Beware the Little White Rabbit: An Alice in Wonderland-Inspired Anthology

Gr 7 Up—This eclectic anthology of short stories was created in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the magical adventure of Lewis Carroll's Alice as she fell down the rabbit hole. In this volume of 13 incredible journeys, Alice slays hordes of mechanical dormice with her vorpal sword, falls in love with the heroine who flies into her aviary and frees her from imprisonment, ventures into a magical clock after being admonished for not being a proper young lady, and becomes a YouTube sensation after outing a famous fashion designer for using real rabbits in her new line of berets. Also included are stories of Alice as a young Chinese girl adjusting to life in the United States, as a daughter who must care for her dying brother during the Great Plague of 1665, and as a young teen who struggles with cutting. Despite the vast array of story lines, each author captures the spirit of the original Alice: strong-willed, determined, and courageous and even "a badass adventuress." Alice's characterization and the little white rabbit are the threads that tie the distinct pieces together into a cohesive whole. The variety of genres will attract a wide audience and could be a stepping stone for readers who typically do not stray from realistic fiction.