Alice in a Winter Wonderland

by Jan Brett

A striking rendition of Alice in Wonderland transported to a shimmering Alaskan tundra, in Jan Brett's rich signature style.When Alice spies a white rabbit checking his pocket watch before hippity-hopping down a crevasse in an Alaskan glacier, she knows she must follow him. And so she pops down the rabbit hole, into a world of absurd personalities, topsy-turvy action, and laugh-out-loud silliness. Favorite characters like Cheshire Cat and the Duchess and King and Queen come to life as vibrant animals native to Alaska making this classic tale shine through a fresh lens, certain to appeal to readers of all ages.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fantasy, Fiction, Adventure, Christmas, Animals

40 pages, Hardcover

First published November 26, 2024

About the author

With over thirty three million books in print, Jan Brett is one of the nation's foremost author illustrators of children's books. Jan lives in a seacoast town in Massachusetts, close to where she grew up. During the summer her family moves to a home in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts.

As a child, Jan Brett decided to be an illustrator and spent many hours reading and drawing. She says, "I remember the special quiet of rainy days when I felt that I could enter the pages of my beautiful picture books. Now I try to recreate that feeling of believing that the imaginary place I'm drawing really exists. The detail in my work helps to convince me, and I hope others as well, that such places might be real."
As a student at the Boston Museum School, she spent hours in the Museum of Fine Arts. "It was overwhelming to see the room-size landscapes and towering stone sculptures, and then moments later to refocus on delicately embroidered kimonos and ancient porcelain," she says. "I'm delighted and surprised when fragments of these beautiful images come back to me in my painting."

Travel is also a constant inspiration. Together with her husband, Joe Hearne, who is a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Jan visits many different countries where she researches the architecture and costumes that appear in her work. "From cave paintings to Norwegian sleighs, to Japanese gardens, I study the traditions of the many countries I visit and use them as a starting point for my children's books."
--from www.janbrett.com

Reviews

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jan Brett is a genius for making the King of Hearts an owl

[Stephanie ((Strazzybooks)) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s Jan Brett! Of course the artwork was amazing. I liked how she tied in Alaska with Alice. But the story did not make much sense and did not flow very well. A few pages I flipped back, thinking I had missed page.
3.5/5

[Anthony · Rating 4 out of 5]

A twist on a familiar tale finds Alice following a rabbit down an Alaskan glacier and meeting a horde of creatures native to the frozen tundra. A whimsical tale as the adventure continues and Alice thinks to herself things here seem "a little bit right and a little bit wrong".

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in true Alice in Wonderland non-sensical form, this retelling of the popular tale is set in Alaskan territory with animal characters native to the area. The illustrations are fun, whimsical and beautifully detailed but the story itself is a bit confusing to follow along with. You definitely should read through it slowly to take everything in as Brett has hidden gems throughout the story and introduces new vocabulary as well as names of current and extinct wildlife in Alaska. Definitely a fun little retelling of the story and I enjoyed reading about how Alaska holds a special place in Brett's heart on the back of the cover.

[Regine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fun is in setting Alice’s wonderland down a glacial hole in Alaska. Jan Brett’s illustrations are incredibly intricate…and humorous, too. If you’re less familiar with the original, some of the details won’t make sense. And the story will seem odd, as of course it is.

I was most tickled by the puffin courtier/playing cards/ croquet wickets. And when I found the saber-tooth really is called a smilodon, it slotted in perfectly as the grinning (and disappearing) Cheshire Cat.

[Sydney Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

> a retelling of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (by Lewis Carroll), set in Alaska

> details in illustrations are outstanding

> text can be a bit confusing (see below)

Type: oversized picture book
Ages: 4-8

My family and I had the privilege of meeting Jan Brett a couple weeks after this book was released. She spoke about its contents, pointing out little things we never would have noticed, and even demonstrated her drawing techniques!

