Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Tessa Masterson Will Go To Prom by Emily Franklin & Brendan Halpin




Reviewer: Bob Lind, Echo Magazine
Publisher: BloomsburyTeens, March 2012
Pages: 272


Tessa Masterson is a high school senior in a small Indiana town, where she runs track and works in her family's small supermarket. When her longtime best friend, Lucas, makes a spectacle of inviting her to go to the prom with him, Tessa realizes that, despite "hints" she has given him over the years, he doesn't realize that she is a lesbian. In fact, she wants to go to the prom with a young woman she met at the store.

Embarassed and hurt, Lucas makes some statements that are soon repeated throughout the school, and the town, eventually leading to widespread homophobic rants against Tessa, and calls for the school board to cancel the prom, rather than allow two lesbians to attend. Lucas regrets his role in this, and tries to make it up to Tessa. Can he come up with another "grand gesture" to make things right?

This is an outstanding coming-out/coming-of-age read for teens and others, with realistic characters and situations, and just the right amount of humor. Much recommended five stars out of five. 


http://www.brendanhalpin.com/

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