Alice Blog

Growing With Alice

Comment:

I didn’t think I would post this comment because I’m sure you get messages like these all the time, but then I thought, why not? 🙂 I read my first Alice book in middle school, and I am now a 22 year old recent college grad. I read the Alice books over and over in middle school and high school, but read less and less in college. I recently decided to re-read the series from the beginning, as I have not read the final book (no spoilers)! Reading the series over has felt like catching up with old friends. Today I finished Alice in the Know, and was reminded it was the first book that ever made me cry (when Grandpa McKinley died). Today, when I came to that part of the book, I cried all over again! The Alice books have touched me in a way that no series ever has. Exploring your website, I loved learning about your life. It struck me to learn how much you loved being read to as a child, which I know from my college courses is so important. As I begin my first job as a middle school teacher this August, this love of reading is a gift I want to pass to my students. Thank you so much for giving me and so many others a friend in Alice!

 

Phyllis replied:

Thank you so much for your email, and congratulations and best wishes as you start your career as a teacher–middle school, yet!  It was wonderful to know that the Alice books meant so much to you.  I hope you will have time in your busy schedule to read some aloud to your class every day.  I get hundreds and hundreds of letters from students, and universally, when they talk about what they love most at school, it is when the teacher reads aloud to them, often from a continued series, or just a beloved book they haven’t read yet.  I’m sure that my parents reading aloud to us was the inspiration for my becoming a writer.

Can’t wait to introduce my daughters to the Alice books!

Comment:

I know you get a lot of letters like this, but I wanted to write to let you know how much the Alice McKinley series has meant to me.  I discovered the Alice books when I was in middle school in the late 1990s/early 2000s. Reading those books helped me realize that I wasn’t alone with all the intense feelings the pop up during adolescence.  From time to time I still pick up one of the Alice books and I feel like I’m reuniting with an old friend.

Now that I have kids of my own, I also enjoy reading these books from the perspective of a parent. Ben McKinley’s parenting style (as well as the way Alice parents her children in Now I’ll Tell You Everything) is the way I strive to relate to my own kids: frank, open, and supportive.

My two daughters are young (two and four) but I can’t wait to introduce them to the Alice books. I hope they’ll love them as much as I do.

 

Phyllis replied:

I’m so glad you feel that way, and that you’ve taken the time to tell me so.  Though I didn’t personally experience all the things that happen to Alice in the books, I certainly experienced all the feelings and worries and excitement, and often remember my friends for the funny things that happened to them as well.  I’m so happy to learn that you’ll share these books with your daughters.

 

i want to cry already1

Comment:

ok I am only 13 and when I started reading the Alice series I started with the book I like him he likes her, and I can’t believe I’ve never heard of the books before. I started getting super interested in the series I’m still trying to get enough money to buy the book series because I want to be able to just finish one and g to the other, but when I finish the book I read I thought it was the first one and then I realized it wasn’t. I almost started crying then. When I finished I like him He likes her I almost started to cry because I was soon hooked into the book when I was done I ran downstairs to my mom and yelled I need to buy this book. I am so glad you wrote this book series, thank you!

 

Phyllis replied:

I’m happy to hear that you found it, too!  As you probably read on my website, the first  Alice book–“Starting with Alice”– begins with Alice in third grade, and the final book, “Now I’ll Tell You  Everything” ends with Alice at age 60.  The fun part of starting with her so young is that you get to see what Lester was like as a teenager, and how their relationship developed.   Happy reading!

Crystal Harkins

Comment:

I started reading the Alice books when I was around 11 or 12 years old and I’ve always loved them so very much! However, I could only read the first 14 books as they only translated the first 14 into German and my English wasn’t good enough back then. But now, as I’m about to graduate high school, I’m gonna buy the rest as well!

Anyway, my favourite character has always been Crystal Harkins and the last time we read about her is in the 11th book, I think, when she turns out to be quite unhappy with her marrige. To me, it was clear from the very start that she only married Peter out of spite and recently, I read somewhere that she still isn’t over Les in the later books, after book 14. Like I said, I haven’t read those yet but I have a feeling that Crystals situation won’t really improve. Not getting over someone is something almost everyone can relate to and I’m so sorry for her. Could you tell me if she ever gets really happy with her marrige? Or will she never get over Les?

