Put on a Corsage and Check Out a Prom-Themed Book

Those of us who went to prom—the "biggest night of senior year!"— can tell you that it often doesn't live up to all the hype.  But that doesn't mean it's not a huge disappointment to not be able to experience it. We know a book is a poor substitute for the real thing, but if you need a distraction on or around prom night you might want to check out one of these prom-themed books. From the horror classic Carrie to contemporary romance Deacon Locke Went to Prom, there's a prom book for whatever mood you're in.

Carrie by Stephen King

An introverted girl with remarkable powers of telekinesis faces the horrors of teenage life and unleashes a few horrors of her own when she attends the high school prom.

Prom and Prejudice by Elizabeth Eulberg

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single girl of high standing at Longbourn Academy must be in want of a prom date. After winter break, the girls at the very prestigious Longbourn Academy become obsessed with the prom. Lizzie Bennet, who attends Longbourn on a scholarship, isn't interested in designer dresses and expensive shoes, but her best friend, Jane, might be—especially now that Charles Bingley is back from a semester in London. Lizzie is happy about her friend's burgeoning romance but less than impressed by Charles's friend, Will Darcy, who's snobby and pretentious. Darcy doesn't seem to like Lizzie either, but she assumes it's because her family doesn't have money. Clearly, Will Darcy is a pompous jerk—so why does Lizzie find herself drawn to him anyway?

The Prom: A Novel Based on the Hit Broadway Musical by Saundra Mitchell

When word gets around her tiny Indiana town that Emma wants to dance with her secret girlfriend, Alyssa, at the prom, the PTA threatens to cancel the dance, prompting Broadway stars Barry and Dee Dee to come to Indiana and fight the decision.

Unnatural Disasters by Jeff Hirsch

Lucy Weaver has her future all figured out. Make an appearance at prom, ditch graduation, and then head out on an epic road trip with her boyfriend, Luke. But when everyone's phones start to ring halfway through the dance, Lucy knows something terrible has happened--something big. Decades of climate change have left the world teetering on the brink--entire cities drowned, violent extremism on the rise, millions of refugees with nowhere to turn. Is this the night it finally slips over the edge?

How (Not) to Ask a Boy to the Prom by S.J. Goslee

Nolan Grant is sixteen, gay, and very, very single. He's never had a boyfriend, or even been kissed. It's not like Penn Valley is exactly brimming with prospects. Nolan plans to ride out the rest of his junior year drawing narwhals, working at the greenhouse, and avoiding anything that involves an ounce of school spirit. Unfortunately for him, his adoptive big sister has other ideas. Ideas that involve too-tight pants, a baggie full of purple glitter, and worst of all: a Junior-Senior prom ticket.

Deacon Locke Went to Prom by Brian Katcher

Promposals are taking over Deacon Locke’s high school and there is no place left to hide. But even with graduation looming, shy and unusually tall Deacon doesn’t think he can get up the nerve to ask anyone to the dance. Especially given all the theatrics. It isn’t until Deacon confides in his witty and outgoing best friend Jean that he realizes she could be a great person to take. Only problem is Jean isn’t your typical prom date. She’s older. A lot older. And she’s Deacon’s grandmother. But when Deacon meets Soraya—a girl unlike any other he’s ever met—he fears he has totally squandered his chances of having a prom he’ll never forget. Deacon couldn’t be more wrong. About everything.

A Prom to Remember by Sandy Hall

Cora: Dating Perfect Boyfriend Jamie. Has NO IDEA how to break up with him...

Paisley: Anti-prom. Somehow nominated her anxiety-ridden best friend for prom king...

Henry: Hates social situations. Invited to prom by the most popular girl in school. SEND HELP!

Otis: Half of one of the cutest couples in his class. Not quite ready for a post-prom hotel room...

Lizzie: Shy. Excited to go to prom. With a boy. Whose name she doesn't know.

Cameron: Loner. Over high school. Just wants to meet the mysterious girl who's been leaving him notes...

Jacinta: Unnamed Nerd Girl #3. Determined to become the star of her own life, starting with prom...

A Prom to Remember is a funny and cinematic look at the biggest dance of every high schooler's life.

The Prom Goer's Interstellar Excursion by Chris McCoy

Just a few days before prom, Bennett pulls off something he never imagined possible: his dream girl, Sophie, agrees to be his date. Moments afterward, however, he watches Sophie get abducted by aliens in the middle of the New Mexico desert. Faced with a dateless prom (and likely kidnapping charges), Bennett does the only thing he can think of: he catches a ride into outer space with a band of extraterrestrial musicians to bring her back. Can he navigate alien concert venues, an extraterrestrial reality show, and the band’s outlandish egos to rescue his date in time for the big dance?

The Prom Queen by R.L. Stine

A spring night, soft moonlight, five beautiful Prom Queen candidates, dancing couples at the Shadyside High prom—these should be the ingredients for romance. But instead they're a recipe for terror...

Denton Little's Deathdate by Denton Little

Denton Little’s Deathdate takes place in a world exactly like our own except that everyone knows the day on which they will die. For Denton, that’s in just two days—the day of his senior prom.

Prom Nights from Hell

In this exciting collection of paranormal tales, best-selling authors Stephenie Meyer (Twilight), Kim Harrison (Once Dead, Twice Shy), Meg Cabot (How to Be Popular), Lauren Myracle (ttyl), and Michele Jaffe (Bad Kitty) take prom mishaps to a whole new level—a truly hellish level. Wardrobe malfunctions and two left feet don't hold a candle to discovering your date is the Grim Reaper—and he isn't here to tell you how hot you look. From angels fighting demons to a twisted take on getting what you wish for, these five stories will entertain better than any DJ in a bad tux can. No corsage or limo rental necessary. Just good, creepy fun.

Tales from the Prom collected by Elissa Stein and Daniel Mailliard

The joy, the pain, the triumph, the heartbreak: the Prom. Remember the crepe paper? How about the synthetic rustle of yards and yards of pastel taffeta? Let Elissa Stein and Daniel Mailliard take you back to a time you may not want to remember, but one you could never forget. It's high time one of America's most widespread of adolescent social rituals got the literary treatment: in this book is a no-holds-barred collection of stories that reminds us only too vividly of the most important, angst-filled, and (potentially) romantic evening of our young lives. Not just a collection of personal testimonials, Tales from the Prom also tackles proms in the news, prom fashions, proms in the movies--in short, everything the uninitiated needs to know, and everything the prom survivor wants to reminisce about. So don't miss out on Tales from the Prom—it's cheaper than a limo rental and not nearly as messy as a vomit-splattered tuxedo!

Don't forget to "return" your e-books when you're done—the sooner you return them, the sooner someone else can use them.

Summaries provided via NYPL’s catalog, which draws from multiple sources. Click through to each book’s title for more.

Staff picks are chosen by NYPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We'd love to hear your ideas too, so leave a comment and tell us what you’d recommend. And check out our Staff Picks browse tool for more recommendations!