Alice In the Know

Oh I do get tired of other characters being introduced and used to illustrate lessons. Tracy and Gwen aren't people who happen to be African-American, they're People of Color who deal with racism and never have full personalities of their own.

And the boys. Don't get me started on how many of them are such losers.

Problematic, too, is the way our jail-bait trio flirts with everything in pants and then gets scared and runs for help if the 'sexy because older' guys respond. There's going to be a young man in prison before the series is over, if Naylor is actually writing true-to-life. I mean, it's ok to have fun, and guys absolutely must respect 'no' - but come on, play fair, and pick on someone your own age!

During the summer before her Junior year in high school, Alice learns that a friend is suffering from leukemia, goes to the beach with Pamela and Elizabeth, watches as Lester is rejected by the woman he loves, and has her first job away from the Melody Inn, where her father is her boss. This is one of the entries in the series that follows a variety of sub-plots without a major focus.

Alice, a UU, in the summer before her junior year.

Advance copy.