The artwork (which took her two years to complete) is outstanding. She craftily combines details from Carroll’s original story with Alaska-specific nature. All the animals in the book can be found in Alaska or might have been if they are extinct (such as the Great auk). For parents who know Carroll’s book, please note that the caterpillar is not smoking a hookah in Brett’s book–he’s playing an instrument! (Do you know why we see a double bass in some of her books? Hehe.)

Speaking of pictures, the handout given to children at the in-person event has a bit of misguided information. For biblical science, please allow me to point you to Answers in Genesis rather than Jan Brett. 🙂 This handout has drawings, labels and notes for the more unique animals seen in the book, which is super cool!

Unusual Animals in Jan Brett’s Alice in Winter Wonderland Book:

- mock turtle
- snowy owl
- siberian husky
- wooly mammoth
- gryphon
- musk ox
- great auk
- horned puffin
- snow bunting
- dall’s sheep
- snowshoe hare
- wooly bear larva
- Canada jay
- saber-toothed cat
- collared pica

To expand on my text comment in the bullet points, I will say that the story is very confusing and nonsensical to begin with. Brett actually does a pretty good job turning it into a picture book length, but be aware of this fact. Go more slowly through it when reading aloud to your child. Take time to soak up each scene. It’s odd but has charm!

[Patricia N. McLaughlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alice has had the most curious dream indeed! This mishmash of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Brett’s Alaska travelogue makes for a confusing admixture of elements. Her signature artwork is engrossing, however, and worth just paging through the book to admire the marvelously detailed drawings. A glossary of all the animals pictured in the story would have been a welcome addition, as would a map of Alaska and a brief description of an Alaskan glacier like the one that inspired Brett to write this story.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this new take on an old classic. "Alice in Winter Wonderland" is essentially a different take on the "Alice in Wonderland" story. This one takes place in Alaska. We still have some of the same characters: White Rabbit, Queen of Hearts, Mock Turtle and other exotic creatures. The setting is different, but it is still the same story. I loved this rendition. The illustrations were simply beautiful. I am never disappointed in Jan Brett's illustrations and story. If you love other books by Jan Brett and love the "Alice in Wonderland" story, you will love this one too.

[Krista · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love some of Jan Brett’s other books but this wasn’t as enjoyable! It actually was kind of confusing to follow and I was trying to imagine reading it to a child.

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

This classic tale gets a wintery twist as Alice follows a rabbit down a hole but is too big to fit. Drinking the drink, she shrinks herself and finds her in front of a caterpillar then meets the Mad Hatter. It isn’t long before she stumbles upon the queen who demands she plays the strangest game with her. All of the animals wear a card, and appropriately, the queen wears a Queen of Hearts. Will she ever make it back home?

ALICE IN WINTER WONDERLAND celebrates imagination with the incorporation of playing cards. Instead of a person, I like that the queen is an owl and I feel it brings even more humor to the story. Seeing the owl say “off with your head” made me smile more than when the Red Queen did it. The illustrations are brought to life with magnificent detailing. I love how similar this one is to the classic while still standing on its own. Children will enjoy following Alice as she goes on a wild adventure and I love the twist at the end.


Final Verdict: I would recommend this to children aged four and older who enjoy stories about adventure, humor, and for those that feature animals as the main characters. This will make a great book to read to your little one while cuddled under a blanket with a cup of hot chocolate.

[Kathryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't pass up a new Jan Brett book, though they do tend to be hit or miss for me. This one just wasn't for me. First, much as I admire it, Alice in Wonderland just isn't a personal favorite of mine. So, if you really love the original Alice I could see where this adaptation set in Alaska might really tickle your fancy (though, then, there's also the chance the adaptation might not sit right for you if you really love the original). I feel it had the madcap vibe of the original and really reflected Alice's refrain in this telling of how there was something a little right and a little wrong the whole time. It was all just a little too wild and zany and cluttered for my taste -- with sooo many animals on every page and some rather bizarre (some will say perfectly bizarre given the story itself is rather bizarre!) substitutions -- instead of a mad hatter we have a mountain goat "old prospector" dressed in overalls -- instead of the Cheshire Cat we have a smilodon -- the mock turtle is a turtle with a moose head... I'm not saying Brett isn't creative here, it just wasn't my cup of tea though I imagine many will absolutely love it.

