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Alice With a Why

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What to expect

Return to Wonderland in this extraordinary reimagining of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, by one of our most brilliant storytellers

WINNER OF THE BLACKWELL’S CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR

SHORTLISTED FOR WATERSTONES CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR

SHORTLISTED FOR FOYLES CHILDREN’S BOOK OF THE YEAR

AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

'A delight' Katherine Rundell

‘Spectacular!’ Kiran Millwood Hargrave

‘An absolute masterclass’ Hannah Gold

‘Enchanting’ Tamzin Merchant

‘Wonderful’ Cressida Cowell

England, 1919. Alyce – with a Y – lives with her grandmother, the original Alice, having lost her father during the Great War. When a mysterious invitation to a tea party hits her square in the face, Alyce realises her grandmother’s strange stories of a place called Wonderland might have some truth to them after all.

But the land Alyce finds herself in feels different from the Wonderland of her grandmother’s stories – for it is 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 Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and a Sailor Fox, Alyce will have to solve Wonderland’s problems and, eventually, find her way back home.

Enter an enchanting adventure through Wonderland, featuring stunning illustrations by Matthew Land. Starring new characters and old favourites, Alice With a Why is both a celebration of Lewis Carroll's beloved original story, and a modern masterpiece.

*Includes bonus chapters from Anna’s epic fantasy, Chronicles of Whetherwhy and the original Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland*

Critics Review

‘A true delight’ The Telegraph
'A delight, both for lovers of Alice and those for whom this is their first visit to Wonderland.' Katherine Rundell, author of Impossible Creatures
‘Spectacular! Walks the tightrope of merging a classic with freshness immaculately, a story that will scoop up readers old and new and send them joyfully back to Wonderland. Funny, tender and oh so clever’ Kiran Millwood Hargrave, author of In the Shadow of the Wolf Queen
‘This enchanting tale absolutely sings, brimming with delight and joyful absurdity. I loved this Alyce: a heartfelt and hilarious return to Wonderland’ Tamzin Merchant, author of The Hatmakers
‘A wonderful reimagining of a classic for modern readers’ Cressida Cowell, author of How to Train Your Dragon
‘A perfect gem of a book’ Alexander Armstrong, author of Evenfall
‘An absolute masterclass of writing – Alice With a Why is inventive, creative, tender and fun’ Hannah Gold, author of The Last Bear
‘The perfect return to Wonderland – magical, moving, whimsical and very clever. Whether you are a longtime fan of Alice in Wonderland, or new to the world, you will be enchanted.’ Katie Tsang, author of Dragon Mountain
‘One of the best children’s books I’ve read in a long time. Delightful, joyful and worthy of the original’ Jordan Lees, author of The Whisperwicks
‘A beautiful and witty return to Wonderland, infused with all the nonsense, mischief and delight of the original’ Pari Thomson, author of Greenwild
‘This book will fill you with joy, and with love, and with hope. It is, quite simply, a masterpiece’ Chris Smith, author of The New Famous Five
‘An extremely confident retelling, in which James has managed to adopt some of Carroll’s most beloved characters, and use them to tell a story that is thoroughly her own’ Daily Telegraph
‘James’s novel, imagining Wonderland through the eyes of Alice’s granddaughter Alyce, is a true delight’ Included in The Telegraph's Greatest Books of 2025
Author Anna James, Illustrated by Matthew Land
Narrator Kristen Atherton
Duration 2 hours and 47 minutes
Release Date
ISBN 9780008611491
Format Audiobook
Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
Genre Children’s / Teenage fiction: Action and adventure stories, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Family and home stories, Children’s / Teenage fiction: General fiction, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Magical realism, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Nature and animal stories
Availability AU, GB, IE

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