Alice in Lace by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Alice in Lace Reviews

• 
  Becky Ginther

  When Alice begins 8th grade in the book Alice in Lace, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, she is surprised to find herself already planning a wedding. Fortunately for her, the wedding plans are an assignment for her health class during their unit on Critical Choices. Her friends and classmates get assigned to various other activities that help them see what life is like as an adult, such as dealing with a teen pregnancy, buying a car, and arranging a burial for a family member. Throughout the novel Alice also deals with a number of other life issues, such as her father dating one of the teachers in her school, her brother’s girlfriend troubles, and even one of her teachers being accused of sexual harassment.
  Teenage girls will be able to relate to Alice, as she is portrayed as an average 8th grade female, dealing with typical middle school situations such as having a boyfriend and kissing, working on a school project, having a small weekend job, and hanging out with friends. We also see more liberal and conservative social views and attitudes in her friends Pamela and Elizabeth, respectively. All the girls have flaws, but in the end they are good friends and supportive of each other.
  Many titles from the Alice series have been banned or challenged, and in Alice in Lace a few controversial topics are mentioned, such as teen pregnancy, abortion, teacher/student sexual harassment, and sex. However, it’s done in a way that is natural and even tame for teens. None of these things are actually happening to the thirteen year olds, they are just learning about life. Middle school students will inevitably have questions about these sorts of topics, and the message of the book is that it’s important to address them before it’s too late and they’re already experiencing them unprepared. And Alice does learn an important lesson – she realizes the importance of planning major life events and thinking through decisions, and the book certainly belongs in both school and public libraries. For the most part the issues are dealt with very subtly – although sex is brought up once or twice, Alice’s major concern is how to initiate a kiss with her boyfriend. However, Alice’s 21-year-old brother, Lester, does hint at what goes on in some of his own relationships, and there is a somewhat uncomfortable situation when he tells her about a dream he had in which she was naked.
  Naylor manages to tie in these important topics and subtly teach a lesson while keeping the story entertaining and engaging. The ways that Alice and her friends do research for their projects are at times both hilarious and touching. For example, her friend Pamela goes to a clothing store with a pillow under her shirt to do research for her project on teen pregnancy. Although the girls spend plenty of time giggling while shopping, we also see a more serious side of things when the saleslady’s attitude changes once she learns that Pamela is an unmarried teenager. Throughout the book the reader will find him or herself in the midst of the teenage laughter and activities, but will also get a glimpse of prejudice, hard times, and tough moral issues.
  Though for the most part the book seems very natural and realistic, there are a few events that are hard to believe, affecting the realism and impact of the story. For one, when the students are out in public dealing with adult issues such as buying a car or furniture for a new apartment, all of the adults they interact with constantly believe that these 8th graders are really 18 or older. It’s tough to believe that a car salesman would really offer to let 3 girls who are thirteen test drive a car without asking for a license or anything. There is also a plot point at the end of the book involving Lester’s ex-girlfriend that feels somewhat out of place and random. Though it teaches Alice yet another lesson about life in the real world, it seems unnecessary to the plot overall.
  The Alice series covers most of the years of Alice’s life, and Alice in Lace is the perfect book for those growing up and beginning to discover what it means to be an adult. The book seems most appropriate for grades 5-8. Naylor does an excellent job capturing the middle school experience in a way that seems mostly true to life and will be something that teenage girls will not only relate to, but also really enjoy reading.
  
• 
  Jennifer Maloney

  I just love this series. In a way it reminds me of the Ramona Quimby series, which I grew up reading. Alice and Ramona are very similar characters. I look forward to reading the rest of this series at some point.
• 
  Kirsten

  As Alice gets older, the books get better, I think. Each one is still pretty light-weight, taken on its own, but the whole run adds up to something really nice.
• 
  Cheryl

  I think I should go back and make all my star ratings either blank or four stars. The series is getting more interesting in some ways, and more predictable in other ways, as we go along. This one is not fluffy, though there's still humor and joy, and it's still perfectly fine for children at or approaching the age of the characters.
• 
  Kelly (kellyreadingbooks)

  I keep remembering why this series must’ve been on banned book lists lol 😂
• 
  Maria

  Moving right alone with Alice #8. Alice starts eighth grade and learns all about choices and their consequences.
  
