Alice with a Why - by Anna James (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

A New York Times bestseller! - From bestselling author of the Chronicles of Whetherwhy and Pages & Co. series, comes a retelling of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland wherein Alice's granddaughter finds herself tumbling down into Wonderland.

⋆"A cleverly constructed return to Wonderland...a winner through and through." --Booklist (starred review)

⋆"This homage sparkles. Delightful in every way."--Kirkus reviews (starred review)

⋆"A worthy reimagined follow-up to Alice in Wonderland, this story will delight new and old fans alike." --School Library Journal (starred review)

Journey back to Wonderland . . .

England, 1919. Alyce--with a Y--is sent to live with her grandmother, the original Alice, after having lost her father in war. When a mysterious invitation to a tea party hits her square in the face, Alyce realizes that her grandmother's strange stories of a place called Wonderland might have some truth to them after all.

Soon Alyce is tumbling down into Wonderland herself, but the place she finds is not the colorful world she's heard stories of, but a world trapped in its own war. The Sun King and the Queen of the Moon are fighting over a stolen hour, and soon Alyce is tasked with setting it right. With the help of the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and a Sailor Fox, Alyce will have to solve Wonderland's problems and, eventually, find her way back home.

An enchanting adventure through Wonderland, Alice with a Why is both a celebration of Lewis Carroll's beloved original story and a modern masterpiece.

Review Quotes

*"James brings modern readers a cleverly constructed return to Wonderland...Readers new to the story and setting will be taken on a fantastical, tumble-down adventure, and those who have already visited Wonderland will experience a deeper appreciation of both tales. With its Monty Pythonesque flavor and quirky intelligence, this is a winner through and through." --Booklist (starred review)

*"Land's exquisite, detailed black-and-white illustrations feel updated while evoking John Tenniel's original artwork. With confident writing that manages to be both archly British ("How dreadfully impertinent") and whimsical ("The Things You Need To Know Before We Begin"), this homage sparkles. Delightful in every way."--Kirkus reviews (starred review)

*"James has proven her talent at reimagining classic stories and characters, and this book is no exception. She deftly navigates the bizarre realities of Wonderland, paying homage to Lewis Carroll while expanding with new characters, places, and problems. Land's black-and-white illustrations enhance the novel's classic feel and connection to its predecessor. A worthy reimagined follow-up to Alice in Wonderland, this story will delight new and old fans alike." --School Library Journal (starred review)

"This upbeat ode by James (the Chronicles of Whetherwhy series) faithfully captures the essence of the inspiration material's wild logic, sharp wordplay, and extensive whimsy. Land's black & white illustrations . . . recall the warmth of John Tenniel's fluid artwork." --Publishers Weekly

"A fun follow-up for Alice lovers, an homage that Carroll likely would have approved." --BCCB

"Familiar characters from Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland reappear in James's imaginative story about Alice's granddaughter . . . James does an admirable job filling the dialogue with clever nonsense à la Carroll and even includes a few new poems. Land's occasional illustrations evoke Tenniel's original Alice art but feel more contemporary. James's homage gives Alyce additional backstory, providing depth and meaning to her journey." --The Horn Book

About the Author

Anna James (she/her) is a writer and journalist, as well as the author of the Pages & Co. series and Chronicles of Whetherwhy series. She was a school librarian before joining The Bookseller as their book news editor. She now writes for a variety of newspapers and magazines, and chairs events at bookshops and literary festivals across the UK. She lives in north London, in a flat full of books.