Alice Blog

Times I Wanted to Throw your Book at the Wall

Question:

There is a very good chance I’m doing this wrong. Oh well. I just wanted to tell you that if there is ever a time where you feel like you have done nothing, don’t. The Alice series did more than bring me to tears multiple times. I didn’t exactly start the series right when they came out. I don’t think I had even been born yet. This way I was fortunate enough to have every book already out. No waits! I literally read I Like Him He Likes Her, It’s not like I Planned It This Way, Please Don’t be True, and Now I’ll Tell You Everything in three months tops. I was probably too young for some of the content, but that didn’t matter to me. Alice touched me in a way that I thought only existed with siblings. She felt like a sister to me. And it wasn’t only Alice that I loved. Every character, real or fiction, made a difference in my life. I don’t have a brother, and Lester fixed that problem right away. Pam and Liz resemble my friends in more ways than one.
                                                       
There were times I wanted to throw your book at the wall. Times like when Patrick went with Penny. When Tracy broke Lester’s heart. And when Pam was pregnant. I think that’s the weird part though. When I absolutely despised one character, I got closer to another. And eventually my slate with every person was wiped clean. As though I was never mad. Sorry this is dragging on. I just can’t find the words. I was so emotionally invested in this series, that any series to follow will be like going to a talent show and finding out you go on after the Beatles. I guess what I wanted to say wasn’t thank you, but well done. Without knowing it, you touched the hearts of children all over the world. You touched mine most of all. Alice will forever hold a spot in my heart. Take over my mind when I have nothing to think about. And for that, I can say thank you.

Phyllis replied:

Oh, there were times I wanted to throw my manuscripts against the wall, believe me, when I couldn’t seem to figure out what it was I was trying to say.  Or why a character behaved as he did.  But in the end, Alice and her friends seemed to do exactly what was right for their personalities, and as their author, I went along with it.  Thank you so much for your letter.  Made me tear up.

Lost Them All

Question:

Hi! I’m now 26 years old and I still love Alice. I began reading Alice when I was in 6th grade I believe. I was lucky enough to get the first book, The Agony of Alice, as my first Alice book and I remember reading about Lester taking her clothes shopping for school and the horror she felt when Lester couldn’t find her size and basically made her feel like a freak.

Of course there was also the embarrassment of seeing Patrick for the first time in a dressing room in his underwear! After that book I was hooked. I found out how many Alice books were published and spent every spare moment reading them up until the last book (at the time). I love how Alice is just a normal girl and that the books take you through the trials and hardships of growing up. It was wonderful to read about her obstacles and triumphs, and I honestly learned how to deal with certain things through the experiences of Elizabeth, Pamela, and her.

When I entered adulthood and got my first job I made it my mission to buy every Alice book and reread them all including the new one I hadn’t read yet. I steadily collected each book as it was published and whenever I did get a new book I could not just read the new one. I had to go back to the beginning and read everything in order, every time like clock work. Unfortunately, about 2 years ago I lost all of them. I went through some of my own hardships and everything I owned was lost. I haven’t had the honor of reading quite a few of the final books even. I think I left off with Alice in the Know and had started Dangerously Alice. My life is going so much better now and I have 2 little girls myself and I have decided I’m going to get the first few in the series for my oldest who is 5. I want to start reading them to her because I just know she will love them just as much as I do. My goal is to collect every one of these wonderful books once again and finally be able to read all I’ve missed.

These books kept me going through high school. Whenever I felt down I would just turn to Alice and knowing that someone else was experiencing things just like I was (even if she was a fictional character) just made me feel all the better.

Thank you so much Mrs. Naylor for creating such a great series and helping guide millions of little girls just because they got to know Alice. I’ve read so many more books that you’ve written but Alice has always been my heart when it comes to you!

Phyllis replied:

I was so sorry to hear that you lost all the books, but happy to know that life is going better for you now.  I know all about difficult times, as readers who have ever read my adult autobiography (Crazy Love) know.  But most bad times don’t last forever, and it’s almost impossible to go through them without learning something valuable that you can use later.  Please start your daughters off with “Starting with Alice.”  How nice to have little girls to share the books with.

Everything I Was Feeling at Those Ages

Question:

I know you hear this a lot, but your books helped me through so much in my life. I started out younger than Alice, then became the same age, then a few years older. And it’s amazing that you still managed to convey everything I was feeling at those ages. I feel as though Alice was real, and I’m so glad you wrapped up the series as you did; I can’t imagine a better story. Thanks so much for being there without even knowing it all these years!