[A Allen · Rating 1 out of 5]

A strange spin on Lewis Carroll's already strange book. If you've ever wondered, "what if Alice in Wonderland was set in Alaska?", this might be the book for you. The cards are puffins and the queen is an owl. I did laugh out loud that the king was whispering pardons as the queen shouted, "Off with their heads!" At one point in the book, there is a porcupine bundled in a blanket. Porcupine quills become embedded in fabric and then ripped out so please do not use fabric of any kind to pick them up, if you find an injured porcupine! It hurts the porcupine, similar to pulling a chunk of your hair out by the root, and leaves them defenseless when they need their quills to ward off predators. Instead, if you must move them, a plastic tote or snow shovel would be better. Ultimately, this is not a book I would read again or recommend. I think there are better versions of Lewis Carroll's book out there and there are better books available about Alaska, Alaskan wildlife, etc. written by Alaskan natives.

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's like Christmas when there is a new Jan Brett book. She spins her own retelling of Alice in Wonderland set in the Arctic world of puffin penguins and polar bears.

A line she keeps using for Alice about Wonderland is "It Sounds almost right and not exactly Wrong". That describes this retelling of Alice in Wonderland very well. She brings in some very odd animals from the arctic that I didn't know about.

The artwork is pure Jan Brett. There are differences are that she doesn't do her borders here. She does the symbols for the cards, but that's it. It feels so different. The art is watercolor. I just love her artwork and some of the animals from her other winter books do show up in here like the snow buffalos.

Any fan of Jan Brett or Alice in Wonderland will love this.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is one of my very favorite stories. So when I spied Alice’s Adventures in a Winter Wonderland on the library shelf, I immediately reached for it. I was even more thrilled when I realized the incredible Jan Brett wrote and illustrated this retelling of Alice’s adventure.

Alice’s Adventures in a Winter Wonderland is a fun and whimsical way to experience the animals and creatures native to Alaska. They are beautifully and vibrantly portrayed by Jan Brett. The illustrations are gorgeous and include delightful little gems tucked here and there in the larger scenes. The story is just as outrageous and wacky as Lewis Carroll’s orginal. Curiouser and curiouser! And, I don’t think I could love it any more!

[Roben · Rating 4 out of 5]

What if Alice's adventures happened to an Inuit girl in Alaska? In Jan Brett's version, the White Rabbit hops down a hole in a glacier and Alice follows. So begins a fun and wild adventure where things seem mostly right but maybe a bit wrong. The Cheshire Cat is a smilodon! Puffin playing cards paint cotton grass a bright red instead of roses. And of course, Jan included muskoxen!
Many of the other familiar characters have been recast as animals that one would find in Alaska. The Queen, for example, is a snow owl! That doesn't prevent her from screeching, "Off with her head!" though.

A fun exercise at re-imagining Alice!

[Chulandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think the concept of the book was very cute, taking Alice from Alice in Wonderland and putting her in an Arctic setting. However, seeing how this is supposed to be a children's book, I do have a problem with the names of the animals the author chose to use. How are little children supposed to be able to read the names of those animals, let alone never having heard those names before? How are parents supposed to help their children read those names if they don't even know how to pronounce them? Overall, I think the book was fun, but I would have settled for easier names for children to pronounce.

[Mari · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute and charming adaptation of Alice In Wonderland. The illustrations were beautiful as always, and the author did a good job of shrinking the narrative down to fit in a picture book. Honestly, if there was an edition of the full book with illustrations by Jan Brett, I would buy it in a heartbeat.

I do agree with Jennifer, however, that a glossary of plants and animals would have been a welcome addition to the book. It would be helpful for anyone who is unfamiliar with Alaskan wildlife.

