I wasn't sure how I'd feel about this book, as I'm not a fan of Alice in wonderland but I do enjoy Anna James' writing. so I thought I'd give it a try.
sadly for me, it is much more AIW than Anna, and I just wasn't enjoying all the silliness.
however, I think for those who are big fans of Alice in wonderland/Alice through the looking glass, they will really enjoy this 'sequel' as I feel it stays true to the style of writing and concepts that were used.
so overall, not for me. but Alice fans should love it.

Alice with a Why is written with just the right amount of nostalgia for the original. Even if you’ve not read the original a reader could enjoy this great title. It flows along with the reader cottoning onto each character as Alyce enters the Wonderland her Grandmother had told her stories about but with new twists along the way. All the favourite characters are included with their original quirks but none gratuitously as all deserve their place.
As an adult I spotted the solution and the situation which exists today and many children will pick up on it too, but it’s a great read.

A delightful, adventurous, magical return to Wonderland. The fun, the exploration of Alice and Alyce’s relationship and the connection between the two stories was so lovely. Five stars.

“‘I do wish you could see the stars all the time.’

‘They’re always there, whether you can see them or not.’”

(I’d like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for accepting my request to read this arc in exchange for an honest review ♡)

As some who adored Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland when I was younger, I was so excited to find this arc and be accepted for it! It gave me the opportunity to explore Wonderland again, without having to revisit the stories that I’ve already read several times over. It was everything I had hoped it would be, delightfully pulling me back into my childhood with its beautiful madness, rhyming melodies, and subtle but distinct lessons.

James is a wonderful, charming writer, successfully managing to capture the whimsical essence of Carroll’s original, whilst also managing to extend the world beyond its source. Along the way you meet familiar characters, such as the Hatter, the Hare, the White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat, and the Caterpillar, but you’re also introduced to new characters like the Sun King, the Moon Queen, and the Sailor Fox. Alice With a Why is charming and fun, and I’m certain that any child, teen, and adult can become easily enchanted by this sweet, little continuation of the Alice in Wonderland universe!

Waw, such a great read! Love it! Really brings back the nostalgic childhood stories! I simply loved the new adventure that Alyce has in Wonderland!

Another stellar middlegrade full of whimsy and adventure from one of the most exciting voices in kids' lit. A lovely homage to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland that stands perfectly fine on its own.

Sequels to classics, and to childhood favourites, can be tricky beasts but I really enjoyed this one. James moves the story on to being just post WW1 and mostly features the original Alice's granddaughter - Alyce.

I liked the blend of the contemporary world of Alyce with that of Wonderland and it was good to see familiar characters from Carroll appearing although wisely James does create her own ones so as to not have to mimic the originals too closely.
As an adult I loved the allusions to real events bleeding into Wonderland and causing the strife and thought the whole 'finding closure/acceptance' was done gently and sensitively.
Looking forward to buying my brother in law (a huge Alice fan) a copy of the book.

Anna James has written a continuation of a classic that will sit quite comfortably on the shelf next to the original – everything about it is perfection. The prose, the characters, the story and even the appearance of the Cheshire Cat are just flawless. I loved every word. Alyce is Alice’s granddaughter who doesn’t really believe all her grandmother's adventures about rabbits, Queens, and caterpillars but then an invitation to tea arrives! Absolutely fantastic.

I am never disappointed when I pick up an Anna James and this is such a wonderful read. I absolute love reading Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and so my interest was piqued with the title.
From the onset, there is this charmingly chatty narrator style and little odes to the original story, but this is also uniquely brilliant.
The story is set in 1919 and Alyce (with a y) remains at Specula House with her Grandmother Alice. The Great War has ended and the imaginative tales her grandmother used to tell her are no longer told, and the house once filled with love and laughter has become silent and sad. Alyce finds herself by the pond talking to her grandmother's cat - Dinah - when a strange NOITATIVNI (invitation) to tea arrives from MH, MM and D and Alyce, after a watery mishap, finds herself sinking into a magical world. A world that is both familiar to the reader of Alice's Adventures, but also delightfully new.
This is such a cleverly crafted read, for Anna James has also managed to remind us of the futility of war and very eloquently made reference to the scientific believe that we are all made of stars. A beautiful read.
Thank you to both the publishers and to NetGalley for an early read.

