The Alice McKinley Series

Hey, guys! This first post is about the wonderful Alice McKinley Series. Written by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, this 28 book series follows Alice McKinley from the age of 8 to 60.

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

I began this series a couple years ago, starting with Alice in Rapture. I was positively captivated, and I read several other additions to the series, but not at all in order. This fall, however, I decided to re-read the entire series, and in order this time. I haven't actually read the three prequels yet, but that doesn't matter much for this post.

I did not know I was going to be writing this review, or I would have written a short review for them all, but this will have to do. I'll just make it mainly about the last book, my all time favorite: Now I'll Tell You Everything.

"The Agony of Alice", book #1

It starts with Alice leaving for college. Now, having known Alice for several years, and having read her entire life from 6th grade and on directly prior to reading this book, this was a reasonably emotional moment(although it was practically nothing in comparison to the rest of the book, emotion-wise!). Skip through the next few years and she's getting engaged, and I'm crying, and it is so, so beautiful, especially at 3 am. Skip through some more to the last chapter, and its 3 am on the next night, and I actually got up and got a couple tissues in preparation. Skip forward about two sentences and I'm crying some more, and it's pretty much a repeat of the following for the rest of the book: read, blubber, blow my nose, read, blubber, blow my nose, until the end of the book when every last tissue is soaked and its late and I'm thinking, how did I ever think a book was amazing before this? Yeah, that's pretty accurate.

"Alice in April", book #5

Alright, Now That I'm Done Describing My Soaked Tissues, lets move on to the actual review! This
review is actually copied from my Goodreads account, but it's all good! Read on, my friend!

"There should be a special six star rating for the best of books.

Basically, I thought I'd seen it all. I thought I'd cried as much as I ever would at books, laughed, smiled, felt. Well, I was seriously wrong. I cannot properly put into words the connection I feel to these books, to Alice. I cannot explain the reasons for which I cried so very much during the last chapter especially, but also so much during the 14th chapter, a chapter I loved so dearly. I'm not sure I'll ever read the three prequels, and if I don't, it won't it won't be because I am not a devoted fan and reader. No, it will be because I don't feel I need to. It will be because this magnificent final addition was enough for me. It will be because I already applaud and admire Phyllis, and I don't need three more books to tell me that she has done an amazing thing that she deserves to be and, hopefully, is recognized for. And so, I say to you, Phyllis: THANK YOU. You have honestly touched my heart more than you could ever know, and I am certain that there are MANY others girls--and boys(who knows?)--who feel the same way."

"Now I'll Tell You Everything",
book #25

Now I'll Tell You Everything is sweet, memorable, touching, and a remarkable final addition to an amazing series. I strongly suggest that you read them all, and in order, to such an extent that I would honestly be furious if you read it first. On the other hand, it is so good that it just might suck you in more than Starting with Alice or The Agony of Alice could, and maybe it would drive you to read the rest, but still: honor Phyllis, please!

"*Taken from Wikipedia: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (born January 4, 1933) is an American writer best known for children's and young-adult fiction. Naylor is best known for her children's-novel quartet Shiloh (a 1992 Newbery Medal winner) and for her "Alice" book series, one of the most frequently challenged books of the last decade."

You can also view a full list of the books here, on Goodreads.

Thank you so much for reading. If you enjoyed reading this article, please comment and tell me so!