Children's Laureate 2001-2003
Carnegie Medal 1989, 1992
Whitbread Award 1993, 1996
Guardian Fiction Award 1990
A change in classroom seating arrangements challenges old habits and leads to a new friendship in this funny new school story from award-winning author Anne Fine.
At first Ben doesn't want to sit next to Alice in the classroom.
She's scary and tells him off for his squiggly drawing and poor handwriting. She even points out his bad table manners.
But when Ben starts to take Alice's advice, he realises that she might have a point - and discovers that sitting next to her isn't so bad after all.
The Book Trust included Next to Alice in its 2023 Great Books Guide, saying: "Few authors capture classroom dynamics as well as Anne Fine, and children will recognise the subtle undercurrents. This story has gentle humour and the message of putting in effort to see the reward is lightly done."
Next to Alice, illustrated by Gareth Conway, was published by Barrington Stoke on 2nd February 2023.
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ISBN: 978-1-8009-0174-2
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