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Wonderland: A Year in the Life of an American High School
Pennsbury High School would be like any other were it not for one its prom. Its spring dance is considered to be one of this country's best legacies. Wonderland is the inspiring true story of a dance floor and the kids who fill a tale of hope, sex, love, and loss. For one year, the students, parents, and teachers of Pennsbury invited Michael Bamberger, a senior writer for Sports Illustrated, into their classrooms, their homes, their parties, and their dreams. He discovered an extraordinary and disparate group of everyday teenagers whose stories were touching, odd, funny, and beautiful.
In Wonderland, lives intersect in unpredictable ways and are never what they appear to be. The star quarterback hides the pain of not knowing where his father is. A student with cerebral palsy is desperate to learn to tie Eagle Scout knots, despite a useless left hand. And then there is Bob Costa, who dreams of bringing glory to the school by convincing John Mayer, whose song "Your Body Is a Wonderland" is an anthem for the students, to perform at the prom. Critically acclaimed in hardcover, Wonderland is published in paperback with a new afterword by the author.
In Wonderland, lives intersect in unpredictable ways and are never what they appear to be. The star quarterback hides the pain of not knowing where his father is. A student with cerebral palsy is desperate to learn to tie Eagle Scout knots, despite a useless left hand. And then there is Bob Costa, who dreams of bringing glory to the school by convincing John Mayer, whose song "Your Body Is a Wonderland" is an anthem for the students, to perform at the prom. Critically acclaimed in hardcover, Wonderland is published in paperback with a new afterword by the author.
224 pages, Paperback
First published April 16, 2004
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About the author
Michael Bamberger
28 books52 followersMichael F. Bamberger is a senior writer for Sports Illustrated and the author of multiple books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
December 23, 2015
Rather feels as though this should be subtitled Delusions of Grandeur. Decent enough idea, decent enough execution, but the entire thing fell a bit flat for me. Part of it is the premise: that this school stands out among American high schools because of its prom traditions. The book is structured as something of a build-up to prom—the prom committee planning all year, students worrying about who to go with, etc. When it comes down to it, though, what sets this prom apart from others? That it is held in the gym rather than a hotel, and that the students often seek the zaniest transportation possible (e.g., a Zamboni). That parents and assorted townsfolk come to the school to watch the students promenade inside. And...that's about it, honestly.
So that leaves us with the rest of the year. It sounds like the sort of school that is as normal (average) as normal (average) can be: not a lot of diversity, an emphasis on athletic achievement (and prom traditions) over academics, a high proportion of students who don't go to four-year universities,* and a depressing sense that many of these students (and, perhaps, the adults around them) consider these four years the best of their lives.
I can't quite work out what to make of Bamberger. He's an experienced journalist, and as a writer, he gets the job done. I could have gone with three stars; the book is reminiscent of Alexandra Robbins and others who have done similar year-in-the-life projects. It's a style I enjoy. But...well, a couple of things. First, I struggled to keep track of the characters, which made it hard to care for them. I'm not sure if there were too many players on the court at once, or if the portraits weren't complex enough, or if I just didn't care about the relatively petty concerns many (not all) of them faced. (There were some stories that just begged for more depth in the telling, though. Imagine Stephanie's story given a bit more room to breathe, for example—she's not so far outside the norm but is clearly being forced to grow up rather faster than most of her peers.)
The other thing: I could never forget that I was seeing all this through the author's perspective. The author is a shepherd here, of course; it's up to him to guide us through this school and this year and these characters, and of course his views are going to influence the telling. But sometimes it just felt weird. What was the point of describing a girl as having an 'imperfect face on her perfect body' (12)? We're told that the male teachers and administrators basically ruled the roost, but then Bamberger, too, reinforces this, focusing on male teachers (with the exception of one female teacher who is either a child abuser or being slut-shamed (by the school and by the author) or both). When black students who express interest in the prom committee are effectively shut out, Bamberger hastens to explain that it's race relations, not racism, that's the problem (41), because the white students love black culture. Visible boxer shorts and Eminem.
What.
And that's the end of that discussion. Instead we're treated to a high-schooler's views on abortion (shouldn't have sex unless you're prepared to deal with the possibility of a child—although the same high schooler blows off Clinton's transgressions with Lewinsky, so no corresponding 'shouldn't have an affair unless you're prepared to deal with the fallout' (116–117)). We get this odd sense that Bamberger is patronising these kids—just little things, but repeated uses of language like 'there was no adolescent chitchat' (130) and 'It was all very adult' (181) and a mention that post-prom sex usually lasted eight or ten minutes (188, poor girls).
