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Marcy Rhodes #4
Senior Prom
Marcy looks forward to the prom all during her senior year, but even though two boys ask her to go with them, Marcy finds herself with no date at all.
- GenresYoung AdultFiction
144 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1957
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76 people want to read
About the author
Rosamond du Jardin
33 books63 followersRosamond du Jardin, née Neal, first wrote humorous verse and short stories for newspaper syndicates, then went on to sell approximately a hundred stories to such magazines as Cosmopolitan, Good Housekeeping, McCall's and many other publications, abroad as well as in the United States. She also wrote five novels for adults before her first novel for teenagers, Practically Seventeen, which was published in 1949.
She was married to Victor Du Jardin on October 28, 1925. They had three children, Jacqueline Neal, Victor Junior, and Judith Carol, with whom she would later co-author Junior Year Abroad.
In addition to writing, Mrs. Du Jardin frequently spoke at schools, and students enjoyed meeting in person the creator of some of their favorite stories. Mrs. Du Jardin enjoyed her school visits, too, because she liked and respected teenagers as individuals and firmly believed that they are interesting, normal and dependable people.
Born in the small town of Fairland, Illinois, Rosamond du Jardin was two years old when her family moved to Chicago. She lived there and in the Chicago suburbs for the rest of her life.
She was married to Victor Du Jardin on October 28, 1925. They had three children, Jacqueline Neal, Victor Junior, and Judith Carol, with whom she would later co-author Junior Year Abroad.
In addition to writing, Mrs. Du Jardin frequently spoke at schools, and students enjoyed meeting in person the creator of some of their favorite stories. Mrs. Du Jardin enjoyed her school visits, too, because she liked and respected teenagers as individuals and firmly believed that they are interesting, normal and dependable people.
Born in the small town of Fairland, Illinois, Rosamond du Jardin was two years old when her family moved to Chicago. She lived there and in the Chicago suburbs for the rest of her life.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 19, 2018
Some thoughts about Marcy's world:
She lives in the small, comfortable town of Westfield that is thirty miles away from Chicago, perhaps thirty miles west of Chicago.
The town is also a half hour drive from Clay City. Clay City is probably closer however, as people from Westfield commute to Clay City but that new assistant of Marcy's dad in an earlier book had to leave his wife behind in Chicago to take a Westfield job.
The college most kids go to is Craveth College which is a four hour drive away.
Apparently you can catch the train to Chicago in Westfield but if you want the train to Craveth College
you need to go to Clay City.
Westfield has a high school, a Sweet Shop, a place to play ping pong, a country club, a hospital, a movie theater and a Main Street with nearby old Victorians, in some of which still live old timers who grew up in them.
Clay City has a small air field and is, apparently, a classier place to go for a dinner and a show (which just means a movie.)
Clay City also has the Starlight Room--which is a super fancy place to go and, apparently, you don't have to be 21 the same way you don't have to be that age to go to the fancy clubs in New York.
A 74 year old man is very old--similar to one who is 94 today.
On the way to Clay City there are various restaurants and road houses including the Lighthouse, a flashy place with great (and expensive--$3--steaks) and Tony's Pizza.
In winter there is skating on frozen ponds and a new roller rink has opened just outside of town.
About a three hour drive, on the shore of Lake Michigan, are the Dunes--a favorite place to picnic.
A great deal of hamburgers, cokes and chocolate malts are consumed. Also, in the winter at home--hot chocolate.
Stuff happens in this story and it is interesting, more is going on than simply Marcy getting to know some guy. Also, as her mother went off to return to full time nursing in the previous book--Marcy becomes feature editor of the school newspaper. There is also the trip to D.C. and NYC, and the adventures on the Whitney country place with horses.
Mentioned here, though it comes up in the previous book: When Marcy's mom first goes back to nursing, Marcy comes home to a lonely, empty house. This is a real thing that I never got used to even though I never really had the stay at home mom so only super rarely would have come home to a house with my mom in it making it warm and inviting. (And I recall fondly the one time I remember this happened even though I was yelled at for dawdling on the way home because it had been raining.)