Phyllis replied:

I’m glad I could be there for you.  And readers are now “there for me,” replying to the final book, and I appreciate that so much.

What Happened to Molly?

Question:

I noticed that Molly wasent mentioned in now ill tell you everything and i was wondering what happened to her? I always was rooting for her as she fighted lukimea and was so excited when she appered back in school.

Phyllis replied:

Molly, I’m happy to tell you, fully recovered.  It was impossible to wrap up the lives of so many different characters, but in my mind, Molly goes on to live a full life.

So Many Awkward Experiences

Question:
I just finished reading “Now I’ll Tell You Everything,” and I can’t remember the last time I felt so emotional reading a book. I was literally tearing up and crying through so much of the book, laughing out loud (as Alice always makes me do), and enjoyed every single minute of reading it.
I wanted to thank you so much for creating the series. I remember starting it years ago, when I was only in middle school, and what I love so much about Alice and the books, especially when I first found them, is that they’re very real. Alice was awkward, she had multiple excruciating embarrassing moments, and she has the ability to remember everything–I loved having someone to be able to relate to, and it’s comforting knowing that such a character exists who also has these qualities I do. It was almost unbelievable  to read about a character going through so many awkward experiences as I did (and do!), and let me know that I wasn’t alone.
Your books have also taught me quite a lot throughout the years, answering questions I wouldn’t ask or didn’t even know I had. The final book gave me my first glimpse into the life of an “adult,” and especially as a college student who soon has to venture out into the real world and be an adult, I’ve just been so grateful for being able to learn so much and I feel like I’ve gained a new insight about life. Even as an adult, Alice was still a lot like herself when she was young, and I found that comforting, knowing that I don’t necessarily have to change myself as I mature and grow older.
Again, thank you, and I really hope you actually get to read my email. The Alice books were some of the best books I’ve ever read–and definitely the most informative, interesting, funny and relatable. I’m so happy they exist and when I get older, I plan on making any children or grandchildren read your series.
I hope one day I’ll be able to write books as amazing as yours (I love your other books as well!) and will be able to have as significant an impact on readers as you do.

Phyllis replied:

I’m just delighted that readers really seem to love the final book.  Critics weren’t as positive, worrying that Alice readers wouldn’t be much interested in Alice as a mother or grandmother, but if fan mail is representative, about 99.9% of you love the final book, and that is very gratifying. Thanks so much for your email.

Don’t Know If You’ll Actually Read It

Question:
I never thought I would ever be here sitting in my bed room on the first night of Thanksgiving Break writing an email to my favorite author. I can hardly remember when I first started reading the Alice series; probably around 5th or 6th grade. I was intrigued by the first book and Alice’s life, growing up without a mom. Ever since reading Starting With Alice i was hooked. As soon as i finished the next book in the series i was hungry for more. The hilarious moments with Alice at the dinner table with Lester and her Dad talking about periods, to her first perm, to the overnight train ride to Chicago with Pamela and Elizabeth i remember it all. Even while i was waiting for the new books i re read all the others. I can proudly say that i’ve read every book in the series at least twice; certain ones even more. I love that fact that i feel as though i can relate to Alice even though we are different in many ways and how i feel as though i know her personally; maybe even better then i know myself. I’ve read about all her highs and lows, sharing in embarrassing moments and reading as she grew from an adolescent, to a teen, into a young lady and grandmother. I especially love how the book took place in SIlver Spring, Maryland which is where I am from and now live in Upper Marlboro. I knew exactly the roads you were talking about such as Takoma Park, East-West Highway, Norbeck, and all the restaurants in College Park by the University of Maryland. So now I am a junior in high school and just finished Now I’ll Tell You Everything, which was bitter sweet. I have been excitedly waiting for this book since Alice on Board. It was sad to think that this would be the end of such an amazing series because i really see Alice as being a part of my childhood. Reading these books really helped me get through hard times and in a way allowed me to escape from the real world. So after finishing the last Alice book, I feel as though i’ve just entered a new chapter in my life and that i have so much to look forward to later in life- both happy and sad moments. As i was reading i laughed, smiled, and actually cried for the first time ever while reading a book (when Alice’s dad passed away, she read the letter from the time capsule, and she and Patrick met in the airport). I especially died laughing when Patrick reacted to Patricia’s raccoon eyeliner and mascara and Lester’s typical good sense of humor. It’s bitter sweet to know that we all grow old and watch everyone around us die, but at the same time see ourselves surrounded by the people we love experiencing happiness. I just wanted to thank you Phyllis Reynolds Naylor for the Alice Series, for the laughs, and tears, and smiles that you provided me with over the years and for someone as good of a person as Alice who has taught me so much through her experiences. Although the series is over, Alice will forever be in my heart and i will always re read the book. Thanks again for your books and I hope theres more to come. I don’t know if you’ll actually ever read but if you do and respond my life will be complete.