[Ellon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly this is actually a 2 star book for me (It was okay) but I bumped it up to 3 in my Goodreads rating because of the gorgeous illustrations.

So the thing is, I really dislike the original Alice in Wonderland because I find it bonkers and hard to follow. This is also super hard to follow. If you know the Alice in Wonderland story, it makes it a little easier but it's still just so bizarre and not my cup of tea. There is so much going on in each illustration and, because they are so beautiful, I spent a lot of time looking at each one even though I wasn't really enjoying the story.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm sure everyone loves Jan Brett's fantastic picture book stories. This is the most recent one, Alice In a Winter Wonderland, an Alaskan glacier! Yes, a rabbit is there, tumbling down an icy hole, with Alice needing her smaller self as she, too, tumbles along, as Brett writes, with "everything a little bit right and a little bit wrong." The illustrations delight, familiar characters appear, with playing cards surrounding all along the way. It would be loads of fun to read aloud with a loved one or with a group.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jan Brett has been a unique story teller in children's literature for decades. Her illustrations are thoughtful, educational and whimsical. I love that she creates curiosity for the reader. Meeting her on this book tour was such a lovely experience. I love that she took a classic and reimagined it in Alaska with intent to educate kiddos about that part of the world and some of the creatures that have lived there and are living there.

[Virginia]

I don't know how to rate this. Brett's art and storytelling are lovely, but i really think she should be done using Native American people and culture in her work. [not ok originally, but esp now; also, insert others here as appropriate]
I just feel like this isn't her retelling to tell. -And- I think she could do a lovely retelling of her own, if she wasn't busy taking other cultures' stories....

[Caity · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a fun take on the classic Alice in Wonderland story. I loved the change to Alaskan animals, the artwork was adorable and it's a great way to learn about some new animals and see your favorites in a new setting. I also thought that she did a great job shortening the story a bit to fit the storybook length while keeping so much of the classic scenes. This is such a beautifully done book.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another charming story by Brett, which I think would be useful in the elementary classroom. However, I was dismayed to reach the end and realize it lacks a glossary of all the acrtic animals that were included. I appreciated the emphasis on less familiar animals, but the lack of obvious identification makes this book more work for parents and teachers.

[Alyssa Gudenburr · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a strange mashup. Alice and Wonderland with Native Alaskan culture and mythical creatures. The Alice in Wonderland story didn't make any sense and the Native Alaskan elements that were added to the story made it even more confusing and felt like they were culturally appropriated. Overall a big disappointment since I enjoy Jan Brett's books so much.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the original Alice in Wonderland and I typically love all things Jan Brett. This one was just a little too off for me. I didn't like how the original Alice storyline clashed with the native Alaskan cultures, it just felt very odd like it didn't fit together. However, I will say that the artwork was stunning just as it always is with her books.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is no question that the illustrations were beautiful! Jan Brett is a master at illustrative storytelling and you could spend hours pouring over the pictures. It was fun to see the familiar story set in the Alaskan wild but the actual story was very choppy, disjointed, and not very well-written. That aspect was disappointing.

[Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story of Alice in Wonderland is whimsical and wacky but the illustrations in this book felt jumbled and all over the place. I liked when some of the dialogue rhymed and the pages needing to be viewed in portrait mode was neat but overall I did not enjoy this book. The text doesn't make sense, I don't know what animal names are real or made up but didn't understand them either way.

[Villain E · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very detailed art. A high page count. Alice (an Inuit girl, maybe?) follows a rabbit down a hole to a land of anthropomorphized creatures of the far north. The story feels a bit random, things just happen with no logic and only a hint of a through-story.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated as you would expect from a Brett. She retells Alice in Wonderland set in Alaska. The characters are animals native to that area, and I appreciate her using less well known ones. Even if your readers don't know the original story, they will be able to follow the action.

[Jennifer Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this interpretation of Alice in Wonderland by one of my favorite picture book authors. The illustrations are gorgeous and the story is so cute. The puffin playing cards might be my favorite characters.