The Agony of Alice

By: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

4/5 Awkward Moments

I'll be honest, I had no idea this was originally a book when I was a kid. I watched Alice Upside Down constantly! I wish I had known the book also existed. I didn't actually find out about this book's existence until I was reading a banned books list, saw the title, and read a synopsis. It sounded just like the movie, so I knew I needed to read it as soon as possible. Well, I don't know if it's because it's dated or because it was banned at one time, but I had a lot of trouble tracking this book down. I finally found it through Thriftbooks (which I HIGHLY recommend for any book collector).

Alice McKinley hardly remembers her mother, she died when Alice was 4. However, there is one thing Alice does know - she'd have a lot less embarrassing moments if her mom was alive. All Alice wants is to not be so awkward. As she packs up to move, every single embarrassing moment of her life flashes before her eyes. She wishes that everyone who ever witnessed her embarrassment would just disappear. Unfortunately, life doesn't work like that.

When Alice starts her new school, she realizes that one of the teachers, Miss Cole, is the perfect match for her Dad! If Miss Cole was her new mom, Alice wouldn't make stupid mistakes and embarrass herself. But life doesn't work that way, and Alice gets the one teacher she doesn't want: Mrs. Plotkin. However, throughout the year, Alice learns more from Mrs. Plotkin than she ever thought she could. Could Alice's agony finally end?

I must say, I absolutely adored this book! I'm not 100% positive I didn't love it solely due to nostalgia from the movie, but I found Alice so relatable. I really wish I had found this book when I was younger because I definitely embarrassed myself all the time. Alice in Agony shows readers the everybody thinks they embarrass themselves on a regular basis. It also teaches readers that no one is actually paying attention.

I cannot imagine why Naylor's book was banned... In fact, the entire series was banned, which blows my mind! As I read, I looked for reasons as to why, but all I could come up with is that Alice mentions getting her period. If we ban books for mentioning natural body functions that nearly half of youth will face, we are going down a slippery slope. This book is a little outdated, but I would still recommend it!