Alice (Naylor)

Alice is ready for eighth grade, but she isn't ready for this summer. All her friends are spending their days swimming in the neighborhood pool-all of them except Alice. Somehow neither curiosity about her widowed father's new girlfriend nor the thrill of reading a forbidden book can distract her from her greatest fear: the deep end of the pool. Brimming with high spirits and courage, Alice the Brave tackles some of the biggest problems of growing up: conformity, popularity, and independence. Along the way, it offers good-hearted lessons about how much friends and family can help when solutions seem far away. Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, award-winning author of over 80 books for children, has earned a reputation for portraying young teens with honesty, compassion and humor. Alice is one her favorite characters. This lanky thirteen-year-old will win your heart, too.