ALICE IN APRIL

Building on her earlier books about the motherless, independent-minded Alice, Naylor flawlessly weaves concerns prompted by two birthdays—Alice's 13th, which prompts the girl to experiment with the role of "homemaker"; and Dad's 50th, which gives her a chance to try out new skills with a surprise party—into another delightful chronicle, as perceptive as it is hilarious. There are poignant moments here when Alice's forays into womanhood recall her barely remembered, frequently yearned- for mother—especially when nice Miss Summers (Alice's teacher, who's dating Dad) helps Alice make the cake Mom noted as "Ben's favorite." But from April Fool's Day, when Alice's teasing, good-humored relationship with college-age brother Lester is neatly dramatized by their tricks on each other, to the full-cast dinner party on the 30th, comedy is perfectly integrated into every episode—even a sensible, detailed account of a physical (brisk questions; no pelvic exam) that a relieved Alice finds less embarrassing than she feared. There's tragedy for a minor character near the end: startling but not gratuitous, it deepens the story's meaning while revealing how close Alice and Miss Summers are growing—regardless of Miss Summers's feelings for Dad, which remain in doubt. Next installment impatiently awaited. (Fiction. 9-13)