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Alice #6
Alice In-Between
Finally, Alice is thirteen. But being a teenager isn't always as fantastic as Alice dreamed it would be. A sophisticated night on the town with her brother, Lester, and an overnight train trip to Chicago with Elizabeth and Pamela are exciting, but they also give her a first-hand look at some of the perils of grown-up life.
The problem is, Alice doesn't really feel like a grown-up. But she doesn't feel like a kid anymore, either. She feels in-between -- and that's a pretty confusing place to be!
The problem is, Alice doesn't really feel like a grown-up. But she doesn't feel like a kid anymore, either. She feels in-between -- and that's a pretty confusing place to be!
160 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 1, 1994
17 people are currently reading
616 people want to read
About the author
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
252 books1,028 followersPhyllis Reynolds Naylor was born in Anderson, Indiana, US on January 4, 1933.
Her family were strongly religious with conservative, midwestern values and most of her childhood was spent moving a lot due to her father's occupation as a salesman.
Though she grew up during the Depression and her family did not have a lot of money, Naylor stated that she never felt poor because her family owned good books. Her parents enjoyed reading stories to the children--her father would imitate the characters in Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer--and her mother read to them every evening, "almost until we were old enough to go out on dates, though we never would have admitted this to anyone."
By the time Phyllis reached fifth grade, writing books was her favorite hobby and she would rush home from school each day to write down whatever plot had been forming in her head - at sixteen her first story was published in a local church magazine.
Phyllis has written over 80 books for children and young people. One of these books, "Shiloh," was awarded the Newbery Medal in 1992, was named a Notable Children's Book by the American Library Association and was also Young Adult Choice by the International Reading Association.
Naylor gets her ideas from things that happen to her or from things she has read. "Shiloh" was inspired by a little abused dog she and her husband found. The little dog haunted her so much that she had to write a story about him to get it out of her mind.
Her family were strongly religious with conservative, midwestern values and most of her childhood was spent moving a lot due to her father's occupation as a salesman.
Though she grew up during the Depression and her family did not have a lot of money, Naylor stated that she never felt poor because her family owned good books. Her parents enjoyed reading stories to the children--her father would imitate the characters in Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer--and her mother read to them every evening, "almost until we were old enough to go out on dates, though we never would have admitted this to anyone."
By the time Phyllis reached fifth grade, writing books was her favorite hobby and she would rush home from school each day to write down whatever plot had been forming in her head - at sixteen her first story was published in a local church magazine.
Phyllis has written over 80 books for children and young people. One of these books, "Shiloh," was awarded the Newbery Medal in 1992, was named a Notable Children's Book by the American Library Association and was also Young Adult Choice by the International Reading Association.
Naylor gets her ideas from things that happen to her or from things she has read. "Shiloh" was inspired by a little abused dog she and her husband found. The little dog haunted her so much that she had to write a story about him to get it out of her mind.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
August 16, 2018
Pamela should be allowed to have fun... she should not be taught to hide her light, but instead be taught self-defense. That being said, she did take her game a bit far. And Elizabeth should not be mocked for wanting to be innocent a bit longer. But see, that what made (makes?) these books so wonderful: there's no pat answers, no absolutes.
Unfortunately they are dated in some ways. And there is far too much BS in the schools... for example everyone almost immediately forgives the boys who tangled Pamela's hair in gum... her hair so long she could sit on it... they really need to be taken off the team or at least be given detention or something, not to mention paying for her haircut.
So much development book-to-book; glad they're short so I can keep reading to find out what happens!
Unfortunately they are dated in some ways. And there is far too much BS in the schools... for example everyone almost immediately forgives the boys who tangled Pamela's hair in gum... her hair so long she could sit on it... they really need to be taken off the team or at least be given detention or something, not to mention paying for her haircut.
So much development book-to-book; glad they're short so I can keep reading to find out what happens!
August 10, 2017
The pencil test! Ah!
Also, Alice's poetry reading made me tear up.
Also, Alice's poetry reading made me tear up.
October 20, 2010
This book is awesome! My friend recommended this to me and so I checked it out.....
When i first opened it I knew from then that this was going to be an awesome book and ta-da! It was!
When i first opened it I knew from then that this was going to be an awesome book and ta-da! It was!
July 30, 2024
Di buku kelima ini sebentar lagi Alice naik ke kelas 8 dan berulang tahun yang ketiga belas. Ayahnya berkencan dengan guru bahasa Inggrisnya, Miss Sylvia Summers dan ia sangat mengharapkan wanita itu bisa menjadi ibunya. Miss Sylvia menyuruh anak-anak kelas 7 yang diajarnya untuk menghapalkan sebuah puisi yang paling berkesan untuk mereka dan membacakannya di kelas. Tadinya Alice ingin memilih puisi lucu berjudul "The Cremation of Sam Magee", tapi dia membatalkan niatnya karena teringat dengan murid bernama Denise Whitlock yang bunuh diri di depan kereta api Amtrak yang sedang meluncur. Aku terkejut karena belum membaca buku keempat. Ada isu bunuh diri di buku middle-grade! Dari yang aku baca sekilas di Wikipedia, Denise ini kalau nggak salah tukang bully. Kenapa dia bunuh diri, ya? Aku akan membaca buku keempatnya nanti. Yang jelas sejak insiden Whitlock, pihak sekolah jadi lebih waspada. Alice dan teman-temannya saling mengingatkan untuk, "Jangan bunuh diri!" kalau ada hal-hal menyakitkan dan aneh terjadi di antara mereka. Hanya untuk gurauan mereka saja sebenarnya. Hmm....
