Reluctantly Alice by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
Review by Ms Beth
Genre – Fiction
Rating – 8/10
In this third book of the Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Alice is back and finds herself in seventh grade hoping to make it through the entire year with everyone liking her. However, after the first day of high school, Alice comes home with a list of ‘seven things about seventh grade that stink’. After she gets on the wrong side of the school bully, Denise, Alice realizes that her goal may be a little harder to achieve than she once thought.
As always, the Alice books are so relatable for young girls and this book does not disappoint. The book portrays the honest and funny antics of everyday life in the eyes of an 11 year old, demonstrating the trials and tribulations had through navigating adolescence. I particularly like that Naylor tackles the issue of bullying in this book, which for many can often be a scary experience – but Naylor handles it with ease and without a tone of condescension. This book has a great plot with well-developed characters, and like the rest of the series, it was poignant, sweet and funny. While Alice finds herself trying to deal with the bully, there is still plenty to laugh about – horrible PE tests, family romances and so much more. This book is definitely worth a read!