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The Nursery Alice
An enchanting adaptation of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland for younger readers, with the original preface and advertisements
"I wrote to Macmillan to suggest a new a 'Nursery Edition' of Alice with pictures printed in." Lewis Carroll's diary, 15th February, 1881
The Nursery Alice , originally published by Macmillan & Co . in 1890, was the very first color edition of Alice . It was intended, wrote Carroll, "to be read by Children aged from Nought to Five. To be read? Nay, not so! Say rather to be thumbed, to be cooed over, to be dogs'-eared, to be rumpled, to be kissed . . ." With this new, younger readership in mind, Carroll rewrote Alice, simplifying and abridging the original text, while Tenniel redrew, enlarged, and colored 20 of his iconic illustrations. The resulting book is a delightfully engaging experience, readers prompted to interact not only with the story but also with the images and even the physical book itself, in a way that is thoroughly modern. Gloriously reproduced for the anniversary year, the present edition retains every word of the original and restores the exquisite delicacy of Tenniel's artwork—lost in reproductions across the decades—along with the delightful cover artwork by Emily Gertrude Thomson, a placeholder ribbon, and gold page edges. This gem of a book is the perfect introduction to Alice , a delight for readers of every age.
"I wrote to Macmillan to suggest a new a 'Nursery Edition' of Alice with pictures printed in." Lewis Carroll's diary, 15th February, 1881
The Nursery Alice , originally published by Macmillan & Co . in 1890, was the very first color edition of Alice . It was intended, wrote Carroll, "to be read by Children aged from Nought to Five. To be read? Nay, not so! Say rather to be thumbed, to be cooed over, to be dogs'-eared, to be rumpled, to be kissed . . ." With this new, younger readership in mind, Carroll rewrote Alice, simplifying and abridging the original text, while Tenniel redrew, enlarged, and colored 20 of his iconic illustrations. The resulting book is a delightfully engaging experience, readers prompted to interact not only with the story but also with the images and even the physical book itself, in a way that is thoroughly modern. Gloriously reproduced for the anniversary year, the present edition retains every word of the original and restores the exquisite delicacy of Tenniel's artwork—lost in reproductions across the decades—along with the delightful cover artwork by Emily Gertrude Thomson, a placeholder ribbon, and gold page edges. This gem of a book is the perfect introduction to Alice , a delight for readers of every age.
72 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1865
9 people are currently reading
276 people want to read
About the author
Lewis Carroll
6,177 books8,424 followersThe Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, better known by the pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican clergyman and photographer.
His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass as well as the poems "The Hunting of the Snark" and "Jabberwocky", all considered to be within the genre of literary nonsense.
Oxford scholar, Church of England Deacon, University Lecturer in Mathematics and Logic, academic author of learned theses, gifted pioneer of portrait photography, colourful writer of imaginative genius and yet a shy and pedantic man, Lewis Carroll stands pre-eminent in the pantheon of inventive literary geniuses.
He also has works published under his real name.
His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass as well as the poems "The Hunting of the Snark" and "Jabberwocky", all considered to be within the genre of literary nonsense.
Oxford scholar, Church of England Deacon, University Lecturer in Mathematics and Logic, academic author of learned theses, gifted pioneer of portrait photography, colourful writer of imaginative genius and yet a shy and pedantic man, Lewis Carroll stands pre-eminent in the pantheon of inventive literary geniuses.
He also has works published under his real name.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
February 7, 2021
A very different telling of the classic children's story. This more closely resembles a traditional children's book (in that, it doesn't raise the difficult and nonsensical themes which the novel does). It's much more tame and based in wonder rather than confusion. Alice is also more likeable.
You can find the text here for free online: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/55040...
You can find the text here for free online: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/55040...
July 11, 2025
Just the most beautiful book. Gilded edges, thick pages, beautiful font and illustrations. The perfect beginners Alice.
February 5, 2022
Creo que a Jose se le hizo un poco largo para haberlo leído fuera del horario de "cuentos para dormir". No conozco tanto la historia de Alicia original, como para saber si me gustó la adaptación. Por lo demás diría que es una historia bastante delirante. El relato de un sueño. La edición es bellísima.
Hoy lo leímos de nuevo, mucho mejor experiencia. Se super enganchó. Imagino que la próxima ya lo leerá sola...
