Alice finishes 7th grade. The highlight of her summer is a trip to visit Aunt Sally and Uncle Milt in Chicago, taking the trip by train with her two best friends Pamela, who is too adventurous and sexually aware for her own good, and Elizabeth, who is far too prudish for her own good.
As with other Alice books, there is a main story-line and several minor story-lines, a main theme, (which here is 'just how grown up do you want to be'), and a serious crisis.
(spoiler alert)
The serious crisis here is that on the train ride to Chicago, Pamela, who is 13 but could pass for 18 when she tries, decides to lead on a 37 year old man who hits on her. He later sexually assaults her (groping, not rape) and she learns a few hard lessons in life through that experience.
And Alice remains endearing to the end. ( )

Alice has waited all her life to be 13. Now that she's not a kid anymore, she talks often with her girlfriends about their bodies and about the boys at school. Still, Alice feels as if she's in-between being a woman and a child.

This has to be my favorite so far in the series. I remember that in-between feeling so well. I feel like every couple of years you can't help but feel that way, or maybe that is just me. It's just one of those books that you can relate to and that makes you love it! ( )

I had been so enchanted with the Agony of Alice book in 5th grade. I found that Naylor as an author has an ability to speak to young teenage girls. It is nice to see that Naylor is able to continue to develop the Alice character. The main theme of the book is to show that nothing is ever as bad as it seems.

I find this Alice book to be an average book in the series. I find that Alice is a believable character. She is the typical awkward teenage girl that worries about how others perceive her. She wants to enjoy a summer vacation with her friends. These are all characteristics that a young teenager or pre-teen girl could relate to. It is a little bit different reading as an adult. It made me remember my middle school years, and glad that I no longer have to experience that. I find the dialogue to be believable for your average teenage girl as well. ( )

It's a nice book.It has a great friendship and once you start reading, you can't stop reading. ( )