LAE 4424: Traditional Literature Books

Alice in Wonderland

By Lewis Carroll

This version was published in 2001 by Scholastic Inc. This book is aimed at beginning chapter book readers where it transitions to more words per page but it also includes printed black ink pictures to give readers an idea of events that are taking place within the story. The illustrations were made by Sir John Tenniel. Pictures are separated about every page and half from one another on average.

In this version, there only twelve chapters so this could be read by a 3-5 grade elementary student over the course of a week if they paced themselves two chapters a day. The chapters range from 5-7 pages (front-and-back). Most of the book is told from the perspective the protagonist and young Alice. The book is told by a third-person narrator but it aims its attention more to the character of Alice. As the reader, you have more knowledge of her thoughts and her actions. On the contrary, we only see other characters actions but not their thoughts.

Alice in Wonderland

By Walt Disney Company, Lewis Carroll

This book was published on October 28, 1997. The book follows the Disney version of Alice in Wonderland on every page. The book doesn’t name a specific author or illustrator. The credit isn’t even given in the book. The information had to researched online because of the age of this book. The illustrations span across both pages, and the language is suited more toward a child from end of first grade, early second grade and on.

The book as a whole is ninety-five pages. The length is too difficult to follow for children at a kindergarten or first grade age. This story is suited for older elementary aged children who enjoy Disney movie stories or for parents reading to their children. The book is told by a third person narrator, who is following Alice’s journey. Alice is the main character, but the book shows supporting characters that Alice encounters and holds conversations with.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass

This series was originally published in 1865/1872 and this particular book was published in 2010. The author is Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson) and the illustrations are done by Sir John Tenniel. This is one of the longer Alice in Wonderland books due to it also including Through the Looking Glass which is the second part of the original story. This particular book is meant for older grades (5th-8th) since it is a chapter book containing 216 pages. The book contains two separate stories which is why the book is longer than most. There are some illustrations, but not as many as most of the books contain.

The first part of the book is told from the perspective of Alice. It tells the story of her sitting on a bank next to her sister with not much to do like most days. She then sees a rabbit which she follows and ends up falling down a hole and ending up in wonderland. This is where she meets the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, the Queen of Hearts, and other important chapters. This is also where she actually talks to the rabbit. In the second part of the book, Through the Looking-Glass the perspective is told from mostly Alice but also other characters such as the Rabbit and the Mad Hatter. In this series the rabbit comes to find Alice because he and the other characters need her help saving the Mad Hatter.

References

Carroll, L., & Tenniel, J. (2001). Alice in Wonderland. New York: Scholastic.

Carroll, L., & W. (1997). Disney's Alice in Wonderland. New York, NY: Gallery Books.

Carroll, L. (n.d.). Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. New York: Cosimo.