I was nervous but excited to read this - it’s one of my favourite childhood stories- could a return for Alice’s granddaughter be a disappointment?

I think Lewis would be overjoyed to be honest. It’s more than perfect. It has the perfect balance of madcap and whimsy. It could have been written by Lewis himself.

My only complaint is that it is too short! I would have loved more.

My thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, Children's for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am a big fan of Anna James' Treehouse Series and of course Carroll's Alice stories so this was perfect.

Alyce (with a Y) lives with her grandmother (Alice) in 1919. Her sailor Dad has died during the First World War . Alyce receives a mysterious invitation to a tea party. Once in the other world she has a quest to recover a missing hour, which has disrupted the world,, due to a dispute between the King of the Sun and the Queen of the Moon.

We meet lots of familiar characters along the way;- The Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit etc. We also have new characters like Alyce's companion the Fox. Who wouldn't want a great friend like him?

James captures the quirky and distinctive tone of the originals and seasons it with her own warm humour. As with all the best children's books there is dark as well as light as Alyce struggles with her grief. Again as with all children's books adults would find something "nourishing" in this book too and would recognise the satire (compare with Pratchett or Kafka even?) . It would also be a great book to share,. as it reads well aloud.

As a magical adventure it sparkles and shimmers. It's entertaining. I give out 5 stars rarely but this truly deserved it. Can't wait to re-read it. a "sequel" that encapsulates the spirit of the original and gives you more besides.

I read this last night, glorious nonsense in true Carrol fashion. @acaseforbooks.bsky.social was the perfect author for it & I'm really looking forward to seeing a finished copy @harpercollins.bsky.social! #KidLitUK
Quoting bleet: Another muppet flail for a *gorgeous* proof of Alice With a Why by @acaseforbooks.bsky.social, publishing in June by @harpercollins.bsky.social #KidLitUK. It will have illustrations, inside by Matthew Land & cover by Isobelle Ouzman, & I'm expecting a beauty.

4.25 ⭐

I really, really enjoyed this one.

I loved how whimsy it was and just how well it paid homage to the original story. It honestly brought my so much joy & nostalgia.

Anna James has honestly mastered these characters and I could hear their voices in my head when I read this book.

I would love to honestly read more!

Alice With a Why - Anna James

“Begin at the beginning and go on until you come to the end: then stop.” - Alice’s Adventures in wonderland

What a wonderful book, funny and beautifully written. I grew up with an Uncle who was Alice in Wonderland mad and he would have loved this book!
~ R.I.P Speedy.

…”I know I shouldn’t rip up books,” said Alyce to Dinah. So you mustn’t look at me like that. But really what does it matter in the end? If I were a book, I should like to be a different thing for a while.” 👧 🐱

I need a caterpillar, he made me laugh. I’d leave my unfinished books with him. 🐛 📖
I need a fox too, what a charming character. 🦊 ⭐️


I highly recommend this book to any Alice in Wonderland fan, it’s perfect for youngsters and an older audience and it’s my personal favourite read so far this year! - May just have to read it again 😉

Anna James is a favourite author in our house. The first book in her Pages & Co series, Tilly and the Book Wanderers, will always be considered one of those very special books that made my younger daughter a reader. Since she also adores Alice in Wonderland (with a special request for me to make a Cheshire Cat cake for her 7th birthday), she’s sure to enjoy Alice with a Why as well. At 15, I know she’ll love the nostalgia of this story as much as I did.

It’s 1919. Alyce (with a y) is living with her grandmother – also Alice. Her father, a wonderful inventor and naval engineer, died in the Great War leaving a huge gap in his place. Alyce’s mother has gone to look after her own mother and taken baby Archimedes with her. Their home, once a bustling war hospital, is now quiet without all the soldiers to chat with. Her grandmother used to tell them all so many imaginative stories of things that happened to her when she was young but now a sadness has settled in and there are no more stories.

One day, Alyce is chatting with her grandmother’s cat, Dinah, and making paper boats to help her remember her father, when she comes across a strange invitation to tea from “MH, MM and D”. It looks like it’s addressed to ‘Alice’ – which Alyce knows must be her grandmother. A mishap on the pond causes Alyce to sink into a magical world.

