Lewis Carroll, born Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (1832-98), grew up in Cheshire in the village of Daresbury, the son of a parish priest. He was a brilliant mathematician, a skilled photographer and a meticulous letter and diary writer. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, inspired by Alice Liddell, the daughter of the Dean of Christ Church in Oxford, was published in 1865, followed by Through the Looking-Glass in 1867. He wrote numerous stories and poems for children including the nonsense poem The Hunting of the Snark and fairy stories Sylvie and Bruno.
Gr 3 Up-A clever concept that doesn't quite work. This version of Carroll's classic is illustrated with a patchwork compilation of artwork from late 19th and early 20th-century editions of the book. The original tale is decorated with the artistic renderings of John Tenniel, Arthur Rackham, Margaret Tarrant, Charles Robinson, Gertrude Kay, Maria Kirk, and Millicent Sowerby. Unfortunately, the artist is not always identified along with the featured illustration. Also, it is difficult to determine a targeted audience for this edition. While it is certainly interesting to see the wide-ranging portrayals of Alice and her cohorts over the decades, true scholars will want to compare the entire works, not selected samplings. Contemporary children, accustomed to visual interpretations, will find the multiple depictions of Alice jarring and confusing. Why does she have bouncy, brown curls on one page and long, blonde locks several pages later? This "anthology Alice" creates more of a visual hodgepodge than the intended artistic mosaic. Alice fans will be better off sticking with their favorite editions or purchasing one of the many recent offerings such as Helen Oxenbury's rendition (Candlewick, 1999).- Heide Piehler, Shorewood Public Library, WI Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.
A clock-face grows like the daisies around it as the White Rabbit hurries by; in the opening pages of the story, Browne hints at his interpretive presence in Carroll's world. A burning key, a fish swimming through space, a green thread winding its way through a cabinetful of strange objects, and the artist makes it clear that this will be no ordinary Alice. Thimbles and umbrellas bloom atop green stalks, Willy the chimp races by, another thimble casts the shadow of a trophy, the Caterpillar wears a smoking jacket covered with butterflies. The Mad Hatter has a stack of his wares on his head, and wears a terrible grimace; the tea party at which he resides displays a table full of toylike objects and sweets, among which are many surprising juxapositions. In short, the volume is so consumed by the unexpected that readers may well find their eyes leaving the text to pore over the pictures, replete with jaunty details and stunning surreal images that grandly point back in the direction of the written word. All ages. (Oct.)
 |
Ask a Question About this Product More... |
|
