Once Upon a K-Prom

Gr 9 Up–When Robbie and Elena were 10, they vowed that when they were in high school, they’d go to prom together. But when Robbie’s family returned to their home country of Korea, each went their separate ways. Seven years later, Elena has been boycotting the idea of prom, instead opting to find ways to save the community center, where she finds acceptance and pride as a volunteer, from closing due to funding shortages. With her best friends Josie and Max, Elena encourages those going to prom to donate money and skip the luxuries. Then, as prom approaches, Robbie appears on her doorstep, ready to take her to prom. The hitch? Robbie returns as a full-fledged K-pop star, and nothing is simple in that world. This is a true rom-com with all the requisite characters: star-crossed lovers Elena and Robbie; gal pal sidekick Josie, who has her own love life complications with their best friend, Max; mean girls; and the conflict that sets it all in motion—the prom. Misunderstandings collide with pop-star fandom and Elena and Robbie must navigate the world of fame, fortune, and Korean family culture. A wide cast of diverse characters fills the stage that is Elena’s high school. Whether readers know about K-pop culture or not, they’ll find themselves rooting for Elena and Robbie all the way.