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

'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*

New for 2025, an enchanting illustrated story for children, inspired by the classic tale of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

About the Author

Anna James is the acclaimed author of the Pages and Co. series. As a journalist, she writes for a variety of newspapers and magazines, and chairs events at bookshops and literary festivals across the UK. She lives in London, in a flat full of books.

@acaseforbooks

Reviews

'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

'A pitch-perfect return to Wonderland. Alice fans will delight in Anna James's deft and clever evocation of Lewis Carroll' Katherine Woodfine, author of The Sinclair's Mysteries

'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. I absolutely loved it' 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

'Featuring Matthew Land's gorgeous black and white illustrations, James combines joyful homage and fantastical adventure to take readers on a whirlwind trip through Wonderland' The Bookseller

Book Information
ISBN 9780008611507
Author Anna James
Format Paperback
Page Count 256
Imprint HarperCollins
Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
Weight(grams) 270g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 21mm