Eat, Read, and Be Mommy

Dear Alyson, Allie, Al, Sid (yes, my brother called me that for years), whatever–if I had a time machine, I’d bring Frazzled:  Everyday Disasters and Impending Doom back to 1990 for you to read.  The format would seem weird, since graphic novels weren’t a thing then (at least as far as I knew!) and it’s really more like half doodles and half doodle-y text anyway, but it’s exactly the kind of book you need.  You’d relate to Abbie Wu, who is always in a state of crisis over something, and you might actually believe what she learns by the end about perspective (anything’s possible!).  It’s completely appropriate, unlike the Piers Anthony books you’ve been reading and the V.C. Andrews books your sister’s friend recommended, and you’d finish it off in a day or so.  You might want more concrete closure than you’ll get, but hey–life is like that!  Since no time machines seem to be forthcoming, however, I’ll content myself with recommending it to parents of junior high/middle school girls everywhere.

Nostalgically, Alyson

P.S.  You’ll figure your hair problems out sooner if you embrace the puberty-ignited curl, scrunch in some gel, and leave it down.

P.P.S.  Since you like to be warned of bad news in advance, the presidential election of 2016 is going to be a trainwreck.  Brace yourself.