  Alice and her friends take a course on making critical life decisions, in which each student is given a hypothetical life-altering situation (marriage, unintended pregnancy, DUI) and must figure out how to make the best decision given the cards their dealt. This leads to arguments, laughs, and a lot of insight into what some of the hard facts of growing up entail.
  
  Outside the assignment, Alice is faced with some less hypothetical critical choices. When "Robert Redford cute" health teacher Mr. Everett is accused of molesting a student, Alice knows the accusation is false and most come forward to her school vice principal. This required courage, especially because the vice principal is competing with Alice's dad for the heart of English teacher Miss Summers. But I kind of of have a problem with the larger aspect of this storyline. It's clear that Jill, the student accusing Mr. Everett, is just angry at him for getting a boring assignment and that this is her way of getting back at him. But how often are accusations of sexual assault false? I'm worried that kids reading this will take to heart the message that false sexual assault accusations are often made by jilted or upset women to get back at upstanding men, which we know is super rape culture-y. This was obviously not Naylor's intention, but in retrospect I think it's problematic.
  
  Overall, this is a strong Alice book -- the message about planning vs. letting life happen to you is richly layered and complex.
  
  Observations:
  - Alice and her dad's relationship is particularly sweet in this one, too. Alice finally realizes she can't fix her dad's romantic problems for her, and their relationship is better for it.
  - Elizabeth's mom goes into labor, and Elizabeth, in a very in-character way, can't deal, so Alice steps in to get them to the hospital in time.
  - Patrick is still so goddamn uninteresting that I can't even come up with a significant thing he did, besides talk about how rich he is.
  - Crystal is getting married, finally putting to an end the Marilyn/Lester/Crystal love triangle, which had been stretched for six books and badly needed to be put to rest.
• 
  Marfita

  I'd never read one of the Alice stories, so I thought I'd read this one before shelving it.
  Alice and her Health Class peers are assigned Real Life projects along the lines of What Are the Consequences of: deciding to get married, getting caught shoplifting, getting pregnant, getting someone else pregnant, getting caught drunk and driving, etc. This sounds like such a great idea for a class assignment, but I don't honestly see 8th graders doing such a great job winkling out the details of what happens in the legal system when you shoplift. It's just as well Naylor can explain it all to us.
  The terrors of facing adulthood and all the economic realities thereof that are uncovered by Alice and her project partner are barely mitigated by Alice's father telling about how he and her mother started out.
  Alice has the nerve to ask the most outrageous questions of the unlikeliest people, but I guess that's what makes her so endearing ... [no further comment:].
  And should 8th graders be dating and kissing? Maybe I'm behind the times. I guess I shouldn't be complaining so much about the simplification of plots and details in a children's book. What a grump, eh?
• 
  thehodgenator

  Alice is back - and this time she is starting eighth grade, and getting married. She grows up fast, doesn't she?
  
  Naylor delivers a solid story of growing up a little faster than we're ready for in the guise of a health class. Alice and her friends are given different scenarios of life, and they must learn to deal with all the conflicts that come with dealing with each of those scenarios.
  
  Alice and Patrick as assigned the planning of a wedding, honeymoon, first apartment, and furniture - all for $5,000. This causes conflict fast, and it just goes to show that even in a "pretend" world, money is king.
  
  Told with the same hilarity and tenderness we are accustomed, readers will be delighted with this next installment of Alice's journey.
  
  I've read several reviews that complain that Alice is a stagnant character, but I want to say this: there are roughly 24 Alice books (I believe) and what Naylor gives readers are snapshot experiences into growing up. Alice isn't a character that grows fast because she's not meant to - she's meant to fully experience her childhood, her tweenhood, and now her teenhood. What's wrong with that?
• 
  Kathryn

  October 2019 re-read.
  Still my favorite in the series. Love the humor (I still laugh aloud at the car buying adventure), the lessons Alice learns (you can plan, but leave room for unexpected joy), and the maturity as Alice witnesses but does not meddle in either Ben or Lester's love life (well, not much anyhow).
  