Ada banyak kejadian konyol dalam novel ini. Contohnya ketika Patrick memberi Alice gelang milik ibunya sebagai hadiah ulang tahun. Masalahnya, Patrick sama sekali tidak izin ibunya. Alice langsung menolak dan menyuruh Patrick memberi tahu ibunya. Wanita itu langsung menelepon Alice dan meminta gelangnya kembali. Astaga. Anak-anak seusia itu memang nggak berpikir panjang, ya.
Karena Lester lupa ulang tahun Alice (dan tentu saja lupa juga membeli hadiah), kakaknya itu berjanji untuk mengajak Alice kencan satu hari. Alice jelas memanfaatkan kesempatan itu untuk minta ditraktir di restoran yang mahal serta tempat berdansa. Astaga. Dasar Alice. Baik sekali Lester ini. Oleh Pamela dan Elizabeth, Alice didandani seperti gadis dewasa sampai Lester takjub saat menjemput adiknya. Namun, di tempat dansa di sebuah hotel, Lester dan Alice malah harus menyelamatkan mantan pacar Lester, Crystal Harkins, untuk kabur dari seorang pria teman kencan yang menyebalkan dan tukang paksa. Saat menunggu Crystal keluar dari kamar mandi, pria itu mendekati Alice, mengira gadis itu benar-benar wanita dewasa. Dia bahkan mengira Alice istri Lester! Astaga. Geram sekali rasanya melihat pria itu berusaha curi-curi kesempatan untuk menyentuh Alice. Untung Lester langsung mengajak Alice pergi. Setelah kejadian itu, Lester kembali dekat dengan Crystal.
*
Salah satu hal yang sulit dipercaya dalam novel ini adalah tes pensil yang dilakukan Elizabeth, Pamela, dan Alice. Seperti buku-buku sebelumnya, ketiga anak perempuan yang tampaknya terlalu cepat dewasa ini (kecuali Elizabeth yang religius) terus penasaran dengan eksplorasi tubuh dan seksual mereka. Kali ini mereka melakukan tes pensil untuk mengukur besar payudara mereka. Alice gelisah karena merasa dirinya tidak secantik dan sedewasa Pamela. Dia mengalami krisis "remaja tanggung". Konyolnya, Alice lalu menceritakan soal tes pensil itu kepada ayahnya dan Lester. Lester langsung shock dan bersyukur dirinya tak dilahirkan sebagai anak perempuan (hahahah). Paling konyol, Alice bertanya pada Lester apakah anak lelaki juga menggunakan tes pensil untuk mengukur... AH SUDAHLAH! (Yang jawabannya tentu saja tidak).
Ada juga adegan ketika Alice melihat Lester meraba tubuh Crystal untuk mengoleskan krim anti-matahari saat berjemur di halaman. Aku benar-benar shock dengan standar moral orang-orang Amerika ini karena penulisnya sampai memasukkan adegan itu ke buku middle grade. Yah memang serial Alice ini sering kali di-ban oleh ALA (American Library Association), sih.
Tapi ada juga bagian yang terasa polos dan bikin hati hangat, seperti kegalauan Alice karena dia buta nada. Patrick lalu menemukan bahwa Alice pandai menangkap ritme dari lagu dan karena itu ia berjanji akan mengajari gadis itu main drum. Sweet. Alice sebelumnya juga sempat minta diajari agar bisa menyanyi pada guru musik. Tapi guru itu dengan bijak memberi Alice pilihan untuk mempertimbangkan apakah ketidakmampuan itu benar-benar mengganggu Alice. Alice memutuskan hal itu tidak akan terlalu mengganggu. Ia lega sekaligus takjub karena baru kali itu ada guru yang mengatakan bahwa tidak apa-apa Alice tidak menguasai mata pelajaran yang ia ajarkan.
*
Di rumah, ketika sedang mencari puisi, Alice menemukan buku One Thousand and One Poems bertuliskan nama ibunya. Di buku itu ia menemukan puisi favorit ibunya, Thanatopsis karya Willian Cullent Bryant. Begini bunyi puisi itu:
Maka hiduplah, agar begitu engkau dipanggil
Bergabung dengan begitu banya karavan yang bergerak
Menuju daerah misterius mana kita masing-masing menempati
Kamar sendiri di lorong sunyi maut
Engkau tidak pergi senperti budak di malam hari,
Dilecut dalam selnya, tapi kuat dan tenang
Oleh keyakinan tak tergoyahkan, menghampiri pusaramu
Seperti orang yang membungkus penutup sofanya
Di sekeliling tubuhnya, dan berbaring menikmati mimpi-mimpi indah.
Puisi itu adalah puisi yang menguatkan ayah dan ibu Alice sebelum ibu Alice meninggal.
Alice lalu menemukan puisi lain yang baginya menggambarkan sosok ibunya. Puisi yang langsung jadi favoritnya. Puisi itu berjudul Passing By. Begini bunyi puisi itu:
Ada wanita yang manis dan baik hatinya,
Bahagia diriku menatap wajahnya;
Aku hanya melihatnya selintas lalu,
Namun aku mencintainya hingga ajalku.
Bahasa tubuhnya, gerakannya dan senyumannya,
Hatiku terpikat kejenakaan dan suaranya,
Hatiku terpikat, mengapa begitu, aku tak tahu
Namun aku mencintainya hingga ajalku....
