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Alice in Wonderland: a book club kit
Where it comes from. Lewis Carroll made up this story for a girl named Alice on a boat trip near Oxford, England, and it became a book in 1865.
In short (for the leader; it gives the ending away). Alice follows a White Rabbit down a rabbit hole and finds herself in Wonderland. She shrinks and grows by drinking and eating things, and meets a grinning Cheshire Cat, a mad tea party and a Queen of Hearts who shouts, “Off with their heads!” At the end she wakes up by the river to find that it was all a dream.
Reading plan, by the story's parts. Meeting 1: Part One, “Down the Rabbit Hole”, pages 1–7 (about 6 minutes aloud); Meeting 2: Part Two, “The Mad Tea Party”, pages 8–13 (about 5 minutes aloud); Meeting 3: Part Three, “The Queen of Hearts”, pages 14–19 (about 5 minutes aloud). Each stop's own questions, which never give away what comes next: Alice in Wonderland by chapter.
Questions to talk about
- Who wrote Alice in Wonderland?
The story's answer: Lewis Carroll wrote it. It was a pen name for Charles Dodgson, who told the story to a girl named Alice on a boat trip near Oxford, and it became a book in 1865. - Is Alice in Wonderland a dream?
The story's answer: Yes. At the end Alice wakes up by the river and tells her sister about her strange dream. - Who is the Cheshire Cat?
The story's answer: A cat who can disappear bit by bit, leaving only his grin in the air. He tells Alice that everyone in Wonderland is mad. - Why does Alice follow the White Rabbit?
The story's answer: He rushes past her with a pocket watch, saying he is late. Alice is so curious that she follows him down a rabbit hole. - Which character changed the most from the beginning to the end?
Listen for: Ask what changed them. - Which scene would you put on the poster if this were a film?
Listen for: A way to find the scene that mattered most to each reader.
Did you know?
- Lewis Carroll made up the story for a girl named Alice on a boat trip near Oxford, England, and it became a book in 1865.
- Lewis Carroll was the pen name of Charles Dodgson, a mathematics teacher at Oxford.
- The girl he told it to was Alice Liddell.
Activity: Cast the film
Choose who would play each character, draw the poster with your scene on it, and give the film a one-line tagline.
More to talk about
More facts for the leader
- Alice meets playing cards, a Cheshire Cat and a Mad Hatter on her adventure.
Words to teach before you start
- waistcoat: fancy vest
- curiosity: wanting to know
- marmalade: orange jam
- currants: tiny raisins
- croquet: lawn ball game
- knave: jack card
- verdict: jury's decision
Questions leaders ask
How long does a Alice in Wonderland book club meeting take?
Reading it aloud takes about 16 minutes in all, so plan 2 meetings of about 30 to 45 minutes each, with time left for the questions. The reading plan on the sheet says where to stop.
What age is Alice in Wonderland for?
It is written at Peabody level 11, a grade 6 reading level, so most children at that level can read it alone. Younger children can listen to it read aloud.
Do the children need to read it before the meeting?
No. Each child can read it free on Peabody, before the meeting or together at it, and the questions work either way. The sheet's short version gives the ending away, so keep it for the leader.