The Night of Your Life

Gr 7 Up–JJ and Lucy have been best friends since freshman year and now, as they near the end of high school, are left wondering how their friendship will last her moving to Italy and him moving to Texas. They are both looking forward to senior prom and the perfect night together. Their plans start to fall apart as JJ is tutoring Jenna, another senior, who admits she doesn’t want to go to prom on her own. No problem, she can join JJ and Lucy. Running late the night of, JJ tries to make up time and ends up getting into an accident with a senior from another high school, Melody, who is also on her way to her prom. While waiting for a tow truck, JJ ends up missing his prom and his perfect night with Lucy. When Lucy ends their friendship, JJ is devastated. He is ecstatic to realize he will get a second chance as the night starts over and repeats itself. As the nights continue through a second, third, fourth, fifth, and even sixth chance, JJ knows he needs to find a way to let go and let time march on. Told in first person, the novel keeps pace with JJ as each night starts over. Lucy is the only other fleshed-out character, although the author throws in details about others throughout the story; JJ has two moms (they’re married), Melody is a lesbian, and Lucy is bisexual. Profanity, sex, drugs, and alcohol may only be mentioned in passing but don’t appear anywhere.