Dewa Cinta bersayap dan bergerak ke semua arah,
Tempat tinggalnya, juga cintaku bisa berubah:
Tapi ubahlah kami, ubahlah langitku,
Aku tetap mencintainya hingga ajalku.
Alice langsung menangis setelah membacanya. Dia lalu berniat untuk membacakan puisi Thanatopsis di depan kelas. Ia menghapalkan puisi itu dengan dibantu ayahnya. Namun, ketika maju Alice lupa dengan puisi Thanatopsis dan malah membaca puisi Passing By sambil bercucuran air mata. Miss Summer lalu bercerita di depan kelas bahwa ibu Alice sudah meninggal karena kanker saat Alice masih sangat kecil. Seisi kelas terhanyut dengan penampilan Alice. Setelah Alice tampil, beberapa dari temannya bahkan ikut mencucurkan air mata. Miss Summer sangat mengapresiasi Alice yang bisa menampilkan puisi yang berkesan baginya dengan penuh penghayatan. Adegan ini adalah adegan terindah dalam novel ini. Untuk adegan-adegan seperti inilah aku tetap bertahan membaca serial Alice meski sering nggak bisa menerima selipan adegan-adegan yang tak seharusnya dilakukan oleh anak-anak SMP.
*
Alice, Pamela, dan Elizabeth lalu diundang Aunt Sally untuk menginap seminggu di Chicago pada musim panas mendatang. Mereka naik kereta api yang sama dengan yang dinaiki Alice pada jilid pertama. Yang bikin aku terkejut adalah adegan ketika Pamela berpura-pura sebagai mahasiswa dengan tampilannya yang seperti sudah dewasa dan flirting dengan cowok berusia tiga puluh tahun. Cowok itu benar-benar mengira Pamela sudah dewasa sehingga dia mengajak gadis ingusan itu ke kamarnya dan... yah, terjadi sesuatu yang bikin Pamela langsung kabur dan bersembunyi di kamar Alice dan Elizabeth. Benar-benar horor. Apalagi saat lelaki itu bersikeras mencarinya hingga terus mendesak Alice dan Elizabeth. Ngeri sekali, Pam!
Sepulang dari rumah Aunt Sally, Alice mendapat telepon dari suami Mrs. Plotkins bahwa gurunya itu dapat serangan jantung dan dirawat di RS. Alice pun menjenguk guru favoritnya itu. Mengharukan. Mrs. Plotkins benar-benar menganggap Alice bagaikan cucunya sendiri. Di jilid pertama, Mrs. Plotkins memberinya cincin peninggalan nenek buyutnya. Kini Mrs. Plotkins memberi Alice foto neneknya agar dia bisa tahu dari mana cincin itu berasal. Dan saat seorang perawat menyapanya dan membicarakan soal foto itu, Alice berkata, "Ini foto nenek buyutku."
Ada banyak kejadian konyol dalam novel ini. Contohnya ketika Patrick memberi Alice gelang milik ibunya sebagai hadiah ulang tahun. Masalahnya, Patrick sama sekali tidak izin ibunya. Alice langsung menolak dan menyuruh Patrick memberi tahu ibunya. Wanita itu langsung menelepon Alice dan meminta gelangnya kembali. Astaga. Anak-anak seusia itu memang nggak berpikir panjang, ya.
Karena Lester lupa ulang tahun Alice (dan tentu saja lupa juga membeli hadiah), kakaknya itu berjanji untuk mengajak Alice kencan satu hari. Alice jelas memanfaatkan kesempatan itu untuk minta ditraktir di restoran yang mahal serta tempat berdansa. Astaga. Dasar Alice. Baik sekali Lester ini. Oleh Pamela dan Elizabeth, Alice didandani seperti gadis dewasa sampai Lester takjub saat menjemput adiknya. Namun, di tempat dansa di sebuah hotel, Lester dan Alice malah harus menyelamatkan mantan pacar Lester, Crystal Harkins, untuk kabur dari seorang pria teman kencan yang menyebalkan dan tukang paksa. Saat menunggu Crystal keluar dari kamar mandi, pria itu mendekati Alice, mengira gadis itu benar-benar wanita dewasa. Dia bahkan mengira Alice istri Lester! Astaga. Geram sekali rasanya melihat pria itu berusaha curi-curi kesempatan untuk menyentuh Alice. Untung Lester langsung mengajak Alice pergi. Setelah kejadian itu, Lester kembali dekat dengan Crystal.
*
Salah satu hal yang sulit dipercaya dalam novel ini adalah tes pensil yang dilakukan Elizabeth, Pamela, dan Alice. Seperti buku-buku sebelumnya, ketiga anak perempuan yang tampaknya terlalu cepat dewasa ini (kecuali Elizabeth yang religius) terus penasaran dengan eksplorasi tubuh dan seksual mereka. Kali ini mereka melakukan tes pensil untuk mengukur besar payudara mereka. Alice gelisah karena merasa dirinya tidak secantik dan sedewasa Pamela. Dia mengalami krisis "remaja tanggung". Konyolnya, Alice lalu menceritakan soal tes pensil itu kepada ayahnya dan Lester. Lester langsung shock dan bersyukur dirinya tak dilahirkan sebagai anak perempuan (hahahah). Paling konyol, Alice bertanya pada Lester apakah anak lelaki juga menggunakan tes pensil untuk mengukur... AH SUDAHLAH! (Yang jawabannya tentu saja tidak).
