Publisher's Hardcover ©2018 | -- |
Alice. (Fictitious character from Carroll). Juvenile fiction.
Alice. (Fictitious character from Carroll). Fiction.
Starred Review Sabuda, creator of a previous pop-up adaptation of a classic, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (2000), cleaves closely to the original; his full-color artwork is in John Tenniel's classic style, and the abridged text, cleverly tucked into minibooks on each spread, is fairly comprehensive. This faithfulness preserves the contrast between the drawing-room politeness of Tenniel's illustrations and the lunacy of Carroll's imaginings. The pops don't pop so much as gracefully unfurl--and then collapse upon themselves with jaw-dropping ease that leaves one flipping the pages back and forth in amazement. Few readers will peep through the expandable tube that simulates Alice's tumble down the rabbit hole, or admire the closing spread's intricately die-cut, gravity-defying arc of playing cards, without feeling a bit bereft when the adventure comes to an end. This will very likely come to be seen as the definitive pop-up version of Alice, but it will also further establish Sabuda as the foremost visionary of the genre.
Starred Review for Publishers Weekly (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)Readers will be astonished by every tableau in this pop-up extravaganza. The initial spread explodes into a surprisingly tall green forest, topped by billowing leafy shapes that resemble the Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter and Queen of Hearts. On the lawn below, in papery 3D, Alice scurries about while the White Rabbit checks his pocket watch. Along the left-hand border of the book, a series of narrow flaps present an adaptation of Lewis Carroll's text. These pages-within-pages feature pop-ups of a green bottle ("Drink me") that shrinks Alice, a cake that makes her a giant and Alice swimming in "the pool of tears that she had wept when she was nine feet high." Finally, an accordion-pleated square in the lower right corner expands into a long, vertical rabbit hole; through its circular window, Alice can be seen falling, as if into a well. And that's only the beginning. Subsequent stages of this moveable feast include a wiggly Alice grown too large for the White Rabbit's house; a Mad Tea Party with shining silver-foil tea service (the March Hare and Mad Hatter dunk the Dormouse in a teapot); and Alice waving her arms as the Queen and her court, transformed to a "pack of cards," arch over her head like a rainbow. Those who know the story can best negotiate this wonderland, for the narrative gets a bit lost in the visual dimensions. Sabuda, who also has adapted <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, borrows from the Tenniel illustrations, but pares them down and drenches them with violet, fuschia, gold and green hues. His paper engineering snaps solidly into place, and elements like the Cheshire Cat's unfolding face are both startling and beautiful; and the pack of cards rising up into the air will have the audience studying how Sabuda created the effect of scattering and tumbling. A Jabberwocky cheer of "O frabjous day! Calloo, callay!" seems appropriate for this salute to Carroll's classic. All ages. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Oct.)
Horn BookFor those looking for an alternative Alice, this brilliantly illustrated version with its deep fuchsia cover and vibrant watercolors is a visual treat.
Kirkus Reviews<p>Girl falls down a rabbit hole, cries buckets, has a spot of bother about size, plays some croquet, and wakes up in time for tea. The quintessential Victorian children's classic, Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland has been gloriously re-envisioned by pop-up master Sabuda. The bizarre settings and rude creatures of Wonderland burst out with every turn of the page, starting with an ingenious peep-show rabbit hole and ending with an explosion of cards. She's a familiar Alice; Sabuda, while paying homage to original illustrator Sir John Tenniel, uses vibrant colors, thick black outlines, and foil to create a work that is uniquely his. The text is abridged with most of the nonsense poetry left out; perhaps this engaging version will send a few new fans to the original. Carroll, no slouch in the paper-engineering department himself (he designed a disappearing Cheshire Cat stamp case), would be pleased. (Picture book. All ages)</p>
School Library JournalGr 4-Up-McGraw provides a unique visual interpretation of Carroll's classic tale. As in Natasha Wing's Hippity Hop, Frog on Top (1994; o.p.) and Edward Lear's The New Vestments (1995; o.p., both S & S), his gouache illustrations are marked by bold, rich colors and a collage-style layout. His work suggests the influence of early 20th-century abstract, fantasy, and surrealist painters, as well as that of contemporary illustrator Brian Wildsmith. At times, the trip through Wonderland appears nightmarish. The images of Alice with the bottle of poison in front of her face and the executioner as a masked club card clutching an ax are particularly jarring. The story can be read on many levels. McGraw has chosen to portray the deeper, darker side of Alice's adventures. This is definitely a sophisticated and special interpretation that will appeal to a very limited, mature audience.-Heide Piehler, Shorewood Public Library, WI Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
Starred Review ALA Booklist (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)
Starred Review for Publishers Weekly (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)
Horn Book
Kirkus Reviews
School Library Journal
"Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be too late!" he groaned, looking at his watch. Then ZIP! he disappeared down a rabbit hole.
Alice did what any curious girl or boy would do. She followed him right into the hole.
Excerpted from Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
Enjoy Lewis Carroll's timeless classic in a fresh, re-illustrated version that's perfect for the younger child. Enter the topsy-turvy world of Wonderland, where fantasy reigns and the rules of reality disappear. Artist Manuela Adreani offers a breathtaking interpretation of Lewis Carroll's remarkable story, capturing all its magical chaos and bringing to life the eternally fascinating Alice, as well as the White Rabbit, Mad Hatter, Cheshire Cat, Queen of Hearts, and others who populate Carroll's strange and unique universe. Reissue in a new, smaller format.