If you're reading the Alice books more or less in order but skipping around a little, like I did, don't skip this one. It's not filler like some of them are. This one has a good amount of forward motion on the serieswide arcs, and touches on a lot of serieswide themes (though anviliciously).Alice feels "in between" childhood and adulthood and she wishes for a mother to help her though. She is "in between" (!) friendship and a relationship with Patrick. Of her friends, Elizabeth is prudish, Pamela is sexy, and Alice is "in between" (!!) The most memorable part of the book is when Alice, Pamela, and Elizabeth take a train trip to visit Alice's Aunt Sally, and "in between" (!!!) Chicago and D.C., Pamela poses as an older woman and flirts with a man. (view spoiler)[She gets scared when he follows her back to her room and the other girls rescue her by calling the porter. She reveals that he touched her breast. This incident will continue to be referred to in every single book thereafter as The Time Pamela Got Felt Up on a Train. (hide spoiler)]
This is the summer after 7th grade, and like most 13 year-old girls, Alice doesn't quite know where she fits. Alice, Pamela and Elizabeth take a trip to Chicago to see Aunt Sally. I think this was one of the most memorable incidents of the whole series, because of what happened to Pamela. On the train ride their, she was sexually harassed. I think, even as an adult, that's a pretty scary thing. Pamela has always been annoying to me, and her behavior on the train, sealed the deal, but that doesn't give anyone the right to sexually harass her. Especially an older guy. I think that's something important for all girls to think about - what they would do in a similar situation. It's sad we have to think about this crap, but we do. I wish I could remember all of the little quips and anecdotes that make these books so hilarious, but as I read it several months ago, I just can't. Maybe on the next reread. :)
What do You think about Alice In-Between (2004)?
Alice In-Between is a good book for girls in that akward stage between preteen and teen. I love this book because it is a prime example of how hard it is going into the stages of a teenager and also how hard it is to be a teenager. Where are more books like this?! In this book Alice is now considered a teenager, but she is trying to figure out why she still feels like a kid. I could instantly relate to that part right away. Throughout the rest of the book, Alice deals with the pros and cons of being a thirteen year old and starts to realize it's not all that bad to be "in-between" when it comes to things.
—Fayth Godbold
The Alice books were one of my main source of information about puberty and growing up in a fun, non-clinical manner. There was no internet to be had when I was a preteen and the very idea of speaking to my mother about this sort of thing filled me with horror (still does, to be honest!) To my mother's credit, I think she may have known this, because she was always very understanding of my need for knowledge and did not protest my urging for weekly library trips.I mostly remember this particular Alice book as one that actually explained the "pencil test", because I had it all sorts of confused in my head prior to reading it. Come to find out, doing this test with your friends around at a sleepover is quite like worrying about quicksand as a child: it's a lot less prevalent than you were led to believe.
—Katie
