Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: A Classic Illustrated Edition
Grade 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, WICopyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.