The Lost Wonderland Diaries (The Lost Wonderland Diaries #1)

by J Scott Savage (Author)

The Lost Wonderland Diaries (The Lost Wonderland Diaries #1)
Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade

Something monstrous has been found in the magic world of Wonderland and it wants to get out. Lewis Carroll created a curious and fantastical world in his classic book Alice in Wonderland, but he secretly recorded the true story of his actual travels to Wonderland in four journals which have been lost to the world...until now.

Celia and Tyrus discover the legendary Lost Diaries of Wonderland and fall into a portal that pulls them into the same fantasy world as the White Rabbit and the Mad Hatter. However, Wonderland has vastly changed. A darkness has settled over the land, and some creatures and characters that Tyrus remembers from the book have been transformed into angry monsters.

Celia and Tyrus make their way through this unpredictable and dangerous land, helped by familiar friends including the Cheshire Cat and a new character, Sylvan, a young rabbit. Together, they desperately work to solve puzzles and riddles, looking for a way out of Wonderland.

But the danger increases when the Queen of Hearts begins hunting them. Believing the two young visitors hold the key to opening multiple portals to multiple worlds, she will stop at nothing to capture them. It's up to Celia and Tyrus to save Wonderland and the real world. It's a race against time before they are trapped in Wonderland forever.

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Kirkus

Both Celia and Tyrus struggle with bullying back home, and Celia's dyslexia is a constant source of frustration when other kids underestimate her intelligence, and the book ultimately offers a message of empowerment and self-love. A fun and clever return to Wonderland.

School Library Journal

Gr 3-5--Newfound friends Celia and Tyrus may have opposite interests, but they'll need both their skills to help them save Wonderland. When Celia and Tyrus discover Lewis Carroll's fabled lost diaries, they get pulled into Wonderland, though it's markedly different than the Wonderland that bookish Tyrus expected. As the two bound through episodic chapters, meeting both familiar characters and new ones, Celia flexes her logic skills to help decipher riddles and puzzles. Naturally, things get extra dicey when the Queen of Hearts shows her true colors. This novel succeeds at highlighting the ways in which different talents and interests are beneficial, and how well differences can complement each other. The "logic" of Wonderland feels alternately forced and adroit, and ultimately the tale never quite feels wonderful, despite its premise and pacing. Of positive note is a scene early in the book that demonstrates, via Celia, an excellent way to apologize when you've said something that has hurt someone, even if the result wasn't your intention. Celia is white, Tyrus is Black, and Wonderland is filled with primarily non-humanoid creatures. VERDICT There are many takes on Carroll's famous locale, and while this one is unique, it's not entirely successful. Consider for large collections or voracious fans of Wonderland reworks.--Taylor Worley, Springfield P.L., OR

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Publishers Weekly

When dyslexic, math-loving Celia Lofton meets avid reader Tyrus Weller at the library, the two become fast friends, especially when they realize they've both just moved to San Jose, Calif., and dread standing out as eighth graders. Then they stumble across a mysterious chest containing the lost diaries of Charles Dodgson, alias Lewis Carroll, from whom Celia is descended. Upon solving the chest's coded lock, the duo is sucked into the parallel world of Wonderland--which is even less logical and more dangerous than Carroll's depictions, with many of the inhabitants, including the White Rabbit, transformed into monsters. Heralded as "the Alice," the sole savior of Wonderland, Celia and Tyrus don't feel heroic; all they want is to find their way home, which may prove impossible. Savage (the Mysteries of Cove series) packs this loving homage to Carroll's work with riddles, puns, ciphers, and more, challenging his intrepid heroes at every turn, even as they learn to combine their strengths to overcome their weaknesses. Playing with typography to further embrace its source material's gleeful absurdity, this adventure captures the Wonderland spirit while updating it for a new era. Ages 8-11. Agent: Michael Bourret, Dystel, Goderich, and Bourret. (Sept.)

Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes



J Scott Savage
J. Scott Savage is the author of the Mysteries of Cove and Farworld middle-grade fantasy series. He has published more than seventeen novels, visited more than 1,400 schools, and taught dozens of writing classes. He has four children, five grandchildren, and lives with his wife, Jennifer, in a windy valley of the Rocky Mountains.
Classification
-
ISBN-13
9781629727868
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Shadow Mountain
Publication date
September 08, 2020
Series
The Lost Wonderland Diaries
BISAC categories
JUV037000 - Juvenile Fiction | Fantasy & Magic
JUV001000 - Juvenile Fiction | Action & Adventure
Library of Congress categories
Characters in literature
Puzzles
Riddles
Diaries
Imaginary places
Kings, queens, rulers, etc
Kings and rulers
Dyslexia

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