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Plot
The novel opens with Alice and her friends plunge into the final semester senior year, you will celebrate and cry right along with them.(Phyllis Reynolds Naylor) Alice complains that she can’t do anything, like sports or a club, because she isn’t into stuff like that plus the year is almost over. Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is be honest with yourself—and sometimes the most incredible thing you can do is sneak a little fun into all this soul-searching. (Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, 2011) Alice wanted to make her last year of high school fun, though her friends were saying its going to to be fun anyways because we have each other. One of Alice's friends, Gwen, had a suggestion to work on a cruise ship over the summer. Gwen didn’t want to work on the cruise ship just for money but also to have some fun with her friends while working. At first everyone didn’t want to but then they all changed there minds and decided to work on the ship after graduation. Graduation is a big deal—that gauntlet of growing up that requires everyone she’s known since forever to make huge decisions that will fling them here and there and far from home. (Incredibly Alice,2013)

Later that night Gwen invited Liz and her for a sleepover and also Yolanda from her church. They propped themselves up with pillows in the living room with a bowl of dip and fritos. They all brought catalogs from the colleges they applied to, and they all traded them with in each other. That same night the girls asked Yolanda if she wanted to work with us on the cruise ship over the summer, Yolanda hugged her knees tight and mumbled “i don't know.””She doesn't want to leave her boyfriend”, Pamela said. The next day Alice was in AP English and one of her teachers, Mrs. Rosen, asked her if she could stay after class for a few minutes. Mrs. Rosen talked to Alice about writing poetry and asked her if she knew about the Ivy Day Ceremony. Alice replied “yes” with a full speech about it and Mrs. Rosen wanted her to write a poet for it, and alice didn't know cause she can't write poetry.

Alice thought about it within the next few days until she found out there was play tryouts going on and she wanted to try out for the part of Anne. She wanted to tell Pamela about her trying out because Pamela was going to try out for a part too. So she finally punched in Pamela’s number and when she answered i said ”Pamela, tell me if i'm crazy, but i'm going to try out for the part of Anne.” A long squeal came through her phone. The next few days were the day of the tryouts and Alice was so nervous and scared because she didn't know if she was going to make it.

A few weeks had gone by before the list was posted to see who had made it or not. The day when the list was posted everyone was like congratulations Alice, and she was so confused until she saw a crowd by a list of names. When she pushed her way through the crowd, she saw all her friend by the list yelling and screaming with joy. When she got to the list she looked for her name and there it was Anne: Alice McKinley. Alice was so excited when she got home from school she called her boyfriend, patrick, and was like :I MADE IT!” Since Alice had not gotten much sleep the next few weeks they were hectic, plus rehearsals made them even worse. The day of the play had arrived and alice was scarred but also happy to be performing in the play. When it was time, the household lights dimmed, the chatter and laughter in the auditorium died down. As Alice entered the stage she not only had butterflies in her stomach, she had horses galloping around and gorillas in hiking boots. An hour had gone by and the first play was done, Alice told herself "that wasn't so bad after all!" The next day was the second play and it went by so fast, afterwards everyone went bowling.

They bowled for a while and after Ryan drove Alice and some friends home. Alice was the last stop so, as Ryan pulled up to her house she reached for the door but Ryan turned off the car and hugged her. They both sat back and Ryan gave her a goodbye kiss, she walked in the house and waited till he left to lean up against the door and said "what did i do?" She didn't want to say anything to Patrick cause she didn't know how he would react to it. Alice, Liz, Gwen and Pamela spent the next day at the mall because they were invited to a baby shower. They finally found some stuff to put in a bag for the baby. Graduation was just around the corner and they only had so little to decide what they were going to do after High school. Alice and her friends are gonna work on the cruise ship and then afterwards there all going to college. It was the day and soon enough they were already getting their diploma and take their class picture. Incredibly Alice is a slow, thoughtful novel that tackles the big questions about growing up, leaving high school, and taking that definitive step into adult life. (Stephanie Guerra,2011)

Major Themes
Flynn said all of the following were some major themes in this novel "Tumult of emotions", "Who she is and what she wants", "Life after high school is a big unknown; luckily, there's a summer to get through before anyone has to face it". Another major theme is the week of the play Alice is nervous witch is making her sick, but when she goes on stage for the play she isn't nervous anymore. After all 3 plays have been done they end up going bowling afterwards, and Ryan takes her home. He knows she has a boyfriend and he gives her a kiss good bye, the bad thing is Alice doesn't tell Patrick about it.

Reception
One of the newest entry in a series that sits in second place on the ALA's (American Library Association)list of most banned/ challenged tittles of the 21st century said Kirkus. Myers-Ricker said, although refreshing to read a YA novel in which the female protagonist is smart and funny and has a good relationship with her family, readers new to the series will long for something more exciting from Alice and her one dimensional friends". Lisa A. Hazlett said straightforward and honest, there are important messages in this delightful engrossing novel: Jill reveals that life is not always a romantic media fantasy. Alice shows that risks are necessary to find success,and that everyone's pain shows something different about adulthood.

Awards and nominations
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor has won the following awards: Newbery Medal, Edgar Allan Poe Mystery Writers Award, Child Study Award, Kerlan Award, Christopher Award, Society of School Librarians International Award, Hedda Seisler Mason Award, Appalachian Medallion, About 25 State Awards, Various ALA Notables.