Deacon Locke Went to Prom

May 15, 2017
Title aside, Katcher’s multifaceted novel is about more than a school dance, delving into discrimination, dementia, and the perils of online fame. Deacon Locke, who has never gone on a date or been kissed, waits too long to ask out potential prom dates, so he opts to take Jean, his grandmother and primary parental figure, since she missed her own prom decades ago. Deacon’s classmates find his decision adorable, and video clips of him and Jean dancing at prom go viral. Meanwhile, Deacon summons the courage to ask out Soraya, a Muslim dance instructor he meets while taking lessons with Jean, and soon has his first girlfriend. Amid the level of small-time celebrity Deacon achieves because of the video (including agreeing to participate in a Dancing with the Stars–type show after graduation), Katcher (The Improbable Theory of Ana and Zak) explores the pitfalls of Internet notoriety and the vicious, sometimes racist commentary that can come with it—with Soraya caught in the crossfire. Although the story looks directly at some of humanity’s uglier tendencies, Deacon’s entertaining commentary keeps the overall tone thoughtful, upbeat and hopeful. Ages 13–up.

March 15, 2017
Deacon's decision to take his grandmother to his senior prom results in unexpected fame.Since his father abandoned him at 16, Deacon's caretaker grandmother, Jean, has become his best friend. So when Deacon finds the required elaborate -promposals- too intimidating and realizes Jean missed her own prom, he invites her instead. Jean's insistence on dance lessons is a ploy to set Deacon up with the instructor, Soraya, a young woman with -a medium complexion- whom the white boy describes as -standing out from the typical pasty-faced Arkansan.- Soraya's a senior at the local Islamic school, which she attends to honor her Lebanese heritage. Though romance slowly develops, Deacon still takes spunky Jean to the dance. Soon a video of their dancing goes viral. Deacon gets mostly positive social media feedback, but the attention also strains his relationship with Soraya, who becomes the target of some racially charged online bullying. The complications come thick and fast, but they wrap up extraordinarily quickly in the last 25 pages, as Deacon finds his way back to the people who matter most to him. Deacon's present-tense narration reveals a kind and likable protagonist. A sweet though sometimes obvious lesson on staying true to oneself. (Fiction. 12-16)

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February 1, 2017

Gr 8 Up-When Deacon Locke can't find a date for the senior prom, he decides to invite his grandmother Jean, who missed her own prom because her date (Deacon's grandfather) was serving in the Vietnam War. Deacon has never been able to depend on his fly-by-night father, and his mother isn't in the picture: Jean, with whom he has been living for the past two years, has been the sole rock in his life. When a video of the unlikely couple dancing at the prom goes viral, awkward, loner Deacon experiences his first taste of popularity. As he looks toward the future, he grapples with his newfound celebrity; pursues a relationship with his dance instructor, Soraya; and realizes that Jean may be dealing with dementia. While Deacon occasionally comes off as insensitive when it comes to race and gender ("The non-politically-correct part of my mind wonders if [Soraya] has an exotic accent"), he grows and develops as he learns of the bigotry that Soraya, who is Muslim, has confronted. The plot is somewhat predictable in places (Soraya and Deacon's relationship is temporarily derailed when another suitor asks Soraya out right before Deacon can), and characterizations are a little thin. However, Deacon's wryly self-deprecating voice will resonate with readers, and Katcher's commentary on Internet fame rings true. Teens will enjoy this light but touching tale of maturation.

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2017
Grades 9-12 Almost seven feet tall and terminally awkward, Deacon has never been to a school dance. But the senior prom is coming up, and he reluctantly decides to go. Unfortunately, the girl he wants to ask is already taken. Bummer. But then he has a brainstorm: he'll invite his best friendwait for ithis grandmother Jean! Happily, she says yes, and Deacon agrees to take dance lessons, where he meets the beautiful Soraya, whom he begins to date. But first Deacon and Jean go to the prom, and videos are taken of them dancing and posted on the Internet. The clips go viral, and suddenly Deacon and Jean are famous. Deacon is even invited to become a contestant on TV's Celebrity Dance-Off. Happy days? Maybe. Yes, Deacon and Soraya are dating, but Jean seems to be losing her memory. And fame has a dark side. How will Deacon handle all of this? Readers will care about the answer because Deacon is an appealing, empathetic character, and Katcher's story is always compelling. Shall we dance?(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2018
Tall and awkward Deacon takes his grandmother to prom, but he doesn't expect a video of them dancing to go viral. Deacon gets a reality-TV offer just when his grandmother may be losing her faculties, and minor fame also complicates his blossoming relationship with Muslim girl Soraya. Deacon's internal commentary on the story's situations and conversations displays an endearing genuineness and healthy perseverance.

(Copyright 2018 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)