From School Library Journal Grade 5-7- Alice's mother died when she was four. Now a sixth grader， she finds her all-male household no help with the process of growing up female. Through a series of incidents both hilarious and poignant， Alice searches for a female to help her cope with her adolescent anxieties. At first repulsed by her physically unattractive teacher， Mrs. Plotkin， Alice gradually realizes that although surrounded by a variety of role models， it is kind， sensitive Mrs. Plotkin who she wants to be like. The lively style exhibits a deft touch at capturing the essence of an endearing heroine growing up without a mother. Alice's forthcoming fans will agonize with her and await her further adventures. Caroline Ward Romans， Vermont Department of Libraries， MontpelierCopyright 1986 Reed Business Information， Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. Book Description Life， Alice McKinley feels， is just one big embarrassment. Here she is， about to be a teenager and she doesn't know how. It's worse for her than for anyone else， she believes， because she has no role model. Her mother has been dead for years. Help and advice can only come from her father， manager of a music store， and her nineteen-year-old brother， who is a slob. What do they know about being a teen age girl?What she needs， Alice decides， is a gorgeous woman who does everything right， as a roadmap， so to speak. If only she finds herself， when school begins， in the classroom of the beautiful sixth-grade teacher， Miss Cole， her troubles will be over. Unfortunately， she draws the homely， pear-shaped Mrs. Plotkin. One of Mrs. Plotkin's first assignments is for each member of the class to keep a journal of their thoughts and feelings. Alice calls hers "The Agony of Alice，" and in it she records all the embarrassing things that happen to her.Through the school year， Alice has lots to record. She also comes to know the lovely Miss Cole， as well as Mrs. Plotkin. And she meets an aunt and a female cousin whom she has not really known before. Out of all this， to her amazement， comes a role model -- one that she would never have accepted before she made a few very important discoveries on her own， things no roadmap could have shown her. Alice moves on， ready to be a wise teenager. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition. See all Editorial Reviews