Your Questions Answered

How do you know about teens?

Question:

Mrs. Naylor I wanted to give my condolences.I  am deeply sorry for the loss of your husband. Well on to a better note I absolutely  LOVE the Alice series I think it is a perfect reflection on teenage girls lives. I’m a sophomore in high school and I have been reading the Alice books since 4th grade starting with the prequels. Its interesting to think that in 4th grade I checked out the book from the library then I began buying them now I read them on my tablet….strange how life changes. My siblings think I’m crazy that I could ever be so attached to a series. I consider Alice one of my dearest friends because I have grown up reading her. I have cried rolled over on the floor with laughter and I will really miss her once Always Alice comes out. I was wondering how do you know so much about what teenage girls go through and are thinking …I know you were once a teenager however you are much older now (just stating the facts lol). I’m so annoyed  that some people are offended about the amount of sexual material. I think it perfectly portrays how we think we want to know these things. This is what girls my age are thinking about. Dont we have the right to? Why not get it from an age appropriate book that we love.  Also what’s the scoop on Always Alice. Can you PLEASE GIVE THE READERS 1 HINT PLLLLEEEEAAASE. ( : If you can something about her and Patrick but I will take anything. I want to say thank you for the Alice series it has brought me and I’m sure other readers through thick and thin thanks.  

 Phyllis replied:

I guess I have an unusually good memory of how I felt at almost every age of my life.  I didn’t have the same life situation as Alice, since my own mother lived to be 90, and I had an older sister and younger brother.  But imagination filled in the rest. As for Always Alice, I’m still revising that manuscript and it is going to be much longer than most of the Alice books.  The publisher is going to bring it out in fall of next year, to give all of us–me, the editor, the marketing people–all of us–time to do a really good job, we hope.

An Alice Movie?

Question:

I am twelve years old and is sixth grade. I have read all of your Alice books and have been looking for a chance to act. When I read the books and heard more and more about Alice I couldn’t have found a character so similar to me anywhere else. The red hair and freckles is exactly the same as mine, thinking that I am always in-between. I also have a personality like Alice. Afraid about what is going to happen next in life, her determination to do the right thing all the time but just end up getting yourself embarrassed. I was wondering if you were ever going to create a movie to go along with the books and if I could take part in an audition. I have been in several plays and done a ton of family movies. I hope that you will take my letter in account. Thank you so much for reading!

Phyllis replied:

I get a number of requests from girls who would like to play one of the characters from the Alice books in a movie. Actually, a movie has already been made–a loose interpretation of “The Agony of Alice,” which was titled “Alice Upside Down.”  It’s available on DVD.  As of now, the producers aren’t planning any more Alice movies.

Love to help others find good books

Question:

Loss of my husband

Question:

Used to Hate to Read

Question:

    I’ve been a fan of yours since I was 9. I never would’ve given a thought about picking up a book

Boyfriend is giving me an Alice book

Question:

Dear Phyllis Reynolds Naylor,

Parents won’t let me read them….

Question:

Hi, I am a lover of your book and I want to tell you that this is the
best series I have ever read and I can’t stop reading the series! I
wish I had all of the books but I check them out at my school library.
I tell my parents that this is a teenage girl everyday life book but
they won’t let me continue the series unless they get to read them
first. I love all your characters and everything! Never stop writing!

Phyllis replied:

I’m sorry that your parents feel the way they do.  Some parents read the books together with their kids and discuss the chapters afterwards.  I would rather my own sons read whatever they like and discuss it with me than have to sneak off to read in private.

Still Reading Alice

Question:

I am just writing to tell you how much I have enjoyed the “ALICE” series. I started reading them when I was in fifth grade I am now 28 years old with a Master’s Degree and I still read my Alice books and I am the first in line when a new book is published! I think that your books really speak to  young adults and I dealt with the same issues Alice Pamela and Elizabeth did and it was realistic with out being pushy or sappy. Also as an African-American I loved Gwen and that you dealt with racism and showed that it is still a huge issue in our society as a whole. I will truly miss Alice and all of her friends and her older brother Lester (who sounds like the perfect boyfriend) your books took me through puberty and I will alway cherish them!!!!
P.S. Whenever I go to Takoma Park or Sliver Spring I pretend that I am going to run into Alice and the gang!!

