Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Alice #1)

After a disappointing first 3 months of 2013, I come across this gem! I had been meaning to get this for quite a while. I read it right after another book from the 1800s, coincidentally.

Up until now, I had a pre conceived notion about literature from that time period but "Alice in Wonderland" completely threw me off.

You know that feeling when you've been reading one bad book after the other for quite sometime then pick up an extraordinarily good book?! That insane relief and sense of refuge you get when you're finally reading a book you instantly fall in love with?

To me the sign of a good book is looking up after a short while of cracking the first page and realizing you've gone halfway through it. That happens because a good book doesn't tell you a story, it transports you into the story. You're not reading the protagonist's thoughts, You are the protagonist.

One of the good things about this book is that there are no unnecessary passages of descriptions that go on and on until you're bored to tears. Lewis Carroll is a man who gets right to the point. It's thrilling and every page holds new and exciting things. I love that!



The book takes you along with Alice as she dreams of a mystical land where animals talk and impossible things are quite the norm. It's filled with amusing puns and interesting little bits of language/common sense manipulation that any word aficionado/Adult child will just love. (Whew, run on sentence. Wasn't me!)

This is the book that all children's literature should be modeled after. It's fun, It's funny, It challenges the child's perception of reality. And not just for the purpose of amusement.
The take away message is that you shouldn't make assumptions about things and people just from their appearance. Investigate for yourself and expect the impossible!

When you say that to a child, the possibilities are endless!

I think a lot of people make the mistake of assuming children are not as smart because they're younger. And that's how you end up with children's books that are sure to put any kid off reading forever.

You can definitely tell how much influence this novel has had on children's literature as you go through it. Authors like Roald dahl and even JK Rowling have some of Carroll's particular brand of "nonsense" in their work.

Some things, I did pause at, though...
For instance, while reading Humpty dumpty's poem to Alice. I couldn't help getting the distinct impression that this is a more sinister character than all the rest. There's just something about the threat of violence with a screwdriver to fish that's worse than actual violence.

Because this is marked as children's lit. People tend to assume that it's all fluff and happy happy happy munchkin-like characters singing about tarts and rainbows! It's not!

One of the characters, The Red Queen, is in the habit of beheading her house guests on a daily basis.

Not that that particular stereotype of what children's literature is like is a valid one. (Or one that should be practiced exclusively.)

Your kids will be exposed to violence no matter what. It might as well be through a book that carries a moral and helps prepare them for what the world is really like.

I first read this story because of my 9th grade English Teacher. He was this weird guy who told us to 'find all the funny places'. Not analyse the story, not try and understand every single word. No, find the funny paragraphs, the funny words (he had a blast about curiouser and curiouser). He was fired before we finished the story though. He was not such a great teacher, but he was a nice person.

I like Alice In Wonderland. I did give it 3 stars, which does in fact mean that I liked it. I found it entertaining, and I have re-read the story a few times throughout the years. However, what I think I like more than the story itself is the whole idea about Wonderland. It is not necessarily that I adore Alice - I find her quirky and peculiar, sometimes a little odd but enjoyable enough to be inside the head of, but what really makes me re-read the story is that Wonderland is such a fantastical country. And I think that that is the legacy from the story that Lewis Caroll leaves behind.

Sure, there are awesome characters in the book too. Who can hate the mad-hatter, who just continus his teaparty no matter what? And why did not laugh a little at the Queen of Hearts? I've also already said that Alice was indeed interesting enough, and the writing stile is suitable for smaller children while adult can enjoy it as well.(

Reader reviewed by Jamie

This was an fun and entertaining read it 's a classic. This book is about a girl named "alice" who was bored then suddenly she spotted a white rabbit, then follows the rabbit and the adventure begins! She fell down the rabbit hole and discovered a world of wonder with a smoking caterpillar, A mad hatter , a smiling cat and all things impossible. Overall it was an adventure  and readers won't be dissapointed, this book was mad good !

Reader reviewed by Rvnclw08

I'm an 18 y/o library and this is one of my all time FAVORITES.  It is so good I have read it at least 4 times.  If you love this book you should also read THrough the looking Glass by Lewis Carrol.  and look into the history of it. there are many good tht play on this story like the books by FRANK BEDDOR evveryone should read them.  they are grest for ppl who like video games or ppl like me who just love wonderland

Reader reviewed by Ceesoul

Alice's Adventures in wonderland is one of my all time favorite books, I make a point of reading it at least once a year. Do not be fooled by Disneys cartoon version, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is a dark, comical classic fantasy novel and should be read by everyone who wishes to escape the ordinary and take a journey into the pecular.

Reader reviewed by Jessica

It was ok, but not the best ever at all. I didn't really like the way the story was layed out. It was just one of those books where you read the first page and then the second and then the third and the more you read, the more boring it gets. I would not recommend this book to anyone no matter what type of books they like to read.

Reader reviewed by 3holidaybabies

It is amazing how many people know this story. Of course they know ala Disney, not Carrol. This is such a shame because Alice in Wonderland is such an enchanting story. There is nothing like reading the real thing! Please if you like the movie you will LOVE the book, if you love the movie words can not say how you will feel about the book. A must read classic!

Reader reviewed by Tasmin

In this book, a young girl named Alice falls asleep in the middle of the afternoon while her sister reads. When she wakes up, she spots a white rabbit and follows him down a rabbit hole to Wonderland, where a bite from one side of a mushroom can make you grow and a bite from the other side can make you shrink. Alice goes through a series of adventures, as the title suggests, until finally she wakes up and discovers it was all just a wonderful dream.

Reader reviewed by Jenna

This book is my all-time favorite. I have the poems memorized, the story learned by heart, and all the characters quotable. No book I have found can match the pure innocent charm of this story. Hasn't everyone ever made up their own world and characters at least once? Lewis Carroll's unique look through the eyes of a child will continue to captivate readers everywhere.

Reader reviewed by Jenna

Don't miss this classic, captivating story about a girl's huge imagination and her adventures in it.

Alice is a sweet little girl whose troubles in her own made-up story are both adventurous and hilarious. She meets incredible characters along the way, including the Mad Hatter, the Queen and King of Hearts, the White Rabbit, and many more.
Her ingenious story is not to be missed!

This book is one of my very favorites.