At the end of the story there is a very good lesson about doing what one feels is right and the difficulty of standing up to "what everyone else is doing" and "not being a square." Sadly, I do not think the lesson would fly today.
Also Sadly, in a way, the book is not more sad--and therefore more realistic for its time. At the end of the story a fast moving convertible, without seatbelts, over turns in a ditch because the driver has fallen asleep.
There is also the clear suggestion that alcohol may have been involved since the boys in the car had participated in some hijinks on the school trip and one, in particular, was noted as a bit of wild guy.
While all the occupants get broken bones and, I believe, someone gets a concussion--all are going to be fine. This is because this is a happy Marcy story set in the happy 1950's and nothing so awful as the death of the cool Bruce Douglas and three classmates after Senior Prom could possible happen in that world.
Simply cannot imagine how one, let alone, four people could survive the roll over of a face moving CONVERTIBLE--even with seat belts, but here without them since it was the 1950's.
Yet in the real world that is exactly what would have happened and did often happen until many schools started doing Grad nights and shepherding kids to Disneyland, rather than risk them going on driving/drinking all nighters.
She lives in the small, comfortable town of Westfield that is thirty miles away from Chicago, perhaps thirty miles west of Chicago.
The town is also a half hour drive from Clay City. Clay City is probably closer however, as people from Westfield commute to Clay City but that new assistant of Marcy's dad in an earlier book had to leave his wife behind in Chicago to take a Westfield job.
The college most kids go to is Craveth College which is a four hour drive away.
Apparently you can catch the train to Chicago in Westfield but if you want the train to Craveth College
you need to go to Clay City.
Westfield has a high school, a Sweet Shop, a place to play ping pong, a country club, a hospital, a movie theater and a Main Street with nearby old Victorians, in some of which still live old timers who grew up in them.
Clay City has a small air field and is, apparently, a classier place to go for a dinner and a show (which just means a movie.)
Clay City also has the Starlight Room--which is a super fancy place to go and, apparently, you don't have to be 21 the same way you don't have to be that age to go to the fancy clubs in New York.
A 74 year old man is very old--similar to one who is 94 today.
On the way to Clay City there are various restaurants and road houses including the Lighthouse, a flashy place with great (and expensive--$3--steaks) and Tony's Pizza.
In winter there is skating on frozen ponds and a new roller rink has opened just outside of town.
About a three hour drive, on the shore of Lake Michigan, are the Dunes--a favorite place to picnic.
A great deal of hamburgers, cokes and chocolate malts are consumed. Also, in the winter at home--hot chocolate.
Stuff happens in this story and it is interesting, more is going on than simply Marcy getting to know some guy. Also, as her mother went off to return to full time nursing in the previous book--Marcy becomes feature editor of the school newspaper. There is also the trip to D.C. and NYC, and the adventures on the Whitney country place with horses.
Mentioned here, though it comes up in the previous book: When Marcy's mom first goes back to nursing, Marcy comes home to a lonely, empty house. This is a real thing that I never got used to even though I never really had the stay at home mom so only super rarely would have come home to a house with my mom in it making it warm and inviting. (And I recall fondly the one time I remember this happened even though I was yelled at for dawdling on the way home because it had been raining.)
At the end of the story there is a very good lesson about doing what one feels is right and the difficulty of standing up to "what everyone else is doing" and "not being a square." Sadly, I do not think the lesson would fly today.
Also Sadly, in a way, the book is not more sad--and therefore more realistic for its time. At the end of the story a fast moving convertible, without seatbelts, over turns in a ditch because the driver has fallen asleep.
There is also the clear suggestion that alcohol may have been involved since the boys in the car had participated in some hijinks on the school trip and one, in particular, was noted as a bit of wild guy.
While all the occupants get broken bones and, I believe, someone gets a concussion--all are going to be fine. This is because this is a happy Marcy story set in the happy 1950's and nothing so awful as the death of the cool Bruce Douglas and three classmates after Senior Prom could possible happen in that world.
