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Cover of Alice with a Why

Alice with a Why

Anna James (2026-01-06)

Subgenre
Age groupMiddle Grade 8-12
Content ratingPG
Pages241 (Quick Read (<250))
Setting
CSM age10

Content levels

ViolenceMild
Sexual contentNone
LanguageNone

Trigger warnings

Death of ParentWarGrief

Synopsis

⋆"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) From #1 New York Times 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. 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 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.

Is Alice with a Why appropriate for my child?

Suitable for most readers 10 and up.

A charming middle grade fantasy retelling with mild peril and war themes. Alyce loses her father in WWI and must navigate grief while solving Wonderland's magical conflict.

What to know going in

This book has mild violence, no sexual content, and clean language. Content notes include death of parent, grief, and war.

Who'll love this

Readers will love following Alyce through a magical world filled with talking cats, mad hatters, and clever puzzles as she tries to fix Wonderland's war and find her way home.

Tags

RetellingHistorical FantasyWhimsical FantasyLiterary Homage