Through the Looking-Glass [Kindle Edition]

Lewis Carroll (Author)

Book Description

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2 Up–In this delightful companion to Oxenbury's illustrated version of Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Candlewick, 1999), Alice now wears black tights and a white long-sleeved shirt to suit the winter setting (Without, the frost, the blinding snow,/The storm-wind's moody madness–/Within, the firelight's ruddy glow,/And childhood's nest of gladness). Leaving the cozy room behind, she steps through the looking glass and into a world depicted in warm watercolors, sepia-toned illustrations, and line drawings. Not a word of the original tale has been altered. The artwork echoes the whimsy of the language, clearly showing Alice's amusement at the antics of Tweedledum and Tweedledee, her frustration at the impossibility of slicing a Looking-glass cake, her affection for the gentle White Knight, and her exasperation when both the White and the Red Queen fall asleep snuggled against her. The large font and numerous illustrations, including many single- and double-page paintings, make this edition inviting for reading aloud or alone. The artwork has an engaging openness to it, and Alice comes across as a real child, making it easy for readers to imagine themselves exploring the wonders of this make-believe realm.–Joy Fleishhacker,School Library Journal
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Gr. 4-7. Oxenbury won the Kate Greenaway Medal for her illustrated edition of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1999), and she continues her splendid interpretation with this companion title. Once again, Oxenbury contributes small, black-and-white drawings and full-page watercolors, and her subtle use of color and shade adds layers of meaning to the story. The kings and queens of the chessboard seem vibrantly alive, all grand gestures and magnificently haughty expressions, yet Oxenbury reinforces the notion that they are still only game pieces by painting them in monochromatic shades of either red or white (indicating their home side of the chess board), unlike other characters, such as the charmingly rendered Humpty Dumpty, who appear in vivid full color. In many images, the sturdy line sketches appear within richly dimensional watercolor worlds, and the juxtaposition of both in the same scene, like the coloring of the chess pieces, calls attention to Carroll's own playful jumble of solid, real-world elements (chess pieces, kittens, Alice herself) and delicious, wholly imagined fantasy. But children certainly won't need to look for deeper significance in the pictures to enjoy the wild adventures. Young and old alike will easily embrace Oxenbury's Alice, who seems both old-fashioned and modern, and comfortable in worlds on both sides of the mirror. Gillian Engberg
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• File Size: 142 KB
• Print Length: 208 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Public Domain Books (March 17, 2006)
• Language: English
• ASIN: B002RKRJGE
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,614,581 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

70 of 72 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Edited July 6, 2010

By Michelle Mcmullin

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I was very disappointed to discover that this version of the book is missing pretty much all the poetry. The songs are shortened and details are left out. I advise purchasing the book rather than downloading the free version. This is one of my favorite books from my childhood and I sorely missed "The Walrus and the Carpenter". Not to mention the loss of the Jaberwocky. On a side note- I'd forgotten that the many Alice in Wonderland movies often combined the two books.

105 of 111 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Missing December 3, 2009

By Steven C. Watson

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Some of the poetry seems to be missing from the work, it really bothers me. You're better off to buy a copy than use this free one.

84 of 88 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Poetry missing December 21, 2009

By Anne Mason

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

The poems are missing from the book, which makes it an incomplete work. Sometimes, I guess you get what you pay for.