Ada juga adegan ketika Alice melihat Lester meraba tubuh Crystal untuk mengoleskan krim anti-matahari saat berjemur di halaman. Aku benar-benar shock dengan standar moral orang-orang Amerika ini karena penulisnya sampai memasukkan adegan itu ke buku middle grade. Yah memang serial Alice ini sering kali di-ban oleh ALA (American Library Association), sih.
Tapi ada juga bagian yang terasa polos dan bikin hati hangat, seperti kegalauan Alice karena dia buta nada. Patrick lalu menemukan bahwa Alice pandai menangkap ritme dari lagu dan karena itu ia berjanji akan mengajari gadis itu main drum. Sweet. Alice sebelumnya juga sempat minta diajari agar bisa menyanyi pada guru musik. Tapi guru itu dengan bijak memberi Alice pilihan untuk mempertimbangkan apakah ketidakmampuan itu benar-benar mengganggu Alice. Alice memutuskan hal itu tidak akan terlalu mengganggu. Ia lega sekaligus takjub karena baru kali itu ada guru yang mengatakan bahwa tidak apa-apa Alice tidak menguasai mata pelajaran yang ia ajarkan.
*
Di rumah, ketika sedang mencari puisi, Alice menemukan buku One Thousand and One Poems bertuliskan nama ibunya. Di buku itu ia menemukan puisi favorit ibunya, Thanatopsis karya Willian Cullent Bryant. Begini bunyi puisi itu:
Maka hiduplah, agar begitu engkau dipanggil
Bergabung dengan begitu banya karavan yang bergerak
Menuju daerah misterius mana kita masing-masing menempati
Kamar sendiri di lorong sunyi maut
Engkau tidak pergi senperti budak di malam hari,
Dilecut dalam selnya, tapi kuat dan tenang
Oleh keyakinan tak tergoyahkan, menghampiri pusaramu
Seperti orang yang membungkus penutup sofanya
Di sekeliling tubuhnya, dan berbaring menikmati mimpi-mimpi indah.
Puisi itu adalah puisi yang menguatkan ayah dan ibu Alice sebelum ibu Alice meninggal.
Alice lalu menemukan puisi lain yang baginya menggambarkan sosok ibunya. Puisi yang langsung jadi favoritnya. Puisi itu berjudul Passing By. Begini bunyi puisi itu:
Ada wanita yang manis dan baik hatinya,
Bahagia diriku menatap wajahnya;
Aku hanya melihatnya selintas lalu,
Namun aku mencintainya hingga ajalku.
Bahasa tubuhnya, gerakannya dan senyumannya,
Hatiku terpikat kejenakaan dan suaranya,
Hatiku terpikat, mengapa begitu, aku tak tahu
Namun aku mencintainya hingga ajalku....
Dewa Cinta bersayap dan bergerak ke semua arah,
Tempat tinggalnya, juga cintaku bisa berubah:
Tapi ubahlah kami, ubahlah langitku,
Aku tetap mencintainya hingga ajalku.
Alice langsung menangis setelah membacanya. Dia lalu berniat untuk membacakan puisi Thanatopsis di depan kelas. Ia menghapalkan puisi itu dengan dibantu ayahnya. Namun, ketika maju Alice lupa dengan puisi Thanatopsis dan malah membaca puisi Passing By sambil bercucuran air mata. Miss Summer lalu bercerita di depan kelas bahwa ibu Alice sudah meninggal karena kanker saat Alice masih sangat kecil. Seisi kelas terhanyut dengan penampilan Alice. Setelah Alice tampil, beberapa dari temannya bahkan ikut mencucurkan air mata. Miss Summer sangat mengapresiasi Alice yang bisa menampilkan puisi yang berkesan baginya dengan penuh penghayatan. Adegan ini adalah adegan terindah dalam novel ini. Untuk adegan-adegan seperti inilah aku tetap bertahan membaca serial Alice meski sering nggak bisa menerima selipan adegan-adegan yang tak seharusnya dilakukan oleh anak-anak SMP.
*
Alice, Pamela, dan Elizabeth lalu diundang Aunt Sally untuk menginap seminggu di Chicago pada musim panas mendatang. Mereka naik kereta api yang sama dengan yang dinaiki Alice pada jilid pertama. Yang bikin aku terkejut adalah adegan ketika Pamela berpura-pura sebagai mahasiswa dengan tampilannya yang seperti sudah dewasa dan flirting dengan cowok berusia tiga puluh tahun. Cowok itu benar-benar mengira Pamela sudah dewasa sehingga dia mengajak gadis ingusan itu ke kamarnya dan... yah, terjadi sesuatu yang bikin Pamela langsung kabur dan bersembunyi di kamar Alice dan Elizabeth. Benar-benar horor. Apalagi saat lelaki itu bersikeras mencarinya hingga terus mendesak Alice dan Elizabeth. Ngeri sekali, Pam!
Sepulang dari rumah Aunt Sally, Alice mendapat telepon dari suami Mrs. Plotkins bahwa gurunya itu dapat serangan jantung dan dirawat di RS. Alice pun menjenguk guru favoritnya itu. Mengharukan. Mrs. Plotkins benar-benar menganggap Alice bagaikan cucunya sendiri. Di jilid pertama, Mrs. Plotkins memberinya cincin peninggalan nenek buyutnya. Kini Mrs. Plotkins memberi Alice foto neneknya agar dia bisa tahu dari mana cincin itu berasal. Dan saat seorang perawat menyapanya dan membicarakan soal foto itu, Alice berkata, "Ini foto nenek buyutku."
