Chelsey and Sara discuss Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. This short, weird, and word play-filled story explores the “slipperiness” of language, the joys and fears of growing up, and the traditions of Victorian schooling.

In addition to the historical and literary context for this classic, we also enjoyed talking about what it feels like to be a child in a world of rules. Today’s pairings include magical middle grade novels and a cozy light academia fantasy, and we hope you find your next silly, escapist read among them.

Are you ready for deeper reading in 2023? This spring we’re exploring the world of Classic Children’s Literature in your podcast feed and with our Patreon community. Together, we’re learning to be better, more critical and thorough readers of classic and contemporary literature. We love discussing books and reading with all of you and hope you’ll join our group of nerdy readers at patreon.com/novelpairings. Annual subscriptions are now available at a discounted price.

Pairings Timestamp: 43:50

Books mentioned (affiliate links):

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

Furthermore by Tahereh Mafi

Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Fairies by Heather Fawcett

Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire

Heartless by Marissa Meyer

A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney

Silverworld by Diana Abu-Jaber

The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern

Also mentioned:

Adventures in Wonderland (1992-1994)

111. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Novel Pairings