Phyllis replied:

  so glad you’re still enjoying the Alice books, and I love it that you think of them when you are in Takoma Park or Silver Spring.  Lester is probably my favorite character, and I was always happy when it was time to write another Lester/Alice scene. 

When to say No

Question:

I am nearly 33 but still love the Alice books. Even though I’m an
“adult” (though most days  I don’t really feel all that grown up!) I
just wanted to tell you that recently I was re-reading Incredibly
Alice and part of it really helped me get a clear view of a current
situation in my life. Although it’s such a small part of the story –
Alice turning down the opportunity to try out for poet – I found it to
be such a powerful positive message about saying ‘no’.  I guess I’m a
people pleaser/overachiever and I tend to always say ‘yes’ even when I
have huge reservations about doing so. Recently I was diagnosed with a
serious illness, and although I’m now being treated and expect a full
recovery in time, I was still feeling guilty because I turned down an
amazing opportunity at work for health reasons, and took on a “lesser”
role. A woman at work, who has been a real mentor to me over the
years, said she was devastated that I turned down the opportunity, and
I was really feeling awful – like I’d let her down. The thing is, I
know I’m not well enough right now to take on so much extra
responsibility, even though I probably could have forced myself to
take it on and continued to struggle – my life lately has consisted of
work, and sleeping pretty much all the rest of the time in order to
have the energy to continue to function in my job.  The lesser
position I’ve accepted will allow me to rest and recuperate and then,
fingers crossed, I’ll be ready to take on bigger challenges – even if
I have missed out on what I’ve been told was the opportunity of a
lifetime. Anyway, while reading over that part in Incredibly Alice,
something just clicked in my brain, and I realised it’s OK and I don’t
need to feel bad about my decision – sometimes an opportunity just
comes at the wrong time and you shouldn’t beat yourself up over it.
Just as I’m sure Alice could have written a fantastic poem, I probably
could have done great things in that role at work – but it would have
meant sacrificing so many other parts of my life to take it on.  So –
thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for creating a character who
is so real and lovable and as fallible as the rest of us, and through
being so real can be a genuine role model for people like me. I love
the books, and I especially love your wisdom!

Phyllis replied:

Thank you so much for your email.  You helped me as well, because a year ago, after a spinal operation, I had to say no to a talk I really wanted to give–just the right subject, the right time of year, a beautiful drive, a good audience…..  But when the time came, I knew I wasn’t recovered enough to do my best–not even sure I could stand at a podium that long–and had to back out.  I have felt bad about it ever since, even though I know I did the right thing.  It was so good to hear from someone who went through something similar.

Following the Alice Books since 4th grade

Question:

I’ve been reading the Alice Series since I was 10 in the 4th grade and am now 16 and in 10th grade. As I have matured so has Alice and the problems she faces, and I know a lot of the things she worries about I have too. I have loved being able to grow up with these amazing characters you created and I see a little bit of myself in each of them. I consider Alice one of my biggest role models and just wanted to thank you for writing such a wonderful series of books, that are so true to what it’s like growing up. I look forward to every May when I know a know a new adventure of Alice’s will be waiting to be read. I have read every book in the series at least 3 times and have enjoyed them more each time I read them. I preorded Alice on Board in November and it’s expected to ship sometime this week- I’m so excited to read it! Though it saddens to think there are only two new books left to come out I’m so excited to see how you end Alice’s story and I find it fitting that I’ll be finishing this series, which has been such an important part of my childhood, just as I start preparing to leave for college and becoming more independent.
Thank you so much Mrs. Naylor, without these books I truly would have been a different person

Phyllis replied:

It’s wonderful to know that there are so many readers who have followed Alice all these years.  I’m still revising the very last book that will appear, “Always Alice.”  It will be a much longer book than the others, and will come out in the fall of next year.