Through the Looking-Glass: A Retelling for Curious Readers

A look inside

The opening of Through the Looking-Glass: A Retelling for Curious Readers, free to read.

1. 

   One snowy afternoon, Alice sat curled in the big armchair. Her black kitten, Kitty, had tangled the wool all over the rug. “Oh, you wicked little thing!” said Alice, hugging her anyway. “Kitty, let’s pretend you’re the Red Queen. And let’s pretend there’s a Looking-glass House, where everything goes the other way!”

2. 

   Up on the mantelpiece, Alice pressed her hand against the looking-glass. It went soft as mist, and she climbed right through! On the other side, the clock wore a grinning old man’s face. Down in the fireplace, chess pieces strolled about two by two. Not one of them could see or hear Alice.

3. 

   Alice lifted the White Queen and King onto the table. The King couldn’t see who had lifted him. “The horror of that moment,” he told the Queen, “I shall never, never forget!” “You will, though,” said the Queen, “if you don’t write it down.” Alice held a backward book up to the glass and read: “’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gimble in the wabe.” “It’s rather hard to understand!” said Alice.