Phyllis Reynolds Naylor's 'Alice' series ends this October
Naylor has released 28 books in the series, and the last will take Alice from college through several decades of her later life.
Naylor has released 28 books in the series, and the last will take Alice from college through several decades of her later life.
Writer Phyllis Reynolds Naylor is ending her 鈥淎lice鈥� series, which has stretched to 28 books, this October with the final book 鈥淣ow I鈥檒l Tell You Everything.鈥�
Naylor introduced her heroine, who was then in sixth grade, in the 1985 book 鈥淭he Agony of Alice.鈥� Alice lives in Maryland with her father and brother, her mother having died several years previously. The most recent book, 鈥淎lice on Board,鈥� came out in May 2012 and chronicled Alice鈥檚 adventures before attending college. Naylor says the next book will continue to the protagonist reaching the age of 60.
She said she was inspired to write the first book when she was thinking back through her own experiences.
鈥淚 began thinking about embarrassing things that happened to me during my life 鈥� tell me a year and I can tell you something embarrassing that happened 鈥� and I thought that might make a funny story,鈥� Naylor said in an interview with Publishers Weekly. But more 鈥淎lice鈥� books weren鈥檛 originally the plan. 鈥淲hen the book was published, reviewers began mentioning that Alice鈥檚 fans will await her further adventures, and that鈥檚 when we decided on making a series,鈥� she said.
Unlike some other children鈥檚 series, the author said she didn鈥檛 want Alice being eternally a certain age.聽
鈥淚 wanted Alice to grow up, so I would have a challenge as a writer,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 want to be stuck in the same sitcom. Of course Alice changed, and not everyone liked it as she became more sophisticated. But I knew, once I made up my mind that I was going to carry her through the years, I had to be true to her. Once she became a real person in my head, I was determined to let her lead her own life. She directed the way she wanted to go.鈥�
The author said she鈥檚 always happy to hear how much the books have affected readers.
鈥淪o many people write to say how much my books have meant to them and now they are reading them to their daughters,鈥� Naylor said. 鈥淚t makes me feel old, but it definitely is gratifying!鈥�
In addition to the chronologically published 鈥淎lice鈥� books, the series includes three prequels which follow Alice in elementary school. Over the years, the books have sometimes appeared on the American Library Association's list of the most frequently challenged books. Complaints against the books have included mentions of 鈥渘udity; offensive language; [and] religious viewpoint.鈥