Controversial TopicsĬonsidering that the books were first published in the 80s, the author touched upon multiple topics that were very rarely brought up. Thus, those reading the books saw themselves in Alice. The main character was a regular girl who was as confused, silly, and naïve as most of her peers. Naylor targeted youths as her core audience, which is why it was essential to create the illusion of Alice being a friend. The author cleverly simplistically wrote the books, which was one verbal aspect that attracted readers. Alice gave individuals going through the same challenges the understanding that they are not alone. Teenage years are often linked with emotional distress, uncertainty, and confusion due to the many changes that occur during this life stage. Thus, Alice became a big sister who knows how to help by simply going through the same experiences and describing them to those reading about her daily adventures. It is essential to point out that the first books in the series were published in the 80s, and young adults did not have the same resources as the same demographic currently.
Another critical topic brought up in the series is the notion of turning into a woman, a process that is both scary and enticing for Alice (Naylor, “Alice in April” 20). An example is a book The Agony of Alice, where the main character experiences changes in her body linked to puberty (Naylor, “The Agony of Alice” 157). In a sense, Alice was more of a diary that teenage girls could read, think about, or perhaps learn from. Naylor was not apprehensive in regards to talking about subjects that were considered private. Furthermore, as the main character was a teenager, young people were able to read about someone with a similar life, problems, and concerns. Alice as a Relatable FriendĪ significant factor that contributed to the book’s popularity is its relatability. This paper examines how Naylor’s books became so well-loved and popular among readers and whether the author’s verbal features have contributed to the series’ success. It is certain that the book series was extremely popular and remains crucial work in the category of literature for teens. The author’s portrayal of the emotional roller-coaster that teen years represent became a popular source of adventure, information, and imaginary support from multiple people of Alice’s age. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor’s book series Alice consists of 25 books about Alice McKinley.
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