September 18, 2021
This Alice book is an absolute classic! I can (and have) re-read it over the years and its charm never wanes.
Lester taking Alice out on a date for her birthday is a highlight. I love how he makes Alice feel special and his reassurance that she should always call him or their dad if she needs them is very sweet. Every girl could use a brother like Lester. Sometimes I think the way Alice and her friends are mistaken for adults is unrealistic so it was nice to see that even though she pretended to be a newlywed, she was reminded she still looked her age by a man they encounter.
Pamela's hair is cut short for the first time which marks the beginning of Pamela acting a little faster than her friends. She also introduces the girls to the pencil test to determine if they should wear a bra. I'm an adult woman who would still fail so I doubt the validity :)
Amtrak trip: Naylor is obviously a huge fan of Amtrak as Alice and her friends go on long train trips several times throughout the series. But rereading as an adult, thirteen might be too young for an overnight trip. An adult man ends up groping Pamela and searches for her drunk - the girls are saved by the Amtrak attendant but anything could have happened. The incident is played for laughs in other books for some reason. It's implied Aunt Sally is overreacting by saying Pamela was assaulted on the train but that's exactly what happened! Uncle Milt even suggested the girls shouldn't have told her but Elizabeth did the right thing telling an adult. The book was originally published in 1994 so maybe it was a safer time?
Patrick and Alice officially start going together again and I'm tickled every time Patrick's family being rich is mentioned.
Do not skip this Alice book, it's a treat to read every time.
Lester taking Alice out on a date for her birthday is a highlight. I love how he makes Alice feel special and his reassurance that she should always call him or their dad if she needs them is very sweet. Every girl could use a brother like Lester. Sometimes I think the way Alice and her friends are mistaken for adults is unrealistic so it was nice to see that even though she pretended to be a newlywed, she was reminded she still looked her age by a man they encounter.
Pamela's hair is cut short for the first time which marks the beginning of Pamela acting a little faster than her friends. She also introduces the girls to the pencil test to determine if they should wear a bra. I'm an adult woman who would still fail so I doubt the validity :)
Amtrak trip: Naylor is obviously a huge fan of Amtrak as Alice and her friends go on long train trips several times throughout the series. But rereading as an adult, thirteen might be too young for an overnight trip. An adult man ends up groping Pamela and searches for her drunk - the girls are saved by the Amtrak attendant but anything could have happened. The incident is played for laughs in other books for some reason. It's implied Aunt Sally is overreacting by saying Pamela was assaulted on the train but that's exactly what happened! Uncle Milt even suggested the girls shouldn't have told her but Elizabeth did the right thing telling an adult. The book was originally published in 1994 so maybe it was a safer time?
Patrick and Alice officially start going together again and I'm tickled every time Patrick's family being rich is mentioned.
Do not skip this Alice book, it's a treat to read every time.
August 6, 2025
In this sixth book in the Alice series, Alice is finally an official teenager: thirteen years old, and feels, of course, "in-between" childhood and adulthood. (As we old folks know, there's still a lot of space left for her on the child side.) This comes with a lot of doubt. Yes, she takes the pencil test; Naylor is brilliant at showing what society's views on girls' bodies does to their self esteem without being preachy about it. A night out on the town with older brother Lester leads to a view of what some men can be like, and a trip to Chicago with her friends Pamela and Elizabeth is instructive as well. Pamela, acting too old for her age, attracts some unwanted attention, and Alice and Elizabeth need to scramble into defensive mode. Patrick comes back to Alice's life and she has to decide where they stand. With her father and Lester — both with their own choices to make — as role models, Alice thinks taking is slow isn't so bad after all. I just love this series; it's a pitch-perfect portrayal of early adolescence. Naylor's prose is funny, relatable, and emotionally honest. She is great at evoking Alice's self-consciousness, her longing to be more grown-up, and her confusion about where she fits in. As with the earlier books, there's no huge epiphany in Alice's life. Instead, Naylor delicately and accurately focuses on the small, everyday tensions and embarrassments that feel enormous when you're in middle school. Alice is a terrific character; she makes mistakes, misjudges people, and tries too hard, but shows growth. The book's very funny, but we always laugh with Alice and not at her.
September 16, 2017
Alice really is in-between. Her friend Pamela is the wild one. Her friend Elizabeth is the conservative one. Alice is just somewhere in the middle.
Okay, maybe this is just me having a different reaction to the book than I would have if I were a teenager reading it, but I'm a little disturbed with these three 13 year old girls going on a train by themselves and being in Chicago by themselves. I mean, I remember being that age and being dropped off at the mall with my friends and we were by ourselves, but that seems like a whole different situation than riding a train and being in a big city by yourself. The adult in me is screaming that these girls should not be left alone. And then, Pamela is actually hit on by a man in his 30s and gets in a situation she cannot handle by herself, and the guy is drunk and looking for her. This is why these girls should not be alone! Maybe this book was written when it was a different time, when things were considered generally safer, but in a world full of predators, gun violence, and terrorists, I was so worried for the safety of these girls!
Okay, now that I've ranted about that, I loved the book! I'm so glad that I can catch up on this series that I missed as a teen! I still have some unanswered questions: Who will Lester choose? What will happen with Ben and Miss Summers? Are Patrick and Alice getting back together? Looking forward to reading the next one.
