Title: Simply Alice Author: Phyllis Reynolds Taylor
ISBN: 0689826354 Pages: 222
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, New York, 2002
ISBN: 0689826354 Pages: 222
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, New York, 2002
Readers Annotation:
Alice begins her ninth grade year busy with homework, the school newspaper, and the drama club. Will her responsibilities and involvement leave her any time for her friends, or even finding a new boyfriend?
Author Information:
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor started her writing career as a sixteen year old, when she was asked to write a story for her church magazine. Since then, Naylor has authored over one hundred books, including books for both children and adults. Her Alice series is one of her most popular and successful endeavors. However, she is best known for her masterful novel Shiloh, which has won the Newbery Medal.
Phyllis was born on January 4, 1933, in Anderson, Indiana. Currently, she lives with her husband Rex in Bethesda, Maryland. Her two grown sons are married as well, and she has two granddaughters, Sophia and Tressa.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllis_Reynolds_Naylor
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phyllis_Reynolds_Naylor
Plot Summary:
Alice, who very recently broke up with her boyfriend, is now in her second semester of the ninth grade. Her best friends Pamela and Elizabeth want to do everything together. But Alice is still hurting, and trying to find her own way in her new high school environment.
She joins the school newspaper, where she is busy with meetings and article writings; and the drama club, where she meets two new friends Molly and Faith. Alice's extra-curricular activities, along with the loads of homework every high school student has, keep her extremely busy. As a result, Alice's two best friends start treating her differently, which hurts Alice. Home life is better, with a supportive older brother, and a newly engaged father. Alice learns how to juggle all aspects of her life as a teenager, including a new interest in the stuttering Eric.
Alice, who very recently broke up with her boyfriend, is now in her second semester of the ninth grade. Her best friends Pamela and Elizabeth want to do everything together. But Alice is still hurting, and trying to find her own way in her new high school environment.
She joins the school newspaper, where she is busy with meetings and article writings; and the drama club, where she meets two new friends Molly and Faith. Alice's extra-curricular activities, along with the loads of homework every high school student has, keep her extremely busy. As a result, Alice's two best friends start treating her differently, which hurts Alice. Home life is better, with a supportive older brother, and a newly engaged father. Alice learns how to juggle all aspects of her life as a teenager, including a new interest in the stuttering Eric.
Critical Evaluation:
This fourteenth book in the Alice series presents a new exciting and compelling tale in the life of a teenager. The reader follows the female protagonist easily through a first person narrative. Readers can identify with Alice's struggle after her recent breakup, the difficulties of friendship, and her feelings toward a new, yet endearing, stepmother. All of these experiences lend a note of realism to the book. Alice's relationship with her new boyfriend Eric, a stutterer, is another intriguing aspect of the story. There is no complete resolution to most of the story lines, in keeping with true life. Additionally, this allows a continuation of Alice's story, providing a hook for the next book in the series Patiently Alice. The book is fast paced and the prose itself is written in a simplistic manner. Simply Alice will delight and enchant the Alice series reader with new antics and fun-loving characters.
This fourteenth book in the Alice series presents a new exciting and compelling tale in the life of a teenager. The reader follows the female protagonist easily through a first person narrative. Readers can identify with Alice's struggle after her recent breakup, the difficulties of friendship, and her feelings toward a new, yet endearing, stepmother. All of these experiences lend a note of realism to the book. Alice's relationship with her new boyfriend Eric, a stutterer, is another intriguing aspect of the story. There is no complete resolution to most of the story lines, in keeping with true life. Additionally, this allows a continuation of Alice's story, providing a hook for the next book in the series Patiently Alice. The book is fast paced and the prose itself is written in a simplistic manner. Simply Alice will delight and enchant the Alice series reader with new antics and fun-loving characters.
Genre: Fiction/Coming of Age
Curriculum Ties: English - Coming of age theme
Booktalking Ideas:
1. Alice and her two best friends began drifting away from each other until Alice fixed the situation. Did you ever get into a fight with your friends and try to do something about it?
2. Alice's mother died when she was very little and her father is engaged to another woman. How would you feel if one of your parents got married to someone new?
Reading Level/Interest Age: 12+
Challenge Issue: none
Why I chose this item: As a child I read Shiloh, so I was interested in reading a book by the same author. Additionally, this is a popular series among all teens, as well as reluctant readers.
Further Series Reading: The Agony of Alice, Alice in Rapture, Reluctantly Alice, All But Alice, Alice in April, Alice In-Between, Alice the Brave, Alice in Lace, Outrageously Alice, Achingly Alice, Alice on the Outside, The Grooming of Alice, Alice Alone, Patiently Alice, Including Alice, Alice on Her Way, Alice in the Know, Dangerously Alice, Almost Alice, Intensely Alice, Alice in Charge,
Further Series Reading: The Agony of Alice, Alice in Rapture, Reluctantly Alice, All But Alice, Alice in April, Alice In-Between, Alice the Brave, Alice in Lace, Outrageously Alice, Achingly Alice, Alice on the Outside, The Grooming of Alice, Alice Alone, Patiently Alice, Including Alice, Alice on Her Way, Alice in the Know, Dangerously Alice, Almost Alice, Intensely Alice, Alice in Charge,
No comments:
Post a Comment