One way or another, thank you very much for sharing these wonderful stories with us, for making me laugh and cry everytime I open one of the Alice books and for giving us such inspiring, realistic, deep and lovable characters!

 

Phyllis replied:

I’m so glad you found a way to read the rest of the Alice books, and hope you have been able to find all 28 books in the series.  I think each reader can decide for herself what happens with Crystal, because a writer’s view of a character may not be the reader’s at all.  I have known young women, however, whose whole focus is on a certain person, a particular event–like a wedding, or a material object, like a bag or a ring–and they seem to feel that achieving this one thing or person or event will satisfy their great longing.  And then, once they get it, it loses some of its appeal, and they are on to something else.  Like a person who can’t seem to stop shopping, no matter how many designer bags she has.  Or whose whole idea of marriage centers on the wedding.  Or the guy that got away.  I’d like to think that as Crystal becomes more mature, she discovers what is really important in life, and perhaps she’ll find contentment with a truly nice guy.

Question

Comment:

What is the name of Alice’s college boyfriend?

 

Phyllis replied:

Dave

Quarter Life Crisis?

Comment:

I just want to say thank you so much for sharing Alice with the world. I started reading the Alice books in the 6th grade. I read the books faithfully throughout middle and high school and then when I got to college my pleasure reading time all but dried up. I randomly thought about the series again last week when my 8 year old niece asked me what books I liked to read when I was younger. Almost 15 years later, as I turn 25 in August, I bought Now I’ll Tell You Everything on Amazon 2 days ago and I’m writing you this message because I finished the book and I’m not sure what to do with myself haha. I didn’t realize how badly I wanted to know about what happened to Alice and Patrick and Pamela and Liz and Gwen and all of the characters I’d grown to cherish. Realizing that I’m turning 25 this year has been such a shock to me because it always seemed so far away and “adult”. Reading about Alice in college and her journey there and then as a young adult being a new wife and mother was really crazy for me because I couldn’t imagine having gotten married 2 years ago at 23. I’m really glad that I saw this series through to the end. It’s helped to give me perspective on what I hope to look forward to in the future and given me reassurance that life can turn out good even through all of the hurdles and stumbles in your way. I’ve always liked to think that I have a little bit of Alice in me and finishing the last book really made me see it. I’m proud to say that I am one of the many girls that made a connection to Alice and will cherish her stories always.

 

Phyllis replied:

Thanks so much for taking time to write to me.  Everyone’s life is different from others in some ways, and the same in some ways.  How we react to the various things that happen to us has a lot to do with how content we are in our lives, but it’s also true that life isn’t fair.  And I so admire people who are dealt a bad hand, yet they manage to make something of themselves.  I had to smile at your being shocked that you finally reached the grand old age of 25.  Enjoy, enjoy!

It sure has been a while

Comment:

I haven’t written to you since I was in 8th grade, and I just finished my second year of college. So, SO much has changed since I last visited this website, and the nostalgia is almost overwhelming. I see so many younger kids reading these books and asking the same questions that I did. When I came home for summer last week, I was sick and I knew all I wanted to do was read a comforting book. I picked up ‘Now I’ll tell you everything’ and I finished it in a day and a half. Not only did the Alice series shape my entire childhood and teen years, it is still influencing everything I am today. I’ve currently been struggling on knowing what to do regarding my relationship with my boyfriend, future career issues, and family issues. In Now I’ll tell you everything, Alice navigates similar things in a way that is so comforting and realistic to me. I know she’s just a character, but the way she lived her life and the choices she made have made me feel so much better about the thoughts and feelings I’ve been having. Maybe this is the time in my life where I’m supposed to be confused on what to do and who I am, and maybe this is the time in my life where I’m supposed to make mistakes and figure out my place in the world. If that’s true, I am so thankful to have the Alice books to fall back on when I need comfort. I know you hear this a lot, but these books will be on my shelf until the day I die. Thank you for your sincerity, your honesty, your wisdom, and your kindness. These characteristics bleed through every page.