Hoy lo leímos de nuevo, mucho mejor experiencia. Se super enganchó. Imagino que la próxima ya lo leerá sola...
February 1, 2016
Veel leuker om voor te lezen dan het originele verhaal van Alice. Mijn kindjes (6 en 9 jaar) genoten ervan.
Mooie illustraties die goed aansluiten bij het verhaal.
Mooie illustraties die goed aansluiten bij het verhaal.
August 3, 2017
A beautiful facsimile of the original edition and an excellent addition to anyones library
March 30, 2019
Una edición preciosa. Destinado para ser contado a pequeños de la casa con unas imágenes preciosas.
December 9, 2021
Nice story to read to learn Spanish. The Spanish is quite hard for beggining learners but it has a wide variety of vocabulary which is great to learn new words.
July 21, 2024
ookayyy i know this is supposed to be a children’s version, but so many things were missing that it wouldn’t even make sense to me if i was a kid reading that😭
2/5 ⭐️
2/5 ⭐️
October 27, 2021
I have always loved Alice in Wonderland and I loved sharing this with my daughter. The way Carroll wrote to keep small children engaged made it fun and kept her coming back for more. She was sad tonight when we finished, and I think that is always a sign of a good story.
December 14, 2017
Se dirige directamente a los niños de 0-5 años de edad, como si estuvieran en una conversación cara a cara y les estuviera contando una versión acortada de Alicia en el pais de las maravillas, lo cual me gustó mucho. Otra cosa que me gustó, fue cuando les explica lo que significan los números en el sombrero del sombrerero loco, es algo que yo no sabía y me sorprendió positivamente.
Ahora pasemos a lo que no me gustó:
omite la pregunta más importante de la oruga, ¿quien eres tú? Y la respuesta tan importante de Alicia, también omite la pregunta de Alicia al gato de cheshire y su respuesta. ( "¿Podrías decirme, por favor, qué camino debo tomar para salir de aquí?...”)
Si bien se que es una edad que pueden no entender la importancia de estas preguntas, es algo que creo muy importante de la historia y me hubiera gustado verlas acá. Pero bueno, dentro de todo, es una versión que vale la pena leer ya que se lee súper rápido y que los pequeños de 0-5 años van a disfrutar mucho (y especialmente, entender) 💗
Ahora pasemos a lo que no me gustó:
omite la pregunta más importante de la oruga, ¿quien eres tú? Y la respuesta tan importante de Alicia, también omite la pregunta de Alicia al gato de cheshire y su respuesta. ( "¿Podrías decirme, por favor, qué camino debo tomar para salir de aquí?...”)
Si bien se que es una edad que pueden no entender la importancia de estas preguntas, es algo que creo muy importante de la historia y me hubiera gustado verlas acá. Pero bueno, dentro de todo, es una versión que vale la pena leer ya que se lee súper rápido y que los pequeños de 0-5 años van a disfrutar mucho (y especialmente, entender) 💗
May 16, 2022
The Nursery Alice was written by Lewis Carroll for children aged five and under. It is absolutely NOT a cheap rip-off of Alice in Wonderland in dumbed down language. There’s a rather charming introduction by Carroll saying that, after the success of Alice, he wanted to share the story with younger children in slightly simpler language. It also has omitted some of the more (for a pre-schooler) confusing incidents.
I bought this particular edition because it is a facsimile of the original with its famous red binding. In fact, I couldn’t even find the ISBN number printed in the book, but I believe it is 1447287118.
I bought this particular edition because it is a facsimile of the original with its famous red binding. In fact, I couldn’t even find the ISBN number printed in the book, but I believe it is 1447287118.
March 1, 2023
Read ATY 2021: Book by author of one of my best reads of 2020
reditt reading challenge (book for the second time, book written ebfore 1950, book published by a big six publishing house, book between 5000 and 100 000 words)
Reditt the final try: 5-100 k words, big six publishers, male author letters y and t
ATy 2022: book Involving alternative worlds
Alphabet soup: n
A decent retelling of Alice losing some of its plodding but also much of its charm. Still a decent intro
reditt reading challenge (book for the second time, book written ebfore 1950, book published by a big six publishing house, book between 5000 and 100 000 words)
Reditt the final try: 5-100 k words, big six publishers, male author letters y and t
ATy 2022: book Involving alternative worlds
Alphabet soup: n
A decent retelling of Alice losing some of its plodding but also much of its charm. Still a decent intro
December 29, 2015
Realmente muy bien logrado para los niños pequeños.
