A World of Mystery and Adventure.
ALICE VENTURES BEYOND WONDERLAND
A CONTEMPORARY VERSION OF THE FAMOUS BOOK
Alice in Wonderland reimagined for a new audience.
This novel is broadly in the style of the original, amusing and thought provoking but with a contemporary twist.
Alice’s journey leads her to the Bookery, the Court of Common Sense, then to visit Queen Bacon, the Excuse Factory, the Hall Of Surprises and the Temptation Tree with numerous other odd encounters along the way. Strange, lovable creatures and everyday items, blessed with the power of speech, encourage and challenge her. There are many parallels to the modern world giving this an extra twist and subtle humour, that will resonate with adults too.
This is a beautifully crafted book and full of detailed imagery that will delight everyone.
PREVIEW
READ AND ENJOY A CHAPTER OR TWO
SURPRISE SURPRISE
Alice could not have been more surprised when a kangaroo leapt out of the cake, shouting ...Surprise...Surprise!
CHAPTER THREE
EXCUSES, EXCUSES
The entrance led to a door on which was written a collection of moving words, the letters looked like fresh wet paint. The result was that it was almost impossible to make them out. But by closing one eye and with a tilt of the head it all became clearer.
THE EXCUSE SHOP
URGENT CASES ONLY
Alice reached forward to touch the words, her finger barely brushing them, but the door swung open to reveal an office of about fifty desks. Behind each sat an animal, mostly squirrels, voles and chipmunks. A cross looking fox, almost as red as a letterbox, looked at her through gold rimmed glasses. In front of it was a little sign that read The Boss.
“Yes? Do you want something?”
At that moment, in rushed a worried looking weasel who passed over a note on a tiny piece of card.
“Is that ok?” It asked.
The fox looked, then pointed to a vole, bobbing up and down, as if to say ‘choose me’.
Within a moment or two the creatures were sat at a desk discussing something, as if it was of the greatest importance.
“It will be the usual thing,” said the fox, pushing the glasses back up her nose.
“Hasn’t done his homework again,” saying more than she should.
“That’s the third time in a row, and I’m not always on duty, so it may be more.”
“Are you allowed to give away secrets like that?”
“How can they be secrets when we all know them?” Came the grumpy response.
“The Data Sharing Act allows us to share all we know, with anyone we want. It is the law and if it isn’t it should be!”
CHAPTER FIVE
COMMON SENSE
Written on a wall right in front of them, in huge letters were the words:
THE COURT OF COMMON SENSE
That didn’t sound too bad, so she continued into a Courtroom. It was just like she had seen in movies, all wood and seats and tables and things, but it was nearly empty.
In front of her was a sleeping owl on a swing. It was wearing a tatty, nearly white wig. One eye opened and slowly the other, then it twisted around to look behind. The wig remained still, as if with a life of its own. The owl then looked at the little girl.
“Are you case number one? I do hope so!” The voice sounded very serious indeed.
Alice shook her head.
“So you don’t have a row with a friend or neighbour that I can settle? A silly argument that needs to end? A dispute over who owns something?”
“No I don’t. Is that what you do?”
“Are you sure you don’t have a problem? That’s a shame,” said the hanging Judge. “I am here to help, using common sense, which is sadly not very common, aided by them.” The owl looked at a jury of dozing newts.
CHAPTER EIGHT
SURPRISE, SURPRISE
“Where are we now?” she spoke in a hushed voice.
“This is the Hall of Surprises. Nice isn’t it?”
Alice looked around but the room had nothing in it, except for a row of doors all identical in style but each a different colour of mud. Compared to the previous place it was exceedingly dull.
“What are the surprises?” As soon as the question left her mouth knew what the answer was going to be.
“It wouldn’t be a surprise if you knew!” It chortled. “You have to wait and see what happens, sometimes it’s a happy event, sometimes, er, less so.” And even as they looked an extremely large cake rose slowly from the floor. The sides were covered in chocolate, styled as flowers, interwoven with red and blue coloured berries and green leaves made of marzipan, around the base were miniature sculptures of butterflies in every possible shade of pink.
Suddenly the top burst open and out leapt a kangaroo dressed in a purple check waistcoat and with a matching bow tie, on its tail was a bow almost the size of a melon, coloured green and pink.
“SURPRISE!!!!” Shouted the animal.
It certainly was. Alice nearly fainted from the shock. There were candles in its pouch, fortunately none were lit for surely it would have been burnt. With just two enormous jumps it exited the cake and landed with a thump.
“Nice to meet you, I am Rupert Roo. Who are yoooooou and how old are yooooooou?” the creature demanded, scratching its head with one hand and its tummy with the other. One eye was grey the other bright yellow, giving it a lopsided look.
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THE CREATORS
ROBIN G SMITH
THE STORY
HELENA CHESSHER
ILLUSTRATION