Alice Blog
Question:
Hello Mrs. Naylor,I love your Alice books and I would like to ask you a question.I am 14 years old and have been going to a small Christian school since 4th grade that I have recently graduated from.The kids in my graduating class were like family to me and they’re all headed off in different directions.So,I’m going to a new school next year and it’s a lot bigger than my old school.I won’t know anyone there except my sister.What do I do and how can I adjust and make new friends when my old ones are all in different schools?And how do I stay connected with my old friends?
Phyllis replied:
You’ll make friends the same way other kids to that school made friends, the way you made friends in your old school. You smile and say “Hi” to people in the hall. When you walk into a new classroom, you choose someone who is sitting alone and sit beside her, ask her name, tell her yours. You aren’t afraid to make friends with kids who aren’t running with the most popular crowd. And most important of all, you join a club, a group, a team, an activity that you enjoy, something where everyone is doing a project together, or learning a song, or playing an instrument, or putting on a play. I’ve said this many times but I’ll say it again: the very best way to make friends is to join an activity where the activity itself is the main topic, not making friends. This way you start getting to know people automatically, without the awkwardness that comes with being somewhere just because you need a friend.
Posted on: June 28, 2010
Question:
I’m about halfway through the Alice movie. Even though I like the book better, I think the movie is receiving heavier criticism than it deserves. Alyson Stoner isn’t a perfect Alice, but she represents the character alright. Parkey McKenna Posey is actually an okay Elizabeth. No, Elizabeth isn’t supposed to be black, in the books. But despite that, she represents Elizabeth’s early shyness well. The girl who played Pamela, I don’t know her name, did pretty good. She acted just bratty enough. I think the movie is alright. Not as good as the book, though. But, like you said, the book and the movie should be viewed as two different entities. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know what I think.
Phyllis replied:
Thanks for your comments. I appreciate them.
Posted on: June 27, 2010
Question:
Hi, I loooooovvveeee the alice books!!! I was just wondering if you were writing a new Alice book and if so when is it going to come out????
Phyllis replied:
I’m currently working on “Incredibly Alice,” to come out next June.
Posted on: June 27, 2010
Question:
Before I found the Alice Books, I didn’t like reading very much. But now I’m hooked on reading! Alice in Charge was so good! Anyway, you books have inspired me to become a more avid reader and a more avid writer. I started looking for writing contests to enter online. There were not any good ones so I thought “Why no start my own so other kids will have a good writing contest to enter”! I started my own website, www.kidswriteout.blogspot.com, that hosts writing contests, a while ago. Thank You Thank You Thank You Thank You Thank You Thank You Thank You Thank You Thank You for writing such good books!
Phyllis replied:
Thank you for letting us know.
Posted on: June 27, 2010
I just love your books and the way you write. I started reading “Starting with Alice” when my daughter was in 2nd grade and we would switch off reading to each other. It was with this first book that I fell in love with the Alice character and how she thought and handled things with good manners and sensitivity to feelings. So, I kept reading on. Before we read Lovingly Alice I realized the material covered (periods, sex) was too advanced for my 2nd grader (7 1/2 yr old). She understood when I explained it was like trying to do Math you haven’t learned yet and she stopped reading. However, I was hooked and I kept read the books in order. Finally we had “the talk” and she was excited that she could start reading Alice again. She was a little jealous as she saw me reading without her. I found myself reading about a lot of feelings that I had at Alice’s age but never really understood about myself. It was comforting to know that I was just as normal as Alice and wasn’t alone in my thinking. So, once my daughter was ready for the info she started to read a few but then when school started she was reading other books and was distracted by Harry Potter, etc. She just graduated 5th grade and has picked up with Alice again and just reading “Alice In-Between”.
Anyway, I’m still ahead of her and want to make sure I read the books in order, so please let me know the order from “Alice in the Know” on and where Alice in Charge comes in.
Phyllis replied:
So good to hear from you. “Alice in Charge” is the very latest book and is just published. My editor hasn’t had a chance to add it to the list yet.
Thank you again for making a difference in understanding my teenage years. I hope you continue creating new Alice books.
Posted on: June 27, 2010
Question:
Hey Phyllis, just wanted to let you know that Alice in Charge was fantastic. It was the only one of your books that actually made me scared…uneasy at parts. (The part when that thing was put on Alice’s locker.) But, otherwise, AWESOME!
The thing that I like about the Alice books, is that they are SO realistic. All the things that happen to Alice could happen to anyone, and you captivate me with everything she believes in, likes, and hopes for. I think that it’s so cool that you can really make us feel happy, sad, angry, furious, scared, worried, and refreshed in a BOOK. Her life is so relatable to me, and I think that because you might have lived through some of the same experiences, it makes it all the more real and believable. You’re not a teenager, but you definitely know what they’re thinking inside, and what they’re capable of.Do you realize that as soon as I finish one, I pick up another, and don’t stop?
You describe everything is such detail, that I already have a picture of her, her house, her friends, and her room by just listening to your words. You know how to make someone feel great, buy just pouring your heart out, and letting us take it all in. You are just plain awesome.
But I have a question: In Intensely Alice, ____ died. I was wondering, if you had Brian the one to be in ____’s position and die, would Alice had reacted differently? I know there was some bad blood between them, but he was still sort of part of their gang, and had always been. Would she have been equally sad, or glad it happened?
Thanks for creating a world that we can turn to when were having problems, and help us fix them. You have created a place for us to enjoy what were reading, think about it afterwards, and say, “Wow. I really loved that book.” and go and pick out the next one. It’s like coming out of a great movie, ad wanting to see it again. You’ve created a magical feeling for me when I read, THANKS!