January 23, 2022
Great for children. I found it more enjoyable than the original story.
May 7, 2020
The grandson needed a break from Gulliver’s Travels. Falling Up and The Nursery Alice worked, Falling Up episodically, The Nursery Alice hooking him into the odyssey so he wanted it read in one day.
An essential barb to pull us along was the integration of Lewis Carroll’s text with Sir John Tenniel’s illustrations. Clearly, the printer Edmund Evans collaborated because of the iconic Cheshire Cat, which anticipates the movie-editing’s overlap dissolve.
Although there might be moments that Carroll appears to condescend, his drawing attention to the book’s form has the opposite effect. Instead, the story appeals to the imagination’s facility for conjuring fantasy.
It was a book about an afternoon for an afternoon.
An essential barb to pull us along was the integration of Lewis Carroll’s text with Sir John Tenniel’s illustrations. Clearly, the printer Edmund Evans collaborated because of the iconic Cheshire Cat, which anticipates the movie-editing’s overlap dissolve.
Although there might be moments that Carroll appears to condescend, his drawing attention to the book’s form has the opposite effect. Instead, the story appeals to the imagination’s facility for conjuring fantasy.
It was a book about an afternoon for an afternoon.
March 31, 2025
El tinc traduït al català amb el títol Alícia per a infants, de l'Ed Baula, i traduït pel Salvador Oliva. És una adaptació per a infants que va escriure el mateix Leeis Carroll amb il•lustracions de Tenniel i coberta d'E Gertrude Thomson. M'ha costat trobar-lo perquè l'han descatalogat fa poc. ÉS UNA MERAVELLA!
L'he comprat, tot i que tinc dues publicacions més d'aquesta història, per a l'Ariadna i l'Emma, les meves netes, que el més que ve faran 3 anys.
L'he comprat, tot i que tinc dues publicacions més d'aquesta història, per a l'Ariadna i l'Emma, les meves netes, que el més que ve faran 3 anys.
July 15, 2017
I liked how it was written, and I think small kids would love it; however it did not tell the story, it actually just talked a little bit about some scenes, but you didn't get a general idea of the whole story
August 3, 2017
Aínda en galego, a historia rara é rara, aínda contada ao fillo polas noites a anacos.
Boas ilustracións.
Boas ilustracións.
September 3, 2017
Απλοποιημένη έκδοση του γνωστού παραμυθιού για παιδιά προσχολικής ηλικίας. Επεξηγεί εικόνες και κόβει αρκετά σημεία από τη πλοκή.
September 18, 2018
3 stars = a charming read.
January 1, 2019
It is a very simple yet interesting in its writing style .
June 12, 2020
Excelente adaptación para niñxs de este clásico, súper divertido y dinámico. Las ilustraciones que acompañan e invitan a jugar con el texto son preciosas.
December 20, 2020
Pěkně zjednodušené vyprávění pro děti. Jsou knihy, kde člověk zakopává o jazyk, ale tohle se nahlas četlo krásně. Nádherné ilustrace.
January 1, 2021
Lewis Carroll had an unique imagination and posessed a great ability in story telling.
April 10, 2022
Una edición increíble para los niños más pequeños. Me han gustado mucho esos detalles entre paréntesis para ellos con explicaciones y anécdotas.
Una nueva forma de contar todo un clásico.
Una nueva forma de contar todo un clásico.
May 7, 2024
Such a clever retelling, adapting it to little ones. I liked very much the sentences that invite children to engage with the plot, the pictures or even the physical book.
September 17, 2024
Un libro que interactúan con los niños, les hace preguntas y les dice cosas que hacen que estén más atentos a la lectura y detallen cada imagen que aparece.
October 27, 2024
Me sigue aburriendo hasta que empieza lo final está divertido.
September 9, 2025
I like the way he addresses the readers and the digressions he makes throughout the story. Still, a lot of the magic of the original novel is lost.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews