Go Ask Alice (1999) Parents Guide: Is the book OK for kids?

The sexual content in this novel is strong and almost exclusively traumatic or transactional in nature. Alice loses her virginity while under the influence of LSD, an experience she describes with a sense of clinical detachment and confusion. As her addiction worsens, she is coerced into performing oral sex on a drug supplier at a rock festival to secure a fix. The most harrowing event occurs in August, where Alice and her friend Chris are brutally raped by two older men while incapacitated by heroin. The…

Violence in the story is moderate to strong and is intrinsically linked to the narrator's substance abuse and life on the streets. Alice is physically assaulted by drug dealers during her time away from home and describes the physical toll that addiction takes on her body. During a terrifying LSD 'bad trip' in the final third of the book, she experiences graphic, disturbing hallucinations of worms and maggots crawling out of her skin and eyes. There are also moments of self-inflicted harm mentioned in a…

The language is moderate and reflects the gritty, realistic tone of a teenager's diary in the late 1960s. Alice uses profanities like 'shit,' 'bitch,' 'bastard,' 'hell,' and 'damn' primarily when venting her frustrations or describing the misery of the streets. While the frequency of these terms is not excessive compared to modern YA literature, they are used effectively to convey Alice's spiraling emotional state. The dialogue among the drug users and street people also incorporates period-specific slang and…

Substance use is the central focus of the book and is depicted with extreme, unflinching detail. The diary covers a wide spectrum of drugs, including LSD, heroin, marijuana, speed, and barbiturates stolen from grandparents. It details the initial allure of 'tripping' and the sensory distortions of acid, but quickly pivots to the agonizing physical and mental symptoms of withdrawal. The mechanics of the drug trade are shown, including how dealers target children at schools and parties. The narrative serves as a…

The book explores heavy themes of social isolation, parental conflict, and the psychological toll of grooming by predatory adults. Alice constantly struggles with feelings of inadequacy and an intense desire for acceptance, which drives her toward dangerous social circles. Themes of homelessness and mental health crises are prominent during her time in San Francisco and her subsequent stay in a psychiatric ward. The narrative also touches on the vulnerability of children, highlighted by the character Babbie, who…