So in the end it just feels like...a moderately interesting story stretched beyond the bounds of how interesting it actually is, full of characters with Big Fish Small Pond Syndrome. I hope that Alyssa became a successful model rather than staying at TGI Fridays and that Costa is now a successful reporter, sure. But the prom wasn't nearly as substantial a backbone to the story as I'd hoped.
*Nothing against two-year colleges, but high numbers of students headed to them is suggestive of lower income brackets or lower expectations or both.
So that leaves us with the rest of the year. It sounds like the sort of school that is as normal (average) as normal (average) can be: not a lot of diversity, an emphasis on athletic achievement (and prom traditions) over academics, a high proportion of students who don't go to four-year universities,* and a depressing sense that many of these students (and, perhaps, the adults around them) consider these four years the best of their lives.
I can't quite work out what to make of Bamberger. He's an experienced journalist, and as a writer, he gets the job done. I could have gone with three stars; the book is reminiscent of Alexandra Robbins and others who have done similar year-in-the-life projects. It's a style I enjoy. But...well, a couple of things. First, I struggled to keep track of the characters, which made it hard to care for them. I'm not sure if there were too many players on the court at once, or if the portraits weren't complex enough, or if I just didn't care about the relatively petty concerns many (not all) of them faced. (There were some stories that just begged for more depth in the telling, though. Imagine Stephanie's story given a bit more room to breathe, for example—she's not so far outside the norm but is clearly being forced to grow up rather faster than most of her peers.)
The other thing: I could never forget that I was seeing all this through the author's perspective. The author is a shepherd here, of course; it's up to him to guide us through this school and this year and these characters, and of course his views are going to influence the telling. But sometimes it just felt weird. What was the point of describing a girl as having an 'imperfect face on her perfect body' (12)? We're told that the male teachers and administrators basically ruled the roost, but then Bamberger, too, reinforces this, focusing on male teachers (with the exception of one female teacher who is either a child abuser or being slut-shamed (by the school and by the author) or both). When black students who express interest in the prom committee are effectively shut out, Bamberger hastens to explain that it's race relations, not racism, that's the problem (41), because the white students love black culture. Visible boxer shorts and Eminem.
What.
And that's the end of that discussion. Instead we're treated to a high-schooler's views on abortion (shouldn't have sex unless you're prepared to deal with the possibility of a child—although the same high schooler blows off Clinton's transgressions with Lewinsky, so no corresponding 'shouldn't have an affair unless you're prepared to deal with the fallout' (116–117)). We get this odd sense that Bamberger is patronising these kids—just little things, but repeated uses of language like 'there was no adolescent chitchat' (130) and 'It was all very adult' (181) and a mention that post-prom sex usually lasted eight or ten minutes (188, poor girls).
So in the end it just feels like...a moderately interesting story stretched beyond the bounds of how interesting it actually is, full of characters with Big Fish Small Pond Syndrome. I hope that Alyssa became a successful model rather than staying at TGI Fridays and that Costa is now a successful reporter, sure. But the prom wasn't nearly as substantial a backbone to the story as I'd hoped.
*Nothing against two-year colleges, but high numbers of students headed to them is suggestive of lower income brackets or lower expectations or both.
May 1, 2008
At first glance, I thought it would be an expose of teen problems with drugs, sex, depression and the like, but it’s not. It's a gracefully crafted portrait of American high school life, chronicling the stories of real-life students, teachers and parents of one Pennsylvanian high school.
Bamberger, a Sports Illustrated writer, first saw Pennsbury High School featured on television because of their unique prom tradition. Pennsbury holds their prom on their campus, and the whole town comes out to see the magnificently transformed lobby, gym and hallways. We are to understand that the decorations are more than just an intricate, yearlong art project; they are masterpieces of beauty. Remarkable? Yes. But this book is really about the people at Pennsbury, who run the grade from remarkable to ordinary. We get a glimpse of the commanding teacher who was the main impetus for keeping the prom tradition going for thirty-three years and his growing disdain for school bureaucracy. We meet the star quarterback who has a heart of gold; the bratty homecoming queen; the teen couple who become unexpected parents; the witty, fast-talking junior-class president who has a knack for getting things done, like getting pop star John Mayer to play at their prom—even though it was only three songs. This boy is also a reporter for the high school television station. Bamberger favors this boy with a lot of book time but no wonder—reporting is close to his heart. What he doesn’t include is an up-close look at anyone from orchestra, chorus or theatre, but that’s not essential. The books flows well and all ties into the prom. It’s a fun read for anyone who wants to feel like they’re back in high school. Should high schoolers read this book? They might be better off reading great literature, but then again this is a fine example for them of a distinctive and different way of writing non-fiction: journalism into narrative. I appreciated that it didn’t read like cold journalism, it was warmer. Also it has positive messages, like the example of the student reporter that shows us that anything is possible if we put enough heart and persistence into it.