Okay, maybe this is just me having a different reaction to the book than I would have if I were a teenager reading it, but I'm a little disturbed with these three 13 year old girls going on a train by themselves and being in Chicago by themselves. I mean, I remember being that age and being dropped off at the mall with my friends and we were by ourselves, but that seems like a whole different situation than riding a train and being in a big city by yourself. The adult in me is screaming that these girls should not be left alone. And then, Pamela is actually hit on by a man in his 30s and gets in a situation she cannot handle by herself, and the guy is drunk and looking for her. This is why these girls should not be alone! Maybe this book was written when it was a different time, when things were considered generally safer, but in a world full of predators, gun violence, and terrorists, I was so worried for the safety of these girls!
Okay, now that I've ranted about that, I loved the book! I'm so glad that I can catch up on this series that I missed as a teen! I still have some unanswered questions: Who will Lester choose? What will happen with Ben and Miss Summers? Are Patrick and Alice getting back together? Looking forward to reading the next one.
October 31, 2021
Alice has trouble finding her identity. One of her bff is sexy and edgy while the other one is modest and mostly quiet. Alice is somewhere in between. She wants Patrick to be her boyfriend but at the same time she realizes he is more of a friend, the guy she walks holding hands with. She travels by train to visit her Aunt with her friends and even there, she finds herself somewhere in between. Would things have been better if Alice had a mom? And what does she have to do now in order to find her identity? This and more juicy topics are analyzed in this book...
July 14, 2017
Wow, this book flew by so quickly that I didn't expect that ending until I turned the page. I love how it starts out with Alice going out for a fancy night with Lester. That was so fun to read about. Loved reading about the trip to Chicago and life's ups and downs as usual. Plot twist - Mrs. Plotkin has a heart attack, and Patrick kisses Alice once more even though they're supposed to be just "special friends". Also - Patrick's family is both rich and chill. Nice.
February 3, 2018
This was a cool series. The events were realistic to me when I was in middle school and the characters were so similar to the friends I grew up with.
Definitely recommend to middle schoolers, and high schoolers who are cool with being seen with a middle grade book.
Definitely recommend to middle schoolers, and high schoolers who are cool with being seen with a middle grade book.
March 30, 2020
An incredibly relatable read for any middle school girl who's going through those turbulent teenage years. This quick read makes you realize you are not alone in your struggles with friends, family, and growing up. -XP
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April 4, 2023This was my favorite of all the Alice books I think. Also, I’d need to reread it to be sure, but I’m pretty sure this is the book my friends and I would hide in a corner to read in the library because we thought it was so spicy lol.
February 4, 2020
Awesome book! I love the fun events that happen.
March 6, 2020
Alice turns 13, and goes on a vacation to Chicago with Pamela and Elizabeth.
March 20, 2020
Love the growing up in this! Also her sixth grade teacher <3
December 14, 2020
These books are fun to read and so real to life, but they also offer really great advice to young girls. Very good series which I'm really enjoying :)
May 2, 2021
Am enjoying this delightful series with Alice now officially a teen and learning new lessons plus making progress in her relationship with her older brother.
August 8, 2022
AHHHHHHHH! I think Alice and Patrick might get together again!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 1, 2023
There were things in here that don't belong in a children's book
October 30, 2023
I read this to my Grade 7s and they enjoyed.
April 16, 2025
The nostalgia of this series 🫶🏼 so interesting to see how certain issues were addressed v. how they would be addressed now
February 25, 2020
It’s the end of 7th grade and Alice is almost a woman! Except she doesn’t feel like one; she feels more “in-between”. This book is super cute! I needed way more Alice and Patrick moments, but it made up for it with tons of Pamela and Elizabeth! I cannot believe that Pamela had to cut her hair! I love how Alice recited a poem that reminded her of her mother in class and she busted into tears. This was so relatable for me since I grew up without a parent as well and you never know what will affect you. I absolutely find Elizabeth hysterical with her prude behavior😂 Pamela is hilarious as well! I love how they are both extremes. I love how Alice got Patrick a hermit crab and he kissed her again! 💖 I can’t wait to read the next book!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2024
Alice has trouble finding her identity. One of her bff is sexy and edgy while the other one is modest and mostly quiet. Alice is somewhere in between. She wants Patrick to be her boyfriend but at the same time she realizes he is more of a friend, the guy she walks holding hands with. She travels by train to visit her Aunt with her friends and even there, she finds herself somewhere in between. Would things have been better if Alice had a mom? And what does she have to do now in order to find her identity? This and more juicy topics are analysed in this book...
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March 7, 2017Alice-In-Between is about a young girl Alice and her friends Elizabeth and Pamela on a trip to Chicago on a train. Lets start at the beginning Alice turns thirteen and she is officially a teenager. A question she asked herself was "Wasn't being a teenager supposed to feel different?" I recommend this book to readers that like the Alice series.
December 2, 2016
Alice In-Between is a book about the growing up, and learning to deal with problems. The book is also showing how teen girls react to certain problems in their lives. One example of this is when a boy sticks chewing gum into Pamela’s hair. After this, Pamela freaks out because she had to cut her long, blonde hair. When Pamela cuts her hair, she starts looking and acting like a mature woman. Later, Pamela meets a 30 year-old man and acts like she’s 30, too. This leads to Pamela being groped at a train station. The setting of this story is surprising to me because I wouldn’t imagine a 13 year-old girl getting groped by a 30 year-old man on a train station. I would’ve thought that the outcome of Pamela’s actions would be much different. If I was Pamela I wouldn’t try to show off to a 30 year-old man. There are many different reasons for this. First, he is much older than me. Secondly, I would rather be with my friends. Lastly, I wouldn’t feel comfortable being with a 30 year-old man that I do now know. Although, when I read this book I feel that the book is trying to dig deeper into a young girl’s life, instead of trying to keep every bad thing that happens to a girl a secret.
