prom experiences, rather than treating the conventional event as the only option.

Talk about: What does each story suggest can make an occasion feel worthwhile?

Why It May Be Worth Reading

The anthology offers several takes on one familiar social occasion rather than a single continuous plot. Its changing authors and scenarios make it a natural choice for dipping into individual stories or comparing different ideas of what makes a memorable night.

What Deserves Attention

Some scenarios involve a date who is more disappointing than expected, wanting to go with a best friend’s date, or punch spiked by students. These touches may prompt a little context-setting before reading.

A Conversation Worth Having

Which story offers a different idea of what a successful night might look like, and what makes that alternative appealing to its characters?

Reading Approach

Try reading one story at a time, pausing between them to notice how each writer changes the mood or expectations of prom. The collection’s separate stories make that flexible approach practical.

Confidence & Basis

Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.

What remains unconfirmed

More than one version of prom: Some details of this treatment remain unclear.

21 Proms - Google Books

Limited information

Checked: 1 October 2026.

Relevant to: More than one version of prom

21 Proms by David Levithan | Open Library