Bamberger, a Sports Illustrated writer, first saw Pennsbury High School featured on television because of their unique prom tradition. Pennsbury holds their prom on their campus, and the whole town comes out to see the magnificently transformed lobby, gym and hallways. We are to understand that the decorations are more than just an intricate, yearlong art project; they are masterpieces of beauty. Remarkable? Yes. But this book is really about the people at Pennsbury, who run the grade from remarkable to ordinary. We get a glimpse of the commanding teacher who was the main impetus for keeping the prom tradition going for thirty-three years and his growing disdain for school bureaucracy. We meet the star quarterback who has a heart of gold; the bratty homecoming queen; the teen couple who become unexpected parents; the witty, fast-talking junior-class president who has a knack for getting things done, like getting pop star John Mayer to play at their prom—even though it was only three songs. This boy is also a reporter for the high school television station. Bamberger favors this boy with a lot of book time but no wonder—reporting is close to his heart. What he doesn’t include is an up-close look at anyone from orchestra, chorus or theatre, but that’s not essential. The books flows well and all ties into the prom. It’s a fun read for anyone who wants to feel like they’re back in high school. Should high schoolers read this book? They might be better off reading great literature, but then again this is a fine example for them of a distinctive and different way of writing non-fiction: journalism into narrative. I appreciated that it didn’t read like cold journalism, it was warmer. Also it has positive messages, like the example of the student reporter that shows us that anything is possible if we put enough heart and persistence into it.
June 1, 2013
A fun case study of the lives of some teens leading up to the prom at my former high school. I can't help but wonder how thoroughly he immersed himself into so many of their lives. I mean, had the kid who died seriously been one of his subjects by happenstance, or did he have to gather information after the death and pretend he had talked to the kid?
It was fascinating to me how much remained the same (even a lot of the teachers mentioned)
I big flaw was that he focused primarily on the kids form only one of the feeder jr highs (Bair kids not Boehm kids) and din't really talk at all about that dynamic
It was fascinating to me how much remained the same (even a lot of the teachers mentioned)
I big flaw was that he focused primarily on the kids form only one of the feeder jr highs (Bair kids not Boehm kids) and din't really talk at all about that dynamic
January 25, 2016
Wonderland: A Year in the Life of an American High School by Michael Bamberger (Grove Press 2005) (373.74821). This is a very successful “year in the life” book of the 2003 school year at Pennsbury High School, a medium to large sized high school in a small town which is renowned for the scope and attention to detail that the school pours into the annual prom. This is a sweet and bittersweet reminder that the stage never changes, only the players. My rating: 7.5/10, finished 5/19/15.
November 25, 2009
Read this when my kids were in 8th & 11th grades. I was so touched by the HS kids in this book, and what they were going through, that I lent the book (and I "oh so rarely" lend my books) to our HS's Principal and Assistant Principal. What an insight into the minds of teens.
December 2, 2020
Very relatable, kind of hard to keep track of who's who. Overall an easy read, but it got kind of boring at times. A very cool perspective to tell a story from though.
September 1, 2018
How cool to have a nationally-known writer to chronicle your senior year of high school! I wish I had gone to Pennsbury in 2003, and their class reunions will be quite interesting! This is a non-fiction book that reads like compelling fiction, with many subplots and rich characters. You've got the 3-sport athlete who aspires to play college football but also worries about his younger brother who cannot take care of himself, the obscure beauty who drives a sports car and comes of age during her senior year, the boyfriend-girlfriend who get pregnant and show great maturity in their determination to stay together, the suppressed and angry female athlete who is growing tired of meeting everyone else's expectations and begins to feel the real effects of the stress, and an ambitious most-likely-to-succeed type that is in his junior year and already a standout who pours as much into his school as his school pours into him. All of these personalities converge upon the prom, which is the signature event at Pennsbury, garnering national attention and sometimes including celebrity appearances.
If ever a book deserves a sequel, it's this one. Now 15 years later, it would be great to see what became of each and every one of these promising students (as well as their teachers)!
If ever a book deserves a sequel, it's this one. Now 15 years later, it would be great to see what became of each and every one of these promising students (as well as their teachers)!