In this new world, nothing makes sense. A series of unusual characters talking in rhymes and riddles set Alyce on a quest to find the “Time Being” and stop the war between the Sun King and the Queen of the Moon. At each stage of her journey, she hears stories of a previous Alice who did so many amazing things and discovers just how amazing she is as well.

Alice with a Why is a wonderfully modern twist on a well-loved classic story. There is a joy in understanding the literary references and being ‘in the know’ as old favourites like the Mad Hatter, the mock turtle and the caterpillar perched on his mushroom greet Alyce and set her next challenge. Through each short, engaging chapter, Anna James beautifully captures Lewis Carroll’s fast-paced, haphazard style. Poems, songs, questions and clues push through Alyce’s sadness to reveal the joy of words, unique friendship and the secrets of her grandmother’s past. Readers will find themselves immersed in this delightful exploration of language as they attempt to puzzle out the answers and help Alyce find her way home.

Thank you to Harper Collins Children’s Books and NetGalley for an early read of this fantastic book!

Anna James + Alice in Wonderland: I mean, what else could you possibly want!

It's a really good, fun novel. I was worried it would just be a copy of the original, but it's not. Anna has given us enough of the classic that we know what it is, but with enough freshness for it to be its own story.

We've got the characters we've always loved - the Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter, March Hare, Dormouse etc - but with new ones - Alyce, the Queen of the Moon and the Sun King. It gives us everyone and everything we want but she adds her own creative spin on it so it doesn't feel like she's just regurgitated the original story.

It's so whimsical and magical, and really took this somewhat grumpy and pessimistic 31 year old, and brought her back to the innocence and wonder of being a child. I was just so happy reading it.

I think it would be perfect for schools, or for bedtime reading. I wonder if the Amazon recommended reading age of 7-9 is a bit too young. I would have assumed it'd be something like 8-10 or 10-12. But honestly, I think it'd suit all ages, young, old, and middleish.

My advanced digital copy didn't have any of the illustrations in it, and so I am really looking forward to seeing the finished copy as I can just imagine how beautiful they're going to be and how much they'll add to the story.

It's been years since I last read Alice in Wonderland, and this has made me want to return to it - good thing I've got three copies!

Wow, that is just a beautiful story. Fun, adventurous and encapsulating so many key elements that make a story joyous. Fabulous characters, an amazing journey that evokes the best from the original Alice in Wonderland but also reminds you of The Little Prince as well as The Phantom Tollbooth. Emotional, exciting and delightful. The comments from the narrator give a unique personality to the story with drops of humour that make you smile and make you re-read sections again and again.

Alice With a Why by Anna James is a thoughtful return to Wonderland, blending familiar whimsy with themes of grief and identity. Set in 1919, Alyce—granddaughter of the original Alice—finds herself drawn into a Wonderland at war, where stolen time and fading magic mirror her own personal loss. James captures the spirit of Carroll’s world while adding emotional depth and a fresh mythos.

While the reimagining is clever and the characters charming, the pacing can feel uneven, with moments where introspection slows the adventure. Still, this is an imaginative and well-crafted story that balances nostalgia with originality. A solid read for those who enjoy a darker, more reflective take on classic tales.

This book is a masterpiece. It reimagines a classic and breathes fresh air into it whilst maintaining the same atmosphere of the original. When I first started reading it, I felt like I was in a rabbit hole already as things and characters seem confusing in a deliberate way. It really is a stroke of genius. Will definitely buy it when it comes out.

This review is solely on the writting as sadly the illustrations where no included in the eARC. And I do think this illustrations would enhance the read more, given the placement mentions, and indications. So will have to wait and see the finished book for the illustrations.

The two Alice's (Alice and Alyce) is a interesting way to revisit Wonderland, we had the typical twist and play on words, the nonsense with then later makes sense. It was like reading Alice in Wonderland but this time on a different adventure.

So Alyce recieves an invitation that was ment for her grandmother Alice who originally ventured to Wonderland. Anna James takes elements and characters from the original and adds new challenges, troubles and adventure and we get to see some out but also meet some new characters.