I know the series isn’t over yet, but sense I have almost all the books, and the storylines and plots and characters and humor are all implanted in my mind forever, I’ll be ready for when it is.
Thanks for keeping up with your fans, and making them feel insanely happy. At least, that’s how you’ve made me feel.
Phyllis replied:
If it had been Brian who died, Alice certainly would not be glad about it. I’m sure she would be shocked and sad for his family. But I doubt she would have grieved quite as much. I’m grateful for your letter, and happy that the Alice books have meant a great deal to you.
Posted on: June 27, 2010
Question:
hey i feel so loney right now okay couple days ago i told my frined that i dont want to be her frined anymore..cause she always putting me down and alll and then like always she gets alll mad and i telll her she can take all my frineds jsut like she had cause my frined lets call her becky i always thought she be there for me and we made a promice in 4grade then in 6grade the girl came(the one i dont want to be frineds with) and i told her that she cant take andy away from me( not real name)
and then she all well humm i think he jsut begin frineds with u cause i have a desparte frined n i know she do anything i tell her n hecotr will soon leave u and u be with no father cause u complain to much okay at that i told she cant control the future and she all i know but i know u and i was like no you dont and really im done with her and im starting my freshmen year n i really want to be a good year and Andy not gnna be there the first semester cause he got suspended last year and i dont want this girl taking him away from me and i have feeling he wont leave me and what does she want me to be some kinda loner….i just really hoping i meet new frineds next year cause the frineds i have are not my frineds i feel so betray and what if she dont want me to meet new people what if she steals them away…already im worried about my freshmen year…i really hope it goes well …ever sence i was little i been waitng for this hoping it be perfect but im not so sure anymore…and i dont know what to expect from this reply….just need some advise and something to get all this bottled up in me to get out
Phyllis replied:
The thing about hoping something will be perfect is that it never is. And people (brides in particular!) who don’t get their hearts set on perfection will enjoy their weddings a lot more than those who expect everything to go right on “my day.” I’m glad you’ll be going into high school because I think you will find it a lot different from eighth grade. You’re doing a lot of worrying right now about someone taking friends away from you, but there are more people in high school than in middle school. Usually they come from a wider area, so you will be meeting a lot of different people in different classes. Please don’t ruin your summer worrying about someone stealing your friends.
Posted on: June 27, 2010
Question:
My best friend is named Alice (even though she’s nothing like Alice McKinley) and the other day, I slipped up and called her Al.
The Alice books have really gotten ingrained into my brain!
Phyllis replied:
Aha! Seems she’s infectious!
Posted on: June 27, 2010
Question:
I remember I wrote to you in middle school for an assignment in which we had to write a letter to our favorite author! I was such a big fan of all of your books when I was little (I still am!). I was delighted when I received a handwritten reply from you – it meant a lot to my 11 year old self!
I am now a Senior in college and about to enter the real world – oh, how things have changed! I randomly stumbled onto your Alice website and it brought back so many memories of going to the library every week and reading your books over and over again. I learned so much about growing up from the Alice series! Throughout my teenage years, I definitely could relate to many of the situations that Alice found herself in… from being the only person who did not know how to swim (I also eventually overcame this fear!) to falling in love with a boy. While I have not read the most recent books, I will definitely be checking them out for some summer reading!
I’m sad to hear that the Alice series will be ending in 2013 – I can only hope that future young ladies will appreciate your stories as much as I did and enjoy growing up with Alice as well!
Thank you for being such an inspiration! You have such a wonderful effect on your readers, even after many, many years have past!
Phyllis replied:
It’s terrific when former readers write to say that they have found the Alice books again. I’m delighted to know that they were helpful to you in growing up, and wish you the very best as you leave college for the “real world.” College, of course, is real too, just a different set of problems and decisions. Volunteer work is real. The Peace Corps is real. All decisions and vocations and professions are different facets of the real world, and I trust you’ll find your special place. Thanks so much for writing.
Posted on: June 27, 2010
I am a 10 year-old girl and I live with my Mom, Dad, brother, dog and fish. I have green eyes and short brown hair. I enjoy the Alice series very much, but my mother and I believe that Alice has gone through too many deaths of family and friends. That may not be suitable for younger children who have lost loved ones or may not like thinking about characters they like dying. They might be upset about thinking about deceased relatives. If you write more Alice books (and I hope you do!), I highly suggest that no one Alice loves dies. Thank you for taking the time to read this. (A ten-year old)
As the ten-year old’s mom, I simply want to reiterate what my daughter wrote – that it can be somewhat disturbing for readers to encounter so many deaths in the Alice books. In particular, I was shocked by the inclusion of a child’s suicide in Alice in April. While I understand the consequences of child abuse all too well (as a child psychologist), I believe that conveying a message of hope, by having the character get help rather than committing suicide, might be of greater benefit to your readers. Just food for thought… Thanks for writing books that kids want to read!
Phyllis replied:
Thanks to both the girl and her mother who wrote the above emails. I can understand that some of the Alice books are upsetting, and I should warn you that in the books to come, there are other things that will be upsetting also, as well as happy times, fun, excitement and hope. But I cannot leave out some of the sad and tragic things because these too are part of life. Alice experiences fear and grief and disappointment along with her family and friends, but she copes, she hopes, she works through the events that knock her for a loop, and she goes on. The most common comment I get from readers is that the Alice series is so “real,” and that Alice is helping them get through the things they encounter also. To the mother: If your daughter enjoys series books and this is what has attracted her to Alice, I strongly suggest my boys/versus/girls series, twelve books dealing with the lighter side of life. Start with “The Boys Start the War” followed by “The Girls Get Even.” These may be more suitable for her temperament and age level.
Posted on: June 25, 2010
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