Saturday Night by Marjorie Holmes (1959)

 Carly is wearing a green Paisley skirt and an off-the-shoulder peasant blouse which she has bought with the first pay from her job at Deal's general store in the little Midwest town of Windy Lake. She is a junior in high school, but somehow her girl friends have outgrown her. She is timid adn feels left out of their fun, but she is terribly eager for life. Especially for whatever strange thrill may lie in wait for her during the hours of this magical Saturday night. "Something might turn up," she says when her mother asks her why she has changed to her new clothes.  And, sure enough, something does, "turn up": Danny Keller discovers her.

Danny is the most popular boy in town, a Peter Pan who won't grow up, with faunlike ears and merry, carefree chatter. He takes her to the Copper Kettle, where the high school crowd hangs out, for grilled cheese and a Coke. Carly knows that the really popular girls have in turn all been his steady dates, but he sweeps her off her feet and she now becomes "his girl." As such, she finds that she has become popular ... she belongs. She feels, however, a strange misgiving in the welcome she receives from the others, and her forebodings prove to be all too well founded.

Much of the action of the story centers about the lake, beautiful, fascinating, but able to assume a dark and tragic aspect too, as Carly learns to her horror.

The reader who follows this typically American girl through the experiences of her first love will learn, as she learns, the truth of what her father says to her: "Hurt is simply a part of growing up.  It's as inescapable as -- as cutting teeth." (from the inside flap)

Senior Trip by Marjorie Holmes (1962)

"Our treasurer reports that we have exactly one dollar and fifteen cents in the treasury. Despite this dismal fact, we voted unanimously to undertake a trip of eleven hundred miles to Washington, D.C., next spring."

What a wonderful, crazy idea!  For Fran, president of the senior class, it meant headaches, hard work ... and romance! (from the back cover)

Sorority Girl by Anne Emery (1952)

"I hereby pledge myself not to become part of any secret society at Sherwood High School."  Signed, Jean Burnaby.

But the Nightingales were different -- a service auxiliary.  So they said.

"Frankly, I think you'd better let it alone," said her mother.

"This is something every girl in school wants to be," Jean said, "every single girl!  Do you realize they take only about twenty or twenty-five girls a year? And they're choosing me!"

Another story about the Burnaby family.  (from the back cover)

Senior Year by Anne Emery (1949)

"The most awful thing ..." exclaimed Sally tragically.  At the very beginning of her senior year -- the year that was to be best of all -- her best friend goes off to another school.  Dependable Scotty starts dating someone else.  Sally finds herself a party fifth wheel.  Everything goes wrong, until Sally begins to discover -- Sally. (from the back cover)

Scarlet Royal by Anne Emery (1952)

The only thing in Margo's life that really counted was the horses themselves: riding them, hunting, showing, caring for them, loving them.  Especially her own horse, Scarlet Royal -- hers until the wealthy Cranshaws offered more than the struggling Macintyre's could afford to refuse.  Be nice to the Cranshaws, her mother said.  How could she like Ginevra Cranshaw, who went off with her beloved horse and her best boy friend?

A story of sportsmanship and courage by the author of Senior Year. (from the back cover)

High Note, Low Note by Anne Emery (1954)

Senior year -- the year of College Boards, of college plans, of scholarship applications.  Jean's last chance to improve her grades, to win recognition at Sherwood High School.  The last year to be with her friends -- especially Jeff, and Kim, and Scotty.  No wonder Jean has trouble keeping her mind on the music scholarship and all her fine beginning-of-the-school-year plans.

Another delightful story about the Burnaby family. (from the back cover)

Going Steady by Anne Emery (1950)

At her door, Scotty said, "I'll see you tomorrow, Sally.  First thing in the morning.  But after this week I'm going to be working, I think."

This was Sally Burnaby's first inkling that the world does not stop for couples in love ... that there is another side to every "happily ever after" story. (from the back cover)