Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for letting me read a copy. Alice with a why started and finished really well, but I felt a bit lost in the middle. It was very much in the style of Alice and it was a nice length to read. I enjoyed the new setting and the adventure. I do wonder if it would have been a better experience reading a hardback copy as it looks as though there are to be plenty of images which would have made a difference I think. The front cover is beautiful.

I am very much looking forward to the next Chronicles of Whetherwhy.

3.5

Alice With a Why is an upcoming middle-grade novel by Anna James. As a fan of her Bookwanderers series, I was eager to read this new adventure. The story follows Alyce, who lives with her grandmother, the original Alice, until a mysterious invitation from the Mad Hatter and his friends arrives. Though meant for Alice, it is Alyce who ends up in Wonderland, only to find the whimsical world in trouble once again.

This is a short middle-grade book, almost novella-length. Unfortunately, I struggled to connect with the characters and the story. A significant factor may have been that my advanced reader copy lacked the illustrations, which are meant to enhance the experience. Despite this, I would love to revisit the finished version with the artwork included. One (un)expected outcome of reading this book was that it inspired me to finally pick up Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, a classic I had never read before.

Return to Wonderland in this extraordinary reimagining of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, by one of our most brilliant storytellers
LOVE, LOVE, LOOOOOOVVVEEE, LOVED IT!!!… Absolutely stunning!!!… I was completely swept away!!…

I thought this was spectacularly charming and a welcome return to the nonsense and whimsy of Wonderland. Alyce (with a Y) receives an invitation (actually a noitativni) and falls into the lake, where somehow she can breathe and discovers herself at a tea party with much broken crockery and no sugar!

Alyce is set a mission to stop a war between the Sun King and Queen of the Moon. Their war has taken all the stars from the sky and the constant changing between night and day is making everyone unsettled.

She must find “The time being” to help her set the war to end but cannot find this being. Instead she meets some very familiar characters- the Cheshire Cat, The Butcher, Baker and Candlestick maker and most importantly, a charming fox who endeavours to help her on her journey.

While the familiarity of Wonderland was present, it was also a delightful reimagining of this classic. Alyce has her own journey through, different to that of the original Alice, who happens to be her grandmother.

Whether there is a moral, metaphor or special meaning is up for each reader to decide but I think this is a rather special story. Alyce and Alice are grieving, the war has just ended and this provides them with an opportunity to re-connect since their loss.

Perfectly written!

Our same old (literally) Alice and her granddaughter Alyce not only in Wonderland but also in postwar England.
We have the Queen of the Moon, the fox, the Mad Hatter to name a few.
The Caterpillar makes little but also a lot of sense at the same time as usual.
Alyce and Wonderland are much like the original in nature.
Quick and fun read. Nice way to reconnect with your children.
Wish this were longer.

Alyce is living in England in 1919 with her grandmother at Specula House, a place that was, until recently, full of recovering soldiers; however, now that the war has ended it is a much quieter place. Even more so as Alyce's father died during the war and her mother has taken her baby brother off to look after her own mother, leaving Alyce (with a why) with Alice (the original). Unsure as to how to move forward with this new situation, Alyce wanders into the garden where she is hit (literally) with an invitation to a rather mysterious tea party. Considering the invitation to be more useful if it's turned into a boat, Alyce does just and that, and it is proving a rather successful decision until Alyce falls into the water and ends up on an adventure that she will never forget.

Let me just say from the start that I adore everything about this book.
From the moment I began reading Alyce With A Why, I knew it was going to be something special and I wasn't wrong. From the style of writing to the humour subtly woven in, to the play on words that leads to confusion which is so perfectly timed and cleverly written, this is a book that will delight readers of all ages.

During the was Alyce's grandmother, Alice, transformed the family home, Specula House, so that the place could house and tend to soldiers injured in the fighting.

As well as nursing the soldiers, Alyce's grandmother, Alice, entertained them with magical stories of a place called Wonderland, but people believed they were just that, stories to help those in recovery. However, now the war is over, the soldiers have gone and the house is empty. Alice is clearly mourning the loss of her father and is feeling lost. She wanders to the pond in an attempt to feel closer to him but the unorthodox arrival of the invitation changes everything. The adventure that Alyce goes on is the most magical thing. However, her trip to Wonderland is more than just aphysical journey, it's a journey that shows her how resilient and brave she can be; she learns how to face challenges and she discovers what she can actually do. It's a journey that will inspire readers.

Some books demand to be gobbled up in one sitting (I do that a lot!), then there are the books that beg to be savoured and Alyce With A Why is one of those books. I have patiently eeked this book out from Sunday evening until Thursday, treating myself to a few pages at a time, being sure to read and appreciate every word, for that's what this book needs and deserves. You need to immerse yourself in this wonderful world of fantasy and dreams, of long loved characters and journeys that will transform and bring joy.

