For families seeking a whimsical journey through a beloved story, this book reintroduces Alice's Wonderland adventures with clever, Carroll-esque rhyming verse.
A parent might reach for this book when their child is ready for classic stories but finds dense prose intimidating. Alice in Verse reimagines Lewis Carroll's beloved tale through 19 clever, rhyming poems, making the journey down the rabbit hole more accessible and musical. It follows Alice as she navigates the absurdities of Wonderland, grappling with her own identity amidst a cast of bizarre characters. This book is perfect for nurturing curiosity, imagination, and a love for language in children aged 7 to 12. Its unique poetic format offers a fresh, engaging way to experience a timeless adventure, building vocabulary and confidence with classic literature.
The story deals with themes of identity confusion ("Who are you?") and mild peril (the Queen of Hearts' threats of "Off with her head!"). The approach is entirely metaphorical and nonsensical, fitting the fantasy context. There is no religious content. The resolution is a return to normalcy as Alice awakens, framing the adventure as a dream.
Ideal Reader
An imaginative 8 to 10 year old who loves wordplay, puzzles, and fantasy but might be intimidated by the original Carroll novel. Also excellent for a child in a poetry unit at school who finds traditional poetry dry; this book shows how narrative and verse can be fun.
Parent Prep
No major prep needed. It can be read cold. However, if the child is completely unfamiliar with the Alice story, a parent might briefly explain that it's a famous story about a girl who falls into a dream world. Previewing the illustrations might also be helpful to set the whimsical, slightly surreal tone. The parent notices their child enjoys fantasy movies or graphic novels but struggles to engage with classic chapter books. The child might say, "Old books are boring," or, "The words are too hard."
Age Experience
A 7-8 year old will enjoy the rhythm, the funny characters, and the straightforward adventure. An 11-12 year old will have a deeper appreciation for the clever rhymes, the puns, the Carroll-esque style, and the underlying themes of logic versus nonsense and the search for self.
What Makes It Special
While many Alice adaptations exist, this book's unique value is its commitment to the poetic form. It doesn't just simplify the story; it transforms it into a different literary medium, honoring Carroll's own love of verse and nonsense poetry. This makes it a great "next step" from Dr. Seuss and a gentle on-ramp to more complex classic literature.
Read plot summary
A poetic retelling of Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and parts of "Through the Looking-Glass". It follows Alice's journey into a nonsensical world where she meets the White Rabbit, Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter, and Queen of Hearts, with each episode captured in a distinct rhyming poem.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
In the poem about the Mad Tea-Party, the rules of conversation keep changing. Have you ever been in a situation where you didn't understand the rules? How did it make you feel?
2
Alice changes size many times in the book. Why do you think her size is so important in Wonderland? How does it affect how other characters treat her?
3
The Cheshire Cat tells Alice that everyone in Wonderland is mad. Do you think Alice is mad too? What does it mean to be 'mad' in this story?
4
Which of the poems was your favorite to read aloud? What did you like about the rhymes or the rhythm in that specific poem?