(p.s- oh wait I lied, i actually cried when Mark died in Intensely Alice so this would make it the second time I cried while reading a book)
 
Phyllis replied:
Yes, I actually do read and respond to all the letters that come to me by email.  Thank you so much for taking the time to write a long, and very welcome, letter.  It’s wonderful to know that my 28 years of work have meant so much to you.

A Troubling Sentence

Question:
 
Like most of the other girls who I have seen notes from posted on your website, I too grew up with Alice. I found her on the shelf in my dusty, cramped, school library in 6th grade, and we hit it off like best friends. Every few months, I would excitedly check the website to find the most recent updates about the upcoming books. I, now 22, just finished “Now I’ll Tell You Everything”, and was embarrassed that I teared up more than once while thumbing through the pages. I loved the book, and the entire Alice series, and I thank you for giving myself, and girls everywhere, a friend to turn to.

One line of the book did trouble me, though, just one line that stuck in my head for the rest of the book, as I knew that I needed to contact you about it. In the copy of the book that I have, it is found on page 96, in the chapter “The Oregon Episode.” Alice is reviewing her birth control options at Planned Parenthood.

“So she told me about the rhythm method, the least reliable, and who’s going to carry a thermometer along on a date anyway.” This is where my stomach sank.

I understand that Alice is a character, and entitled to her own opinions, and is susceptible to misinformation, which we witnessed a lot of in the early books. But the misinformation she received in junior high was usually cleared up at a later point. Perhaps in your research for the book you yourself were given some bad info, but I really wish that that one sentence hadn’t happened. There is a glaring difference between “The Rhythm Method”, which does not facilitate a thermometer, and Fertility Awareness Methods, that use much more than just taking a thermometer on a date. Many natural family planning methods rival the effectiveness of conventional contraceptives.

I know it’s all done and published. I know that the most likely possibility is that you will brush this letter off as an attack masquerading as fan-mail. But I don’t mean it that way at all. I really do have a great respect for you and gratitude for all of the Alice books. I just hope that in the future, you don’t so easily discard very effective information. You have a lot of readers, it’s a big responsibility.

Thank you for your time, and I mean the years you spent writing Alice,
 
Phyllis replied:
 
I don’t at all consider your email an attack.  My readers often keep me on my toes, and that certainly was a misguided bit of information, especially as it was supposed to be coming from a medical professional. I do indeed have a responsibility to readers, and though I’ve never pretended to be a doctor, if I have a nurse or doctor giving information, it should be the most accurate out there.  Thank you for you email.  And you don’t have to be embarrassed at tearing up, thumbing through the pages.  I found myself tearing up recently while doing a public reading.

The Most Influential Series I’ve Ever Read

Question:
I began reading the Alice series when I was twelve years old. Now I am 19 and halfway through my first year of college. I remember waiting for each book to come out and getting excited when I happened to find a new one at the library. These books saw me through confusing times in middle school, and awkward times in high school. When I found “Now I’ll Tell You Everything” on a shelf the other day, I wasn’t sure how I would feel after finishing it; I thought it would be like losing a best friend. In a way, its bittersweet, but I cant imagine a better ending. I truly feel that this is the most influential series of books I have ever read. I just want to thank you for writing such an incredible series. I hope that if I ever have a daughter, she will connect on the same level with these books as I have. Thank you so much.

Phyllis replied:
 
Thank you for being such a loyal reader.  I hope any daughters you have will enjoy them as much as you have.

