Introduction
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor’s book series Alice consists of 25 books about Alice McKinley. 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. It is certain that the book series was extremely popular and remains crucial work in the category of literature for teens. 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.
Alice as a Relatable Friend
A significant factor that contributed to the book’s popularity is its relatability. Furthermore, as the main character was a teenager, young people were able to read about someone with a similar life, problems, and concerns. Naylor was not apprehensive in regards to talking about subjects that were considered private. In a sense, Alice was more of a diary that teenage girls could read, think about, or perhaps learn from. 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). 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). 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. 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.
Teenage years are often linked with emotional distress, uncertainty, and confusion due to the many changes that occur during this life stage. Alice gave individuals going through the same challenges the understanding that they are not alone. The author cleverly simplistically wrote the books, which was one verbal aspect that attracted readers. Naylor targeted youths as her core audience, which is why it was essential to create the illusion of Alice being a friend. The main character was a regular girl who was as confused, silly, and naĂŻve as most of her peers. Thus, those reading the books saw themselves in Alice.
Controversial Topics
Considering that the books were first published in the 80s, the author touched upon multiple topics that were very rarely brought up. For example, one of the minor characters in the series, Leslie, was gay (Hunter 10). Moreover, other characters in the book argued about Leslie’s sexuality, which is how the author portrayed the contrasting societal opinions at the time. For example, Alice’s overview was that people should not be discriminated against only because they are different (Naylor, “Alice on the Outside” 153). Thus, besides bringing up such critical topics, the author most likely influenced many teens in terms of being non-judgmental and open to diversity. Moreover, Naylor’s relatively open verbal expression was an excellent way for teenage girls to find a portrayal of their struggles. Being a young lesbian teenager and seeing a book with a character sharing the same characteristics is impactful and inspiring.
The Unique Book Series
Alice was indeed a book series that contrasted with most literature at the time. Thus, the author frequently got in trouble for being too open, illustrating topics rarely brought up in society, and creating discussions that were considered too private. Researchers mention that the books were censored due to the LGBT references, which were taboo at the time (Mintah 1). Since the author was targeting teens as readers, schools were concerned that Naylor’s work is potentially harmful and contains sensitive matters that are to be discussed privately with parents. This did not compromise the series’ popularity but only added interest. Something prohibited has always been more exciting to explore, which is why teenagers found ways to overcome the censorship agenda and read novels. The fact that schools were willing to argue in favor of prohibiting Naylor’s literature is the best evidence of the author’s ability to use visual and verbal techniques to bring up sensitive subjects. Moreover, these topics were often understood by teenagers and disregarded by adults. This illustrates the author’s genuine connection to her audience and the ability to make content that can capture the attention of a specific demographic.
Telling Instead of Teaching
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor’s approach was to treat the audience as someone to talk to instead of someone who needs a life lesson. The books, indeed, had a significant impact on multiple people. However, this impact was generated through compassion in contrast with the usual approach adults have, which is to teach and scold. One example is the topic of diversity, which has always been important for Naylor (Reid-Smith 467). Instead of writing long paragraphs about the importance of tolerance and acceptance, the books are direct representations of different people with contrasting overviews of life, challenges, and family situations. Another striking example is the subject of the importance of sex education. The author did not specifically promote sex education classes as critical but instead describes Alice’s confusion yet interest in the topic while attending the class (Naylor, “All but Alice” 78). The author has created an imaginary safe space for teenagers by using verbal storytelling without taking the role of a mentor or teacher.
The writing technique has increased the overall popularity of the novels. This is related to the specific life stage that teenagers go through. Not so long ago, they were children, but at the same time, adulthood does not seem to be too far away. The circumstances create the contrast between how teachers and parents view teens and how teens view themselves. Naylor did not choose the path of treating her audience from the perspective of an adult. Instead, the verbal expressions were relatable, easy to understand, and non-judgmental.
Conclusion
The Alice book series became so popular due to several factors that have generated interest and curiosity, which then influenced teenagers into reading the works. First, the main character Alice was something of a relatable girlfriend or sister who is interesting to listen to and goes through the same challenges as most girls her age. Moreover, the author touched upon subjects that were rarely brought up, including societal opinion regarding the LGBT community, sexuality, and womanhood. It is also essential to refer to the fact that schools were censoring Naylor’s literature, which is always a trigger since something prohibited usually becomes more desirable. Last but not least, the author took the position of a friend rather than a teacher. This made teenagers find themselves in the books and feel safe due to the non-judgmental approach, which they perceived as safe and comforting.
Works Cited
Hunter, Emma. “We Can Be Heroes: The Importance of LGBTQ2+ Stories for LGBTQ2+ Kids.” Canadian Children’s Book News; vol. 42, no. 4, 2019, pp. 10–12.
Mintah, Alexandria K. “Young Adult Literature: Ethics, Evils, and the Ever-Present Question of Censorship.” Exigence, vol. 2, no. 1, 2018.
Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. The Agony of Alice. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1985.
Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. Alice in April. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2011.
Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. Alice on the Outside. Atheneum Books For Young Readers, 2012.
Naylor, Phyllis Reynolds. All but Alice. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2011.
Reid-Smith, Edward. “Encourage Reading from the Start: Essays, Articles and Interviews from the Field.”Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association, vol. 67, no. 4, 2018, pp. 467–468., Web.