Review of "The Looking Glass Wars" by Frank Beddor

For upper grade readers, this is the story of Alyss Heart whose parents were the king and queen of Wonderland. After her parents are killed, poor Alyss escapes into the Pool of Tears which transports her to Victorian Era Oxford, England where she meets author Charles Dodgson who tells her he will write a book about it. Okay, you get the drift. We have a new look at the mythical world of Wonderland and its inhabitants. Written for older children than the classic "Alice" stories, this is a tale of bloodshed and battles between the forces of good and evil. You obviously have to take some risks whenever you try to expand on a classic story, and Frank Beddor certainly has done so here in spades. Kids who loved the original Alice are going to have the hardest time with this incarnation of Wonderland, but I think many of them will find the changes tickle their imaginations.