Alice in a Winter Wonderland

Starred review from October 1, 2024

Gr 3-5-As Native Alaskan Alice and her sister rest with their sled dogs in a midwinter turquoise and jade green scenery, she spots a white rabbit descending a glacier. Such a view invites her to follow the rabbit, venturing into a whimsical world and encountering creatures like the extinct Great Auk and Smilodon, and mythical ones like the gryphon. This retelling follows the classic by Lewis Carroll with anthropomorphism, puberty symbolism with Alice's shrinking and growing, and her interaction with the Queen of Hearts. The narrative provides vocabulary words and phrase repetition, allowing an interactive reading with upper primary kids covering the fantasy unit. Although the narrative appears playful, it is also reminiscent of the 19th-century nonsense literature that Carroll mastered. Brett offers detail-oriented, intricately beautiful illustrations characteristic of her work. The watercolors and gouache, with collage art, are enhanced with decorated borders showcasing clubs, diamonds, hearts, and space cards. VERDICT A highly artistic rendition of a loved fantasy for the classroom and the public library shelves.-Kathia Ibacache

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2024
A retelling ofAlice's Adventures in Wonderland, set in the Alaskan tundra. Prolific picture-book author and illustrator Brett depicts Alice with short black hair, tan skin, and a fur-lined parka, while Lewis Carroll's well-known characters are recast in new guises: The Cheshire Cat and Queen of Hearts appear as a Smilodon (saber-toothed cat) and snowy owl, respectively. Progressing at a rapid-fire pace, the narrative follows key moments of the original plot, including Alice's fall down the rabbit hole (located within a glacier here), her tea party with the Hatter and the March Hare (this time, with the Old Prospector and the Varying Hare), and a scene where several playing cards paint the roses red (instead, the cotton grass) at the Queen's behest. Characteristic of Brett's illustrative style, each spread is packed with detail. Observant readers will find much to explore, from the well-worn playing cards that line each page to the intricate Alaskan birds and mammals featured at every turn. Still, the hectic rhythm of the story might lose youngsters, and its ho-hum text flattens some of Carroll's whimsy. Adults may be disappointed that Brett has chosen to highlight only the area's animals and colonial history (the Prospector hearkens back to Alaska's history of colonial encroachment), with no explicit mention of the land's rich Indigenous nations and cultures. A visually engaging but otherwise underwhelming take on a classic.(Picture book. 5-7)

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