Simply cannot imagine how one, let alone, four people could survive the roll over of a face moving CONVERTIBLE--even with seat belts, but here without them since it was the 1950's.
Yet in the real world that is exactly what would have happened and did often happen until many schools started doing Grad nights and shepherding kids to Disneyland, rather than risk them going on driving/drinking all nighters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 21, 2024
Personal copy
There's a so much going on during Marcy's senior year that she doesn't have much time to miss Steve. She's been asked to be the features editor of the school newspaper, she has to cook dinner at home because her mother is still working, and she spends time with Mr. Tuttle playing chess, even when he returns to his small house on a prime piece of real estate in town. She's still dating both Bruce and Rick, who each have their virtues. Bruce has his own car, and takes her for exotic new food like pizza. He's a sports star, very popular, and has a masterful way about him. Marcy is less than thrilled about this particular personality trait when he uses it to try to get her to (*gasp*) kiss him in the car when it's only their first real date! The nerve! Rick, on the other hand, isn't a smooth, but he gets a summer job at the country club, is nice to his sister, and has a mother who is perfectly happy just taking care of him and his sister and the family farm while her husband goes to work in the city. Marcy manages to help the senior class be allowed to go to DC on a trip, and hangs out with Bruce there. But there's trouble afoot. Someone must ask her to prom, or her life will just be OVER. Does she want to go with Bruce, who's been a little pushy about asking for her favors? Or does she wait for Rick, who is such a nice guy that he even goes with her to Mr. Tuttle's to play chess? And when she finally breaks down and kisses Bruce, well, that isn't as bad as she thought it would be. She might even LIKE it! After she and Rick take a picnic to Mr. Tuttle's on a rainy day and have an exquisite time, Mr. Tuttle dies in his sleep, leaving his entire estate to Marcy, including the price of the house that Mrs. Rhodes helps get ready for the new owner, who is going to tear it down. When Bruce asks her to the prom, she says yes, because it's getting kind of late and after all she has to buy the all important formal, but she is very upset when Rick tells her that he learned to dance so he could take her. Clearly, she can't stand Bruce up, since he asked first. When Bruce has all kinds of plans to stay out all night, drive into the city, and get up to who knows what kind of hanky panky, she knows her parents won't let her go. She's right, and she's a little relieved, but when she calls Rick, he has taken another girl to the movies. Marcy figures it's because she made him promise not to waste his new found dancing skills, but she's crushed. Luckily, the girl Rick took the movies already had a date to prom, so Rick and Marcy aaare able to go together. And it's a good thing, because the smooth Bruce wrecks the car, and while no one is killed, the teens with him all are injured. Marcy feels good about her decision to date Rick, and she doesn't even mention that Steve has ever existed!
I feel like there should be another book, but there's not. I don't think that Rick and Marcy would have had a long distance relationship while she is in college, so unless they go to the same university, I think they're done.