 

Phyllis replied:

I’m so glad you found that last book.  I do get very involved with my own characters, and I’ve done my share of crying as Alice faces some of her problems.  It does seem as though, all through life, we face challenges, one after another.  We just finally settle something and think we can breathe for awhile, and then we see that something else pops up that requires all our patience and thought.  But many of these are happy decisions too, and it’s often good to remind ourselves–when wondering if we’ll regret something–that at the time we made a decision, it seemed like the right or good thing to do.  And sometimes, when a decision about yourself is in order, you just have to keep on living life and staying aware to figure out what it is you really want.  How you truly want to spend your time that would make you happy and feel fulfilled.  Remember that nobody is happy ALL the time.  Happiness is those extra special moments that are exceptionally joyful.  What most of us mean when we declare ourselves happy is that we are content–with who we are and what we have.  My best wishes to you…

Thank you for reminding me of the power of books!

Comment:

You may never see this, and I’m also sure you get so many messages just like this, but I feel compelled to write a note to you. Like so many others, I grew up with Alice. I read every book multiple times and felt so close to every character. The other night I was thinking about the series and I knew you had written some additional books that I hadn’t yet read, so I quickly bought the final four and fell right back in to Alice’s world. I wept through every single one. You captured something so raw and honest with these girls and their adventures and I felt like I was visiting an old friend. In some ways, these characters are more real to me than many of the people and memories from middle school days. I sobbed upon finishing the series because I didn’t want to say goodbye to any of them, and because in some ways it feels like I’ve now closed a chapter on my own adolescence.

I don’t really know what I’m trying to say here other than thank you. Thank you for these stories and for these friends that will last a lifetime. This is the true power of books: entering a world that feels so real and vibrant that you can lose yourself in it but also learning how to take the strength of the characters and the lessons in the story and apply it to your own life.

It’s been awhile since I was this emotional about a piece of art. I’m probably going to cry a lot more about this in the coming days, but I feel so grateful to have experienced something like this. I’m sad to be finished with Alice, but I know her story lives on beyond the page, and I can’t wait to reread the books again and share them with more people. I’m having trouble eloquently expressing how grateful I am to you, so I will once again just say thank you from the very bottom of my heart.

 

Phyllis replied:

Thank you so much for writing to me.  You might be surprised how often I hear something similar, that sort of vague feeling of saying goodbye, or closing a chapter, or your own adolescence.  It’s difficult to express, because didn’t we all look forward to growing up?  Having adult privileges?  No longer considered a child?  And yet….   There are things we miss.  Sobbing out loud when we’re hurt.  A parent’s hand on our forehead when we’re sick.  Sitting on a lap.  Hugs at bedtime….   And who would we feel comfortable talking to about this…telling a seemingly sophisticated friend that we miss cuddling on the couch with our dad?  At every stage of life, we will probably regret something we’ve given up in order to get there, but I’m glad Alice helps you relive the things you miss, and wish you many happy years and experiences yet to come!

 

About Alice Upside Down movie sequel

Comment:

This is my first time to stop by in this awesome website.
Since I’ve been fan of Alice Upside Down movie, I think such movie deserve a sequel. Also, I started to read and collect the Agony of Alice and All But Alice books! I love them all!!!

 

Phyllis replied:

I’m so glad you’re enjoying the books.  There are 28 of them in all, and Alice gets a little older in each one.  The very first book is Starting with Alice, when she’s in 3rd grade.  The final book, Now I’ll Tell You  Everything,” takes Alice from 18 to 60.   I wish there would be another Alice movie too, but I don’t control that.  I just write the books.

About Alice

comment:

Hello! My name is Rhiannon, and I am a senior at the University of Pittsburgh. In one of my classes we are writing notes/letters to writers whose work we admire.

I wanted to reach out to you because your Alice series shaped my life in high school. I started reading when Alice’s high school years were released. I fell in love with Alice and cared more about her life than my own at times! I shared the books with my friends and we had a system where I read one, lent it to my best friend, and she lent it to another one of our friends. Then we’d all get together and talk about Alice! I remember your novels shaping my imagination and inspiring me to write and I just want to say thank you. You are one of the most influential authors in my life who motivated me to pursue writing and a career working with YA literature.

 

Phyllis replied:

How wonderful to hear from someone interested in YA literature. The first Alice book I wrote really begins with her in fifth or sixth grade.   I only decided to turn her into a series when my editor agreed that I could make her a little older in each book.  I didn’t want to get stuck in a sit-com where she is in the same class and situations as she faced in grade school.  I’ll have to say that I became emotionally involved in her too–laughing at her antics with Lester, and crying when there was a death among her friends.  Thank you for taking time from your own busy life to write to me, and best of luck in your own writing!