There's a comforting warmth to this book that's like being wrapped in a hug, one you never want to leave. You cannot help but get lost amongst the pages and I can't wait to get hold of a physical copy and to see the illustrations that I know will only further enhance the story. Some books stay with you long after you've finished the final page and Alyce With A Why is most definitely one of those books. I know it's only March but this is already guaranteed to be one of my favourite books of the year.

Publishing on the 19th June, Alyce With A Why is destined to become a classic and Anna deserves all success that this book is guaranteed to receive.

Alice With a Why by Anna James is such a good story. So so good. I loved every single detail about this story and I recommend everyone to read this book as fast as they can because it's really good.

THANK YOU is all I can begin this review with and that is directed solely at Anna James. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was one of my favourite stories growing up. I was and still am obsessed and, I must admit, it’s where my love for thinking there were adventures to be had in worlds beyond our own began. Alice With a Why captured that exact same magic and for the duration of reading, allowed me to slip back into my childhood and I cannot say thank you enough.
 
Taking on a world like Wonderland with its many portrayals in various forms of media is not an easy feat, but James’ writing was MADE for this. Not once did it feel like James was trying to replicate Lewis Carroll, instead every sentence felt like an ode to him and this magic he created. There was rhythmic nature to the form that meant I happily bounced along the story as I did the original when I first read it decades ago. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, James is a commanding force in Children’s fiction currently and Alice With a Why continues to show why.
 
Now, let’s talk protagonists. After literally two and a half decades of loving Alice, finding myself confronted with a new Alyce – with a Y – to take me on this new adventure, I was a touch unnerved. I was hesitant that perhaps Alyce would exist only in her grandmother’s shadow and would struggle to reach fruition as her own character. Well, I was wrong. She’s open to the new world around her in ways her grandmother was not, and more stubborn in others, yet there was still enough of Alice’s traits that you could see their relation. That fine line of making Alyce a granddaughter and not a recreation or a distinct opposite must’ve been tough to write but James has conquered it.
 
Whilst revisiting characters like Mad Hatter, March Hare, Dormous and more, it is the new characters James has created and built out that shine brightly off the page. I cannot say much more as I don’t want to give any spoilers but Fox will hold a special place in my heart from now on and whenever I see anyone animating Wonderland, I will be sure to ask them where the Fox is.
 
I want to take a moment for the cover of this book too. I messaged James separately as I said I don’t think it was consciously done, but how beautifully this will sit on bookshelves alongside other editions of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, specifically the Wordsworth edition. @matthew_kelly_artist has done a phenomenal job at making this cover so extremely 2025 yet classic at the same time and I know it’s going to look exquisite on all the bookshelves this book is bound to sit on.
 
All I can say is, Anna James found a way to make Wonderland ever more wondrous, and at 32, I didn’t think that was possible for a story that I’ve lived with for over three quarters of my life. If you haven’t pre-ordered your copy yet, there are beautiful special editions available, and I recommend you do so. You never know, you might find an invitation to Wonderland inside…

Instant 5 star because, Alice In Wonderland, obviously! A life long favourite of mine and I absolutely adore adaptations and retellings.
But, also a very well deserved 5 star! The writing style is so unique and whimsical, the story is told through the POV of Alyce, the granddaughter of Alice, the OG. Straight away you're thrown into her chaotic dialogue, and throughout it's just so fun to read. There's inspiration from all over through the whole book, including Tim Burtons adaptation! "You've got the |wrong| Alice!" The whole thing is just so fun and nostalgic. I loved it so much. An absolute privilege to read and review this one.
I can't wait to get my hands on the special edition physical copy to add to my Alice in Wonderland collection.

Anna James - author of the brilliant Pages & Co series- has taken her wonderful imagination and stepped into the world of Lewis Carroll by bringing us a new version of Alice in Wonderland.

But this is a new Alyce (yes with a Y)- this is the granddaughter of the original Alice who finds herself living her grandmother at Specula House. Set in 1919 , Alyce's father has died in World War I and she is stying with her grandmother. The house was used as a hospital in the war

Upon discovering an invitation between the pages of a book Alyce soon finds herself in Wonderland after falling out of a paper boat; but upon a rival she finds she has a problem to solve - The Queen of the Moon and The Sun King are engaged in a battle - the King has stolen an hour from the Queen.

Alyce needs to go in search of The Time Being to find her way home and solve the problems of Wonderland Meeting up with lots of familiar characters- the Mad Hatter, The Mock Turtle, Dormouse, Alyce has to find the right route - she is joined by a wise fox.

Anna James has recreated Wonderland but with a twist- loyal to the original but with a new twist, this is a wonderful fantasy adventure- perfect as a bedtime read or a class story time- surreal, magical, full of of humour and wisdom.

A fantastical winner full of nostalgia for parents and new delights for younger readers.