We are doing Banned Books in my class at library school this week, and one of the titles I had to read was any book from the Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. I chose the Agony of Alice simply because I found one on the sale rack. I can't get over this book. I thought it was great. The book caused contant flashbacks to my sixth grade year (and all of the embarrasing things that I did). The entire time I was reading, a comparison bell was ringing in my head-and then it hit me! Alice is like Junie B. Jones only older. Like Junie, Alice is not perfect, and some of her reactions to situations are less than admirable. Also like Junie, Alice redeems herself. Both have incredible powers of observation and notice the little details in life. Alice has been around a lot longer than Junie, and I wonder if Barbara Park hangs out with Phyllis Naylor. In the story, Alice decides that lacking a mom or an older sister, she will adopt a mother in order to have a "road map" about l...