After the incident with Pamela and the 30 year-old man, Pamela decided to keep what happened to her a secret. But, her best friend Alice, noticed that Pamela was acting not talking that much, and acting zoned-out. Alice asks what happened to her, and Pamela tries her best to lie, but she couldn’t keep the secret from her best friend. When Alice finds out, she is very supportive, and decides to not tell their other best friend freaks out over everything. If I was Pamela, I would definitely tell an adult or a friend. But, I can see how she would not tell anybody because she doesn’t want to take the blame for what happened. But, it still surprises me that someone would feel more comfortable not telling a friend/adult about something bad that happened to them. The setting of this story is turns out end in a very good way. Pamela forgets about everything, and goes back to her normal life. This makes me think about how would feel if this happened to them, and how easy it would be to return to your normal life without that memory. Although some people might argue with the fact that forgetting something is easy if you don’t think about it too much, I maintain that it is not. Things like this stay with you for the rest of your life. But with everything that has happened, I would say that Alice In-Between is an outstanding book. I would recommend it if you want a book that keeps you wondering about what will happen next.
December 23, 2015
Covers the the end of seventh grade and the first half of summer, in which Alice turns thirteen and finds herself in-between child and teen. Definitely one of my favorites in the series
In this one, Alice goes on a grown-up date with her brother, does the pencil test for the first time, and takes a trip to Chicago with Pamela and Elizabeth. This last incident is one of the most memorable in the series. Pamela poses as an older woman on the train and ends up on a date with a creep, only to find herself in way over her head. Alice finds herself in-between plenty of things: between child and teenager, between a friendship and a relationship with Patrick, between sexually prudish Elizabeth and sexually liberal Pamela.
From being in-between so many things, Alice learns that you don't have to be in a hurry to grow up, because its going to happen anyway. You can enjoy whatever life stage you're at without worrying too much about who you'll be later, because things have a way of usually working themselves out.
This is one of the shorter books in the series (I think about 190 pages), but it has way less filler than the others. Naylor takes quick pace and moves along from event to event succinctly.
Observations:
This is also the book of Pamela's hair transformation. After having hair "so long she can sit on it" for the first five books, the infamous Gum Incident leaves her with the more mature feathery cut she has for the remainder of the books.
Great character development for Pamela and Alice here. Pamela has always prided herself on acting older than she is, and now she gets to see some of the consequences of growing up too fast. Elizabeth, however, remains the same.
There's also a nice scene with Mrs. Plotkin, Alice's sixth grade teacher and mother-substitute.
Alice also gets to do some grown-up things for the first time, which delights her. Most memorably, she goes on a 'date' with her brother Lester, which involves a fancy dinner, play and dancing. She and Lester end up running into Crystal Hawkins whose stuck on a disastrous date and rescuing her.
This is also the book where Alice accidentally starts crying while reading a poem in her seventh-grade class and learns that you can embarrass yourself, and things will still work out alright.
In this one, Alice goes on a grown-up date with her brother, does the pencil test for the first time, and takes a trip to Chicago with Pamela and Elizabeth. This last incident is one of the most memorable in the series. Pamela poses as an older woman on the train and ends up on a date with a creep, only to find herself in way over her head. Alice finds herself in-between plenty of things: between child and teenager, between a friendship and a relationship with Patrick, between sexually prudish Elizabeth and sexually liberal Pamela.
From being in-between so many things, Alice learns that you don't have to be in a hurry to grow up, because its going to happen anyway. You can enjoy whatever life stage you're at without worrying too much about who you'll be later, because things have a way of usually working themselves out.
This is one of the shorter books in the series (I think about 190 pages), but it has way less filler than the others. Naylor takes quick pace and moves along from event to event succinctly.
Observations:
This is also the book of Pamela's hair transformation. After having hair "so long she can sit on it" for the first five books, the infamous Gum Incident leaves her with the more mature feathery cut she has for the remainder of the books.
Great character development for Pamela and Alice here. Pamela has always prided herself on acting older than she is, and now she gets to see some of the consequences of growing up too fast. Elizabeth, however, remains the same.
There's also a nice scene with Mrs. Plotkin, Alice's sixth grade teacher and mother-substitute.
Alice also gets to do some grown-up things for the first time, which delights her. Most memorably, she goes on a 'date' with her brother Lester, which involves a fancy dinner, play and dancing. She and Lester end up running into Crystal Hawkins whose stuck on a disastrous date and rescuing her.
This is also the book where Alice accidentally starts crying while reading a poem in her seventh-grade class and learns that you can embarrass yourself, and things will still work out alright.
October 23, 2016
As the title suggests, this installment of the Alice series is when Alice (and friends) are thirteen years old. Alice feels that she is "in-between" a lot of things in her life whether it be breast size, fitting of juniors versus women clothing, dating, etc. It's one of those awkward ages where it feels as if you are not a child anymore but you're not quite a woman.
The last installment ended dramatically with a very upsetting (but realistic) topic so I was unsure where this book would go. This book didn't address that topic aside from a mention and essentially saying that the characters didn't know how to deal with that outcome/grief or where to go from that. I actually think that's pretty accurate as that is a very young age to have to deal with that scenario with a peer and I think it would be unrealistic for the characters to come back from that with a 'perfect answer'.
