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Overview
As the new girl in a strange town, Casey is trying desperately to fit in and make friends. When her parents leave town for the weekend, her friend suggests she have a house party. Casey is reluctant to go along, until she realizes maybe this is the answer to fitting in and making friends--and getting back at her parents. They invite a few people and then a few more, using msn and text messaging. Hundreds of people show up and things get out of hand. Casey is in more trouble than she thought possible and now she must decide whether--and how--to do the right thing.Synopsis
I followed them into the living room and was met by a mass of people. My sudden courage seemed to deflate. How could I ever get this many people to leave? Just then I heard ...
Children's Literature
Author Walters has written a book with a message, and it is this: If you are pressured into having a house party when your parents are away, be prepared for the consequences. Casey finds herself in this predicament. Her friend Jen persuades her to have a house party instead of spending the night at Jen's house as she has promised her mother she will do. The invitation list starts out small, but slowly grows by word-of-mouth. Casey hardly knows any of the people who show up, bringing their own liquor and taking over her house. To make matters worse, Casey's friend Jen drinks too much of the spiked punch and becomes sick just when Casey needs help controlling the mess she has gotten herself into. Jen pulls herself together and tries to help her friend clear out the house, but the situation worsens as the house is trashed, items are stolen, and the large picture window is broken. When the police arrive, they find a girl cut from glass and drunken teenagers running away. What began as a simple party plan turns into a nightmare for Casey and Jen. The hardest part is at the end, when Casey has to greet her parents with the news that she has let them down. The ending says it all: "Mom Dad. I'm so sorry. I have something I have to tell you." Reviewer: Della A. Yannuzzi