Next to Alice

Next to Alice is a funny little school story for 8 year olds about a boy who gets moved next to the scariest girl in the class.

What happens

There's a crack in the window by Ben's table, so his teacher, Mr Cates, moves him. Ben would much rather sit by James. When Mr Cates asks what exactly is wrong with Alice, all Ben can come up with is that she's scary.

He's not wrong! Alice takes one look at Ben's snail drawing and makes him rub bits out. She has opinions about his e's (they look like i's). At lunch she's cross about the way he gobbles his pizza. Everyone else in the class seems a bit scared of her too.

But she's not unkind. She's bossy, very honest and always right (in her own opinion, anyway). And bit by bit, Ben notices that her advice actually works.

It's all told by Ben over one school day, and he's lovely company. He's a bit put upon and very fair-minded, and you can hear him grumbling while he quietly changes his mind. His little comments in brackets are some of the best bits.

The best moment might be when Alice teaches him her two-finger whistle. It takes him about a million tries, all through the day.

It's a short read, which makes it a great pick for a child who's building confidence. There are no baddies and no big drama. Just the ups and downs of sitting next to someone you're not sure about.

Have they ever been made to sit beside someone they'd never have picked? They'll probably recognise a bit of Ben in themselves.

What to read next

If they enjoy a school day that doesn't go the way anyone expected, try Bill's New Frock, where Bill wakes up one Monday as a girl and has to go to school in a pink dress with fiddly buttons.