  March 2012 re-read.
  Long live Alice! This has always been my favorite Alice book - especially the classroom wedding scene.
• 
  Marilena Turquoise

  This is one of the best books of the series - Mr. Everett asks the class to pretend they are in a problematic situation, trying to work their way out to find a solution to their problems. Alice is hypothetically getting married to Patrick, Elizabeth is buying a car and Pamela is having a baby. I wish I could have this kind of teacher when I was in school and get assignments like this. Alice realizes she can't collaborate with Patrick as well as she thought. She also takes advantage of the assignment to ask her Dad about her mom and how they got married. Turns out, her parents had literally no money when they got married, they bought second hand stuff as a piece of furniture, went nowhere for honeymoon, got an amateur photographer and the wedding was planned by the closest people, yet it was an unforgetable one.
  
  Apart from the school project, Alice gets to help Elizabeth's mom whose water broke get to the hospital and deliver her baby boy. She also gets to become a maid at Crystal's wedding who is not getting married to Lester.
  
  This entire book is a debate about whether it's better to plan everything in order to avoid last minute unpleasant surprises or whether it's better to let certain things be the way they want to be in order not to ruin the moment. It is a tender part of the series, one I honestly really enjoyed.
• 
  Celinda Reyes

  I feel like a broken record at this point but every Alice book is more amazing than the last! During my re-read of these books, I definitely feel that I now appreciate & love these stories even more than I did as a teenager. In this story Alice and her friends learn about the important of planning & how their choices will start to deeply affect their futures now that they're getting older. Again we get more of Alice being the funniest, most interesting protagonist ever (well maybe I'm being dramatic but she's definitely up there), and the crazy cast of characters that surround her. Definitely another MUST READ for all YA fans!!!
• 
  Melody Loomis

  Another great Alice book! This one follows Alice and her friends as they all have different assignments for different life changes. The goal is to see what kinds of decisions they would have to make given their unique circumstances. It was fun to see how each of the girls carried out their assignment research. Pamela was hilarious pretending to be pregnant with a pillow!
  
  Lester is in his Marilyn phase in this book, but Crystal makes an appearance toward the end with a surprise for Lester. I won't spoil what it is.
• 
  Joyce

  I think this was the last book I remember reading in the series back in elementary school/possibly middle school. I remember I really liked it - the interesting scenarios that were assigned as projects. Very entertaining as always. From now on I have no idea what to expect, except I read a ton of spoilers and summaries! :)
• 
  Fierymermaidbooks

  Another great read! I love how they have a life skills class! I love watching Alice and her friends grow up and learn new things! Alice and Patrick are finally getting more comfortable in their relationship too! I loved how her and Patrick got paired up in class to plan a wedding while Pamela’s scenario was being pregnant because it’s so accurate! I can’t wait to see what happens next!
• 
  Madame Jane

  Alice is learning about critical choices in life in her health class. Pamela is "pregnant", Elizabeth has to buy a car, and Alice and Patrick are newlyweds. Alice learns that every action has an end result for good or for bad.
• 
  Booknerdreads Grace Haddad

  This one was so cute and so funny!! It’s so fun reading Alice as an adult, reading her naive curious thoughts and theories on the big grown up things in the world. This book evoked so many memories on what I used to think and feel at her age. I live for these books!
• 
  Jen (The Jenerator)

  Super cute, good life lessons :)
• 
  Laurie

  Another solid entry in this likable and realistic series.
• 
  Jessica

  One of my favorite Alice books of all time! I wish I’d taken a class like this in school. Heck, I wish I knew enough kids to impart the wisdom that this class teaches them, myself! Her and Patrick are happy and comfortable, and she’s not in a fight with Pamela or Elizabeth. Excellent!
• 
  Brooke — brooklynnnnereads

  Another good installment in the Alice series. I wouldn't say that there was anything that made this novel 'amazing' but I did think the concept of her class project with hypothetical scenarios was truly interesting. I wish I did something like that when I was younger because I think it really would have been an eye opening learning experience.
  
