Alice in Blunderland

By Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Book Overview

Fourth grade is far from flawless for Alice in this beloved novel with a new look.

Fourth grade stinks. Fourth grade is when everything you do embarrasses you. Fourth grade is when everyone knows you're a blunderbuss whether it's part of your name or not.

Alice's older brother Lester is always tricking her into believing his made-up stories are true. It's not her fault she's so gullible! Plus, he's a really good liar. But that doesn't help when she finds herself in a mess because of something he's invented.

She can't seem to do anything else right, either. She sneezes beans at the lunch table, gets trapped in her own snow cave, and is forced to sing--even though she can't carry a tune--in front of her whole grade. And that's nothing compared to the trouble she's about to get herself into next. Alice is just about ready to chalk fourth grade up as the worst year ever!

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1442446439
• ISBN13: 9781442446434
• Release Date: September 2012
• Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.2" x 7.9"
• Age Range: 7 to 12 years
• Grade Range: Grades 2 to 7

Customer Reviews

Cute, funny prequel about Alice's younger days

In this prequel to the beloved YA "Alice" series, Naylor takes readers to Alice McKinley's fourth grade year. The nine-year-old has just moved to Maryland with her father and 17-year-old brother Lester, where she is happy to be in the easygoing Mr. Dooley's class with her friends Rosalind and Sara. But life is far from easy for Alice. For one thing, she feels that she's constantly embarrassing herself -- sneezing at lunch and accidentally spraying her friend's shirt with a mouthful of food, misunderstanding recipes and cooking up a disaster, or falling for the outrageous things Lester's always telling her and swearing are absolutely true. It's gotten to the point where Alice wonders if she'll even be free from worry when she's a grown-up. Then, Mr. McKinley decides that Alice needs someone to look after her after school. He hires a housekeeper/babysitter who never smiles, makes strict rules and is utterly miserable to come home to! Can Alice ever convince her dad she's old enough to take care of herself? Fans of the "Alice" books will enjoy hearing about an earlier phase of the McKinley family's lives, while younger readers can use this story as an easier introduction to the series. Some who are already familiar with the main series, however, may not find this book as enjoyable as the others, because Alice isn't yet living in Silver Spring, and so hasn't met Elizabeth and Pamela, or any of the other characters who make steady appearances later on. Still, much remains reassuringly similar, from Alice's lively personality to her ever-present worries and her frequent sorrow and thoughts about the mother she lost when she was only five years old.

The best book ever !!!!!!!!

This is a really good book . It is the second book in the Alice seireis . If you thought the first one was the best , "starting with alice" , then you have no idea how much you will love this one . I checked it out from the library and it's like my hands were glued to it . I could not put it down I read it for two hours in a row . Non stop . I think the age group should be 10 and up . Please buy this book ! I hope my review helped . If it did push the "yes" button below this review .

Alice in Blunderland

Alice in Bluderland by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor is a marvelous book about a girl named Alice that lives with her brother and father. She doesn't have a mom because her mom died when she was a little girl. Imagine how it would feel like to live without a mom! This book made me want to read more and more. If you think this book sounds boring, you are totally wrong! If you want to know more about the book you have to read it yourself. I would recommend this book to anyone!

More Early Alice Fun

In this second prequel to the Alice series, Alice is entering the fourth grade. She has a man teacher for the first time, and is now friends with the Terrible Triplets. Lester lies to her more and she, of course, believes him, which leads to some funny happenings. She also forms the "Secret Six," gets snowed in her own snow cave, and no matter how she tries to help Lester, they just can't seem to get along. This book does, however, end on a good note. I would highly recommend this prequel, along with "Starting With Alice" to any young girl, whether she's heard of Alice or not.

It was a great booook.

this book was so good i think phylis is a great author and becoming an author of this alice seriesis so remarkable.