Go Ask Alice by Anonymous

ISBN: 978-0-689-81785-4
Simon & Schuster, NY, 1971 (this edition Simon Pulse, 1998)
185 pages

Plot Summary

A year in the life of a 15-year-old girl based on her actual diary. In the beginning she is a typical, enthusiastic teen excited about an upcoming move and starting a new diet, but her life descends into a hell of drug use, hallucinations and mental hospitals.

Critical Evaluation

Fast, powerfully scary and sad read that is a little dated with 1970s jargon. However, this book should be required reading for anyone who thinks they can "handle" drug use. An excellent book for reluctant readers.

Reader's Annotation

The 15-year-old girl who wrote this diary starts out as a typical teen but her life spirals out of control with hallucinations after heavy drug use.

Author Information

None known

Genre

true story written in diary-form

Curriculum Ties

Life Skills class, high school English reading list

Booktalking Ideas

1. Alice and her friend Chris go to San Francisco. They think they can "kick drugs" and start over there.

2. Alice ends up in the mental hospital after hallucinating and hurting herself badly while she's supposed to be babysitting.

Reading/Interest Level

Middle school students could read this book but the heavy drug use portrayed makes it more suitable for high school students. High interest level for parents of teens also.

Challenge Issues and Defense

Heavy drug use and sexual situations

Realistic and scary portrayal of drug use has been credited with keeping many teenagers away from drugs

Why I Included This Book

This book was one of the most requested when I worked in the library at a public high school. According to the Boston Globe, this is "a book that all teenagers and parents of teenagers should really read."