Looking Forward to Catching Up

Question:
 
I love you so much it’s crazy!  Alice has been a part of my life since the 5th grade, but i’m now in the 11th grade prepping for college soon. The first book I ever read by you was Ice. I loved it so much that I tried finding other books written by you and I found Alice in Between in my school library. That’s where it all began. I remember being in middle school and desperately waiting for summer to arrive so the newest Alice book would be out in the library and I’d be the first person to read the fresh, crisp, brand new book. I live in Baltimore, Maryland so every time I got to Silver Spring I immediately think of Alice, haha. Lately, I’ve been very out of touch with the Alice Books. My summers are so ridiculous now that there’s absolutely no time to sit and read a book. I’ve got so much school work, I don’t even know what it means to have free time anymore. What does fun mean again? Haha. I am dying to catch up. The last book I read was Incredibly Alice and I cannot wait to read Alice on Board and the last book. It makes me sad that almost everyone knows how the series ends and I haven’t even read the second to last book.  But I would really like to thank you for the brilliant job you’ve done with these books. I will forever cherish these memories because of these books. I hope to catch up this thanksgiving break. I’m literally counting the days down till thanksgiving break. I in fact look forward to catching up so badly that it’s motivating me and helping me get through my pile of homework. Haha. You are a brilliant writer. Thank you so much.

Phyllis replied:
 
You’re not the only one trying to catch up.  I’m trying to answer all the letters on this website, and bake Christmas cookies, and mail packages, and write cards, and doing all the things that everyone else is doing that makes this season special.  But I do hope you get a chance to catch up with Alice soon.

Alice Practically Raised Me

Question:
        I was just writing to you because I just finished reading Now I’ll Tell You Everything and I am touched and changed and so affected by this amazing finale to the Alice series! I literally just sat there crying for everything–all the memories and simply the fact that I practically grew up with Alice. 🙂
         I remember when I was in fourth grade and I needed a new book to read, so I went to the library. Sitting on the shelf was a book called Alice in April. The front cover and summary  intrigued me so I decided to check it out! I was instantly charmed by this in-between girl who grew up with a loving father and a witty brother, and was being bullied by a girl. After reading through the book lightning quick (because it was that interesting), I was surprised at the end to read that Denise Whitlock, Alice’s personal bully, had committed suicide. It shocked me and made me sad that this mixed up girl had taken her own life. This was life, I realized, and I knew I wanted to experience life–not only in my own little world–but also in the world of my beloved friend, Alice.
         From then on I was constantly reading every Alice book I could lay my little paws on. Alice practically raised me. She exposed me to so many things that I was bound to learn and wow! I remember when Alice’s dad told her that her mother had had three miscarriages before she had Alice and–of course–I didn’t even know what a miscarriage was at the time! If any preteen girl could live honestly and with  actual everyday experiences, it was Alice. I remember she would always have such embarrassing things happen to her and I would feel embarrassed, not FOR her, but WITH her! I would always think, “Wow. I’ve had embarrassing moments, but none as bad as Alice has had.” Of course, as luck would have it, I had the most embarrassing moment of my life happen to me at the eye doctor this summer and all I could think of was, “Well….I spoke too soon.” You have singlehandedly placed a piece of every single girl inside of Alice’s life, and for that I will always be grateful.
          One of my favorite Alice moments was when she went to the orthodontist for her braces and she was in a bad mood because her stomach hurt and (as every person with braces knows) the orthodontist was inflicting pain on her teeth. He finally finished and she got up to go to the bathroom and, low and behold, there was a huge, red blood stain on the back of her white skirt *period malfunction*! She washed the skirt in the sink trying to lessen the stain, but that only made the stain a little more pink and as large as the state of Texas! Then, to top it off, a woman on the bus whispered to her, “Oh, honey, bleach will take that right out.” Hahahaha! I still tell my friends that story today, just to get a laugh.
           Now, as a sophomore in high school, I have finished the whole Alice series. It makes me a little sad to have my friend not be with me anymore, but in a way I always know she’ll be there. I can always find an Alice book, pick it up, and experience the love all over again! Throughout all the books, though, and especially this last one, I know that I have matured. Maybe I have not experienced all Alice has by the time the series ended, but I know I will someday and, for now, her life has provided me with more understanding and wisdom.
          Thank you so much for taking the time to write all of your thoughts and stories into the span of twenty-eight books. I know you’re probably getting a lot of fan mail for your awesomeness, but I just wanted to give you this little piece of my heart. Thank you for being the amazing writer and person that you are. 🙂

Phyllis replied:
 
Thank you.  But I hate to tell you that embarrassing things go right on happening to people, even people who are 80 years old.  I think perhaps we handle it a little better.  We laugh more easily.  We forgive ourselves more  quickly.  And hopefully, we do the same with others.  I appreciate the time you took to write to me.  Happy Thanksgiving!