There's a so much going on during Marcy's senior year that she doesn't have much time to miss Steve. She's been asked to be the features editor of the school newspaper, she has to cook dinner at home because her mother is still working, and she spends time with Mr. Tuttle playing chess, even when he returns to his small house on a prime piece of real estate in town. She's still dating both Bruce and Rick, who each have their virtues. Bruce has his own car, and takes her for exotic new food like pizza. He's a sports star, very popular, and has a masterful way about him. Marcy is less than thrilled about this particular personality trait when he uses it to try to get her to (*gasp*) kiss him in the car when it's only their first real date! The nerve! Rick, on the other hand, isn't a smooth, but he gets a summer job at the country club, is nice to his sister, and has a mother who is perfectly happy just taking care of him and his sister and the family farm while her husband goes to work in the city. Marcy manages to help the senior class be allowed to go to DC on a trip, and hangs out with Bruce there. But there's trouble afoot. Someone must ask her to prom, or her life will just be OVER. Does she want to go with Bruce, who's been a little pushy about asking for her favors? Or does she wait for Rick, who is such a nice guy that he even goes with her to Mr. Tuttle's to play chess? And when she finally breaks down and kisses Bruce, well, that isn't as bad as she thought it would be. She might even LIKE it! After she and Rick take a picnic to Mr. Tuttle's on a rainy day and have an exquisite time, Mr. Tuttle dies in his sleep, leaving his entire estate to Marcy, including the price of the house that Mrs. Rhodes helps get ready for the new owner, who is going to tear it down. When Bruce asks her to the prom, she says yes, because it's getting kind of late and after all she has to buy the all important formal, but she is very upset when Rick tells her that he learned to dance so he could take her. Clearly, she can't stand Bruce up, since he asked first. When Bruce has all kinds of plans to stay out all night, drive into the city, and get up to who knows what kind of hanky panky, she knows her parents won't let her go. She's right, and she's a little relieved, but when she calls Rick, he has taken another girl to the movies. Marcy figures it's because she made him promise not to waste his new found dancing skills, but she's crushed. Luckily, the girl Rick took the movies already had a date to prom, so Rick and Marcy aaare able to go together. And it's a good thing, because the smooth Bruce wrecks the car, and while no one is killed, the teens with him all are injured. Marcy feels good about her decision to date Rick, and she doesn't even mention that Steve has ever existed!
I feel like there should be another book, but there's not. I don't think that Rick and Marcy would have had a long distance relationship while she is in college, so unless they go to the same university, I think they're done.
May 21, 2018
The last book and my favorite of the Marcy Rhodes series. I've always admired Marcy for the sensible, level-headed girl she is. She expresses her thoughts well. She has loving parents who are supportive. Plus an older brother that while he can get on her nerves, it's clear that he loves and supports her too and is gradually seeing her as an individual in her own right.
I was always a bit sad that Marcy broke up with Steve because I seldom ran into YA fiction where a rather steady couple broke up. But I'm glad it happened "offscreen" and that there were no heavy emotional scenes about it.
Loved the introduction of pizza--a less familiar food option at the time and probably just starting to get popular.
I would have liked to have learned more about what Marcy and Rick's plans were after graduation. Would they go to the same college? Are they officially going steady or do they get engaged? Still, a good read and a good ending to the series.
I was always a bit sad that Marcy broke up with Steve because I seldom ran into YA fiction where a rather steady couple broke up. But I'm glad it happened "offscreen" and that there were no heavy emotional scenes about it.
Loved the introduction of pizza--a less familiar food option at the time and probably just starting to get popular.
I would have liked to have learned more about what Marcy and Rick's plans were after graduation. Would they go to the same college? Are they officially going steady or do they get engaged? Still, a good read and a good ending to the series.
June 7, 2018
This book covers the last semester of Marcy's senior year which includes the excitement of becoming features editor for the school newspaper, the senior trip to Washington and New York, and the senior prom. Her romance with Steve is basically over and she is glad that they're still friends and now Marcy is dating two young men who couldn't be more different. One is the boy who craves excitement and has every girl in school swooning, and the other is a quiet, simple boy who enjoys the little things in life. Which of them will Marcy end up with?
Sad to say, this is the last of the Marcy series. I'd like to have seen where she goes after this. I've enjoyed this little blast from my past...I read all of these when I was in junior high.
Sad to say, this is the last of the Marcy series. I'd like to have seen where she goes after this. I've enjoyed this little blast from my past...I read all of these when I was in junior high.
December 17, 2017
Cute, clean, teen read. I appreciate the good choices the main character makes.
March 11, 2025
Liked this one too! I appreciated the slow development of friendship and trust between Marcy and Rick. Steve's completely out of the picture!
May 25, 2015
This book was very darling and easy to read. I really liked it because it described high school life back in the days when boy issues were so much easier and life was so much simpler. I really like how the kids don't all have "problems" like "ADHD" or whatnot like they do in so many books these days. It wasn't stupid, and it was a nice, relaxing book.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews