Throughout the novel "Looking for Alibrandi" many of the main characters in their adolescent years faced difficulties such as many of the teenagers today. Problems can start from physical disabilities or skin colours, extending to emotional and personal problems which could have been triggered through family and/or friend/peer pressure.

Josephine Alibrandi is the main character in the novel and also shows an example of adolescents in the novel facing difficulties. Her aspiration is to successfully complete year twelve at St. Martha's College and study Law. During this year, Josie faces a number of complications which effect her learning and overall concentration on her last year. Difficulties such as peer pressure coming from Ivy Lloyd affected Josie. Ivy "Poison Ivy" was always competing with Josie as well as being racist because Josie came from an Italian background and culture rather than an Anglo Saxon, also because her...