January 1, 2012
The story of Pennsbury High in Levittown PA. The author follows the class of '2003 through its last full year. The focus is on the prom and plans for it and how a number of different individuals work into those plans. The book tracks a few students, a "jock" who is the star of several different teams and takes care of his sick brother during his off hours, a couple that gets pregnant, a math whiz who is tragically killed during a Christmas break trip to Florida, an overweight nerd who works in the school's TV studio, a blond bombshell that graduates early and has troubles with her boyfriend, a wheeler-dealer who persistently tries to get a major rock star to come play at the prom, etc. There are also teachers and administrators, the principal who acts as mayor over the school, an art teacher with a pony tail who heads the prom committee. A compelling portrait of a typical school.
August 5, 2011
As a former Pennsbury High School student, it was interesting to me to read this book because I wanted to see what someone outside thought about the school. Yes, it has the same problems/issues that most teens face, but the one uniting thing about our school, was the Prom! It was a major event and has morphed into something that most locals look forward to seeing and hearing about in the spring. It was fun to read familiar teacher/staff names from when I was a student, but many things have changed too. Enjoyable read!
May 20, 2013
There's a lot to hate about this book (the sexism, the dismissive way Bamberger barely acknowledges the African American students, the bizarre obsession with abortion), but what's unforgivable is the obvious lack of respect Bamberger had for the students he embedded himself with for a year. Everything is written as though he's an anthropologist from the 1930s; it really does have this tone of "Let me tell you about this strange, primitive culture!" (Like, I know what an STD is, and it is not some abbreviation that is unique to that school).
July 20, 2009
Well-done bit of journalism re: a year at Pennsbury High, where the prom is such a unique and unifying event that EVERYONE attends, from the jocks and geeks to the goths and pregnant teens. Bamberger follows a handful of particular students throughout their year - most of them are seniors - and you find yourself rooting for them, abysmal when their hopes are denied, and then revitalized when they make do as best they can anyway, and create new dreams.
November 16, 2007
This book portrays the lives of a handful of high school students in a working class town in Pennsylvania. A friend gave me this book because it depicted actual people he went to high school with. Their lives are interesting and, well, real. It was very refreshing to read and I really couldn't put it down.
September 4, 2011
Read this on the plane on the way to Europe - a good choice since it took me back to high school. Funny that some of the teacher were the same, and some of the divisions (i.e. Yardley vs. Levittown). A slice-of-life take on American teenagers. Strange to see a book written about your school, I wonder how well it resonates with people from other parts of the country?
March 23, 2008
I picked this up for the sole reason that it was my high school he was writing about. I didn't have very high expectations for it. I thought I would be bored to tears, but it was actually very enjoyable.
August 25, 2009
Really good book. Confirmed my ongoing impressions that John Mayer is NOT a cool guy though...Now I want to read the Wonderland Reunion book about their lives after graduation next: please Mr. Bamberger?
February 22, 2010
It follows a year in the life of a high school in Pennsylvania, which puts on its own prom - and holds it at the school. It is an all community event. It highlights various staff members, students, and families. An interesting read.
August 10, 2011
Compelling novella about a year in the life of a high school, specifically centered around its famous prom. Simple, yet interesting. Bamberger has a very engaging writing style which has garnered comparisons to works like Fright Night Lights, and for good reason.
August 17, 2012
Non-fiction. Author is a writer for Sports Illustrated. Wrote about Pennsbury H.S. for a year. In Penn. outside of Philly. They get ready for the Prom all year. Have it at their school. Town comes to see them arrive on their Prom Night. Okay.
March 12, 2013
I really enjoyed this non-fiction book. It looks at a year in the life of students and teachers at Pennsburg High School in Pennsylvania. Much of the book focuses on the preparations for the prom. Having spent my entire career in education, mostly in high schools, I can identify with this.
March 29, 2007
i want to do something like this. its so 21 jump street.
April 8, 2007
i probably liked this more than most people would because it was written about the high school that i attended.
June 17, 2007
Slice-of-life type of book - not very ambitious, but does touch on some of the realities of suburban high school - without all the unbelievable dramas given to that setting by films and tv shows.
April 25, 2008
Book about Vermeany's high school! Craziness. One of the better books about a year in a high school.
May 11, 2008
I kept hoping that John Mayer would emerge a hero... he didn't. As for an in-depth piece of journalism, this book is average.
May 15, 2008
Okay, nothing earth-shaking, a glimpse into the life of an American high school.
July 21, 2008
Another book that reminds us... how easy it is to write and publish.
August 20, 2008
There aren't enough stars for this book, I thought it was amazing-well written and honest. I think I read it in a day.
December 8, 2008
A quick read that fits the title. Very simple. The author does a good job of relaying information rather than making judgements.
January 13, 2011
Not bad, not great. Confirmed my opinion that John Mayer is a tool.
March 26, 2012
I probably liked this story a bit more than usual simply because I once lived in the area. It was fun to read about the neighborhood through someones viewpoint.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews