It is official. There is nothing Anna James can not do. I want to take up permanent residence in her imagination. ALYCE WITH A WHY is not only a marvel, it is also an absolute delight. As I read, I could not stop smiling, nodding along, laughing out loud, and even remembering the Carroll book and Disney film adaptation. Trust Ms. James. Take her hand, jump with her back into a world of nonsense, and simply, enjoy yourself.

ALYCE WITH A WHY is not a re-telling or a reboot of the Lewis Carroll classic. It is an original story, parts of which feel like The Oz Books, The Secret Garden, and Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland all in one. With a splash of Roald Dahl.

The story takes place in March 1919. World War I is over. Alyce is living with her grandmother Alice — yes, that Alice — who would entertain her granddaughter and recovering soldiers, the estate was a convalescent home during the war, with stories of her adventures in Wonderland. When Alyce was younger, she thought the stories enchanting, but now that she is a little bit older and is grieving the loss of her father, who was in the Navy during the war, the stories are not quite as diverting as they used to be.

One day, Alyce was sailing paper boats in the pond, accompanied by her grandmother’s cat Dinah, when she finds a piece of paper, inviting A to tea. She then falls into the pond and sinks all the way to the bottom, reminiscent of her grandmother falling down the rabbit hole, only to discover the invitation to tea came from the Hatter, March Hare, and Dormouse.

They need Alyce’s help! The Sun King and the Queen of the Moon are fighting. They have declared war on each other, and it is all over a stolen hour. Wonderland needs Alice to speak with the King and Queen and set things right. Only, the wrong Alice arrived in Wonderland. But Alyce sets off to see what she can do.

Older readers will laugh and experience nostalgia when Alyce meets classic characters like Caterpillar, Duchess, Cheshire Cat, Gryphon, and Mock Turtle. However, they will also fall in love with several new characters, especially Fox.

ALYCE WITH A WHY is stuffed to the gills with plenty of puns, clever word play, illogic, as well as brilliant illustrations (and plenty of material for those with psychology backgrounds searching for deeper meaning — trust me, it’s there). While I read it on my own in a single sitting, because once I started, I just could not stop, this book is the perfect story to share as a family right before bedtime.

110% can not recommend this book enough! I love Anna James she creates such wonderful magical worlds and pulls from so many children's classics! You can not go wrong with any Anna James. Gift all her books to yourself , friends, family any one and everyone!

Anna James
The setting is March 1919.
Alyce was the granddaughter of the original Alice. Alyce’s father, Rusty, graduated from Cambridge University where he received a degree in engineering, but he was much more an inventor. Alyce’s mother told her he wasn’t an official sailor, but he was so good with boats that the Navy asked him to come and help when the war started. Rusty studied fishing boats and realized the nets used for fishing could help to find the enemies’ mines. Alyce’s father was on one of the boats when it hit a mine.
Alyce’s mother, Sylvie, was going to have a baby and Sylvie’s mother was in bad health and needed Sylvie’s help. She left Alyce to live with her grandmother Alice at Specula House. Specula House had been used as a hospital for injured soldiers. Alyce felt all alone, her father was gone, her mother was gone and now all the soldiers at the hospital were gone.
Alyce has heard her grandmother retelling her adventures in Wonderland, but Alyce doubted they were real. She thought her grandmother was just telling stories until she was smacked in the face by a wet invitation to a tea party. Alyce saw her father make paper boats; she tore pages from a book as she attempted to make a floating paper boat. She used the invitation to make a boat, and it floated. A wind caught the boat and pushed Iit toward the middle of the lake. As Alyce tried to retrieve it she slipped and fell into the water. As she sank down the water became clearer. She had no trouble breathing underwater. At the bottom of the ocean, she found a Tea Party. The Mad Hatter, March Hare, Dormouse, Mock Turtle and Cheshire Cat are all there along with new characters/friends. The Wise Fox stayed by her side as she makes her way through Wonderland. Alyce has a mission. She couldn’t go home until she found the Time Being and help the Sun King and Queen of the Moon. They are at war over a missing hour. With Alyce’s assistance perhaps they can find a way to stop their war.
What a delightful book. I love it. Author Anna James has stayed true to the original book but added a bit of a twist. This tale is incredible and amusing. It was written for 8–12-year-olds. This is the type of book you want to read to your children at bedtime.
I received a digital copy of this book for review purposes. My reviews are always unbiased and my own opinion.