  Even though this specific installment in the series didn't stand out to me, I believe each installment brings something to the series as a whole. I really would recommend these novels to those of similar age to Alice because not only do I believe the content is appropriate, I believe these stories are relatable for those in that similar age bracket.
  
  A quick read and I look forward to continuing the series.
• 
  Amy H

  I love this series.. I read them in middle school, but forgot all about them. Thank god my library still has them as e-books!!!
  
  
  Alice is now in 8th grade and in health class they all got projects to make important decisions. Alice was getting married to Patrick and they had to plan the wedding, honeymoon, get a house, and furniture for only $5000. So, since Patrick and Alice are still dating they found it fun to start talking about weddings and houses. This will lead to a nice fight because they realized that they have no money and can't do what they want.
  
  Alice's best friend Elizabeth has to buy a car. So, they dress all fancy and try to convince the salesman that they are old enough to buy a car. Everything was going good until he gave her the keys to test drive the car. What comes next is very funny in its own!
  
  Pamela, Alice's other best friend is 16 and pregnant and has to decide if she is going to keep the baby, give it up for adoption, or abort it. She has to find out all options including what to do with the baby's dad. This is funny because Pamela will put a pillow in her belly and go around to different stores to get their reaction. This is also funny to read about.
  
  mean while Lester is still dating two girls. Everything is going fine until crystal gives back everything that Lester has ever given him. Now he is trying to et a hold of her and she is ignoring his call. He is still confidant until she knocks on his door and gives him some surprising information.
  
  Alice is afraid that her dad and her old English teacher are going to break up after hearing a conversation with the teacher and the vice principal. she has to not tell her dad, but is trying to fish for information. When she sees her dad mope around the house she also starts to gets sad.
  
  Alice is in for a treat when Elizabeth calls her and tells her she needs to help now.. want to know what it is??? then read the story :)
• 
  Sarah Sparkle

  Unfortunately, I did not get to read the Alice books in order, so 'Alice in Lace', which I bought from Amazon alongside 'Alice the Brave' was a novelty. One thing that bothered me about this book is the false sexual harassment allegation against her teacher by another girl that Alice intervenes in. It's not that I think her response was wrong, but I was like 'really?' Other books in the series talk about genuine sexual assault, but it still felt like a tired narrative to use - people overestimate the amount of false allegations as it is. Anyway, I thought that the class the book revolves around sounds like a good idea for an actual class, and like the other books in the series it is entertaining, not a literary masterpiece but that's not the point, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys realistic books from the perspective of teenage girls. Also, in spite of the fact that the series features in Banned Books lists, it's pretty tame, so if you don't want your daughters reading Gossip Girl and the like you might want to give this to them instead.
• 
  Samantha

  My favorite Alice book yet! Alice is in 8th grade and gets an interesting assignment: get married! In reality she has been set the task to plan a wedding, honeymoon, find an apartment, and buy furniture on a budget of $5,000. Her friends Pamela and Elizabeth have been assigned pregnancy and buy a car, respectively. Meanwhile, Alice spends a lot of time worrying about Miss Summer and her father's relationship. Will they settle down and get married or has the romance fizzled? And Lester's girl troubles waned a bit as Crystal of the question "should I date Marilyn or Crystal?" took herself out of the running by announcing her surprise engagement.
  
  What I loved most about this book was the class assignment to investigate realistic problems. I wish I had a class like this one in school! Alice and her friends approached their assignments thoughtfully and yet had fun with them too. Highly recommend this title in the Alice series, even as a stand alone.
• 
  Jennifer Dines

  I was probably just a little too old for the Alice series when it came out in the mid-90's. This book would've been perfect for me - it was about a girl whose Dad owns a music shop (The Melody Inn) and who is growing up in Maryland (where I grew up!). I found out about this book because it had been a very controversial book, probably because 8th grader Alice naturally wonders about sexuality. This book harkened back to simpler times - when in school, you might actually learn something practical, such as a unit called Critical Choices in which you had to research a life issue and how to deal with it (marriage, unexpected pregnancy, arranging a funeral, etc.). I don't think schools today teach these things at all. I was hoping I could recommend this to the middle schoolers at my school, but the book feels a bit dated. Still - it was a fun read and a refreshing reminder of simpler times.