Also, there were a couple examples where the characters of Alice and Pamela were mistaken for older women (being a newlywed and college student). Personally, I don't understand how a thirteen year old could be mistaken for a 18+ year old. But..through both of those examples it showed how men could be insistent and that the characters (and readers) should be careful especially with the messages/intentions that they send to others.
As always, I do recommend this book and this series overall. I especially recommend this series to readers of similar ages to Alice who may be going through similar situations to these characters. Along with feeling as if they are not alone, readers can be given guidance through a character that reads like a friend. Definitely an essential read while growing up!
The last installment ended dramatically with a very upsetting (but realistic) topic so I was unsure where this book would go. This book didn't address that topic aside from a mention and essentially saying that the characters didn't know how to deal with that outcome/grief or where to go from that. I actually think that's pretty accurate as that is a very young age to have to deal with that scenario with a peer and I think it would be unrealistic for the characters to come back from that with a 'perfect answer'.
Also, there were a couple examples where the characters of Alice and Pamela were mistaken for older women (being a newlywed and college student). Personally, I don't understand how a thirteen year old could be mistaken for a 18+ year old. But..through both of those examples it showed how men could be insistent and that the characters (and readers) should be careful especially with the messages/intentions that they send to others.
As always, I do recommend this book and this series overall. I especially recommend this series to readers of similar ages to Alice who may be going through similar situations to these characters. Along with feeling as if they are not alone, readers can be given guidance through a character that reads like a friend. Definitely an essential read while growing up!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2023
Long live Alice!
November 2011 reread.
October 2019 reread.
September 2023 reread.
Reading this as a kid I was annoyed with Pamela’s behavior on the train and felt it was her fault she got into that compromising situation by acting so much older than she was. Rereading it as an adult the age difference is insane! A 37 year old man trying to proposition a 13 year old girl. Pretty sure they make TV expose programs about that. It would have felt more realistic had it been an older teen boy or even a man in his early 20s.
Also, while the scene with Lester having to take Alice out on the town for her birthday is cute, the dancing bit seems odd. Who is not checking IDs and lets a 13 year old into a nightclub? It’s not just a restaurant with a bar, it’s very specifically described as a nightclub. And who wants to slow dance with their brother? Yuck. I think it’s around this point in the series that PNR loses touch with a realistic brother/sister relationship.
November 2011 reread.
October 2019 reread.
September 2023 reread.
Reading this as a kid I was annoyed with Pamela’s behavior on the train and felt it was her fault she got into that compromising situation by acting so much older than she was. Rereading it as an adult the age difference is insane! A 37 year old man trying to proposition a 13 year old girl. Pretty sure they make TV expose programs about that. It would have felt more realistic had it been an older teen boy or even a man in his early 20s.
Also, while the scene with Lester having to take Alice out on the town for her birthday is cute, the dancing bit seems odd. Who is not checking IDs and lets a 13 year old into a nightclub? It’s not just a restaurant with a bar, it’s very specifically described as a nightclub. And who wants to slow dance with their brother? Yuck. I think it’s around this point in the series that PNR loses touch with a realistic brother/sister relationship.
September 15, 2014
This is the summer after 7th grade, and like most 13 year-old girls, Alice doesn't quite know where she fits.
Alice, Pamela and Elizabeth take a trip to Chicago to see Aunt Sally. I think this was one of the most memorable incidents of the whole series, because of what happened to Pamela. On the train ride their, she was sexually harassed. I think, even as an adult, that's a pretty scary thing. Pamela has always been annoying to me, and her behavior on the train, sealed the deal, but that doesn't give anyone the right to sexually harass her. Especially an older guy. I think that's something important for all girls to think about - what they would do in a similar situation. It's sad we have to think about this crap, but we do.
I wish I could remember all of the little quips and anecdotes that make these books so hilarious, but as I read it several months ago, I just can't. Maybe on the next reread. :)
Alice, Pamela and Elizabeth take a trip to Chicago to see Aunt Sally. I think this was one of the most memorable incidents of the whole series, because of what happened to Pamela. On the train ride their, she was sexually harassed. I think, even as an adult, that's a pretty scary thing. Pamela has always been annoying to me, and her behavior on the train, sealed the deal, but that doesn't give anyone the right to sexually harass her. Especially an older guy. I think that's something important for all girls to think about - what they would do in a similar situation. It's sad we have to think about this crap, but we do.
I wish I could remember all of the little quips and anecdotes that make these books so hilarious, but as I read it several months ago, I just can't. Maybe on the next reread. :)
December 27, 2014
The Alice books were one of my main source of information about puberty and growing up in a fun, non-clinical manner. There was no internet to be had when I was a preteen and the very idea of speaking to my mother about this sort of thing filled me with horror (still does, to be honest!) To my mother's credit, I think she may have known this, because she was always very understanding of my need for knowledge and did not protest my urging for weekly library trips.
I mostly remember this particular Alice book as one that actually explained the "pencil test", because I had it all sorts of confused in my head prior to reading it. Come to find out, doing this test with your friends around at a sleepover is quite like worrying about quicksand as a child: it's a lot less prevalent than you were led to believe.
I mostly remember this particular Alice book as one that actually explained the "pencil test", because I had it all sorts of confused in my head prior to reading it. Come to find out, doing this test with your friends around at a sleepover is quite like worrying about quicksand as a child: it's a lot less prevalent than you were led to believe.
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