What worked:
The story requires mental engagement and may remind readers of The Phantom Tollbooth. Numerous examples of wordplay fill the story as Alyce is introduced to the characters of Wonderland. Readers’ first taste of puzzlement happens when she falls into a tea party. “… Alyce with a Y.” “A why?... Do you have where or who?” There is a definite breakdown in communication, as Alyce tries to explain that she’s not the Alice who visited before. The narrator helps to form connections with the text by speaking directly to readers. These connections might, or might not, help with understanding the language and story. However, readers are often left on their own.
The major difference from Alice in Wonderland is the introduction of two conflicting characters. The Sun King and Queen of the Moon are fighting over a stolen hour, which results in sudden changes between daylight and nighttime. Characters don’t know when to sleep, because sunshine may return at any moment. Alyce is forced into the role of peacekeeper even though she struggles to navigate this strange world. She’s joined by Fox for much of her adventure, and he helps by offering moral support and suggestions. They’re told to find the Time Being, as he might have ideas for resolving the conflict.
Middle-graders who’ve read or seen the movie of Alice in Wonderland will recognize many of the characters. The Mad Hatter, Dormouse, and the Hare greet Alyce at a tea party. The Cheshire Cat offers her confusing directions. The smoking Caterpillar is busy eating pages of poetry, but he still provides Alyce with suggestions. The Three Men in a Tub help Alyce and Fox sail across water, and White Rabbit makes a brief appearance, telling Alyce she’s late.
What didn’t work as well:
Young readers might tire of the wordplay, as it’s never-ending. The playful language contributes humor, but it also creates confusion. The climax is anti-climactic, as the suspense never builds to a dramatic, defining moment. Alyce’s quest to find the Time Being doesn’t turn out as expected.
The final verdict:
Although it’s not necessary, it will be helpful if readers are familiar with Alice in Wonderland. They’ll miss the many references to the original story with that knowledge. The fairy tale format is universally engaging, and I suggest you try it out.

“𝔜𝔬𝔲 𝔠𝔞𝔫 𝔩𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔪𝔬𝔰𝔱 𝔲𝔰𝔢𝔣𝔲𝔩 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔰 𝔦𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔰𝔱𝔯𝔞𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔰𝔱 𝔬𝔣 𝔭𝔩𝔞𝔠𝔢𝔰.” 🐇☕️🫖🌞🌜❤️⚓️⛵️🦊
This book caused me emotional damage!!!! This was such a fun way to spin the classic tale of Alice in Wonderland.
I have such a soft spot for Alice I have always felt weird and out of place so I have always been drawn to the kinship and wonder of Wonderland. They are all so just whimsical and so authentically unusual and themselves.
In this retelling you follow Alyce, not Alice, but Alyce. Alyce is the granddaughter of our original and famous Alice. She comes across an invite to Wonderland and before she even has a chance to figure out if it’s for her or someone else she has a fall that has her landing right into the mythical Wonderland her grandmother has always told stories about. She thought her grandmother was just a senile old lady, turns out she’s all there after all. Now Alyce has to try and fill her grandma’s shoes as Wonderland’s savior and figure out how to help the civilians of this beautifully weird world.
❃ SPOILER ALERT ❃
The fox and Alyce made me sob man. Emotional damage all around.
Him becoming a star and leaving her to finish her journey on her own, leaving her like her daddy did killed me.
AND DON’T GET ME STARTED ON THE FACT THAT HE POINTS THE WAY EVEN AS A STAR. That little fox is dedicated to his job.

I’ve been a fan of Alice in Wonderland since I was a little girl in the 1980s, and I always look forward to reading new adaptations to see how authors play with Lewis Carroll’s world. Anna James’s Alice with a Why did not disappoint.

This retelling feels both familiar and fresh. Following Alyce, Alice’s granddaughter, was such a fun twist, and I loved how the story wove grief, war, and wonder together into something whimsical but meaningful. Wonderland itself felt transformed—less like a child’s dreamscape and more like a magical realm grappling with its own conflicts. The Sun King vs. Queen of the Moon storyline was particularly imaginative.

With cameos from old favorites like the Cheshire Cat and Mad Hatter, plus new additions like the Sailor Fox, this book captured the nostalgia of Carroll’s original while creating its own unique voice. A beautiful, enchanting adventure that honors the past but still carves out something new.

As a lifelong Carroll fan and huge fan of James’ work, I felt confident this one would be worthwhile…and it certainly was! James did an excellent job capturing the whimsy and light adventure of the original work, while still maintaining quick pacing and providing a more accessible read for a young, modern audience. The familiar characters were lovely to encounter, and the addition of Alyce’s fox companion was a delight. It could have been a bit more of an adventure, but I think it will hit well for middle grades readers regardless. Really the only thing I was disappointed by were the illustrations. Oh well, still an excellent, fun read that will hopefully encourage some fans to try out Carroll if they haven’t before.

This book was so sweet! There is no doubt that this book is a Wonderland, it has all the riddles and confusing talk of the original book. Alyce is sweet and seeing her follow in her grandmother’s footsteps was amazing! I liked seeing all the characters from the original book and the new ones as well. The only bad things I can think of is it did kinda mention the Big Bang, which as a Christian I don’t support. Also the beginning was a bit confusing but as you go on it makes more sense, as much as Wonderland can make sense. Also, Fox is my favorite. All in all, a very good book.

Anna James is one of new newest favorite authors and she did a stunning job with this book! I quite literally read it all in one sitting. She captured the heart and chaos of Alice and of Wonderland and all the different characters, but with her granddaughter. The fox was my favorite character! This was a lovely adventure.