Almost Alice

May 1, 2008
Gr 9 Up-Alice, now in the end of her junior year in high school, navigates through her friend Pamela's pregnancy scare, a promotion at the school newspaper, and prom. On top of all this, she is considering getting back together with her ex-boyfriend and future prom date, Patrick. But first, she has to figure out her feelings about his overachieving personality, which tends to leave her on the back burner. The different issues and events that Alice goes through seem realistic and believable. However, her emotional reactions are harder to accept. In general, she seems to be more mature, selfless, and rational than most teens. Part of this is due to the fact that Naylor lays out events without getting too deeply into Alice's character in this addition to the series. Also, the forced dialogue tends to drag the book down. Loyal fans of the series will get the most out of this book as they will be more connected to Alice and her friends and anxious to see what happens to them."Jessie Spalding, Queen Creek Branch Library, AZ"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2008
Picking up where the last book (Dangerously Alice, rev. 7/07) left off, this twenty-third series entry finds Alice struggling with self-doubt: "I had to be good at something, but it was taking me a long time to find out what." Her former boyfriend Patrick is back in the picture, but he's still so focused on fast-tracking his future that it's hard for Alice to know exactly where she fits in his present. Alice isn't sitting around waiting to find out: she's as busy as ever with school, extracurricular activities, and peers. Everything recedes into the background, however, when one of Alice's closest friends discovers she's pregnant. As the gang copes with the shock of the news, Alice ponders the ramifications of this unwanted "detour": "Babies were supposed to be happy occasions! How did this get so mixed up?" Naylor confronts head-on the serious realities of an unplanned pregnancy and the decisions that need to be made; the narrative's lack of blame and judgment is realistic and commendable. The book does end on a hopeful note, but while the crisis is resolved, everyone -- including readers -- takes a valuable life lesson away from the experience.

(Copyright 2008 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

July 1, 2008
This series entry finds Alice struggling with self-doubt. Her ex-boyfriend Patrick is back in the picture, but everything recedes into the background when her friend Pamela discovers she's pregnant. Naylor confronts head-on the seriousness of unplanned pregnancy; the lack of blame and judgment is realistic and commendable. The book ends on a hopeful note, but everyone--including readers--takes away a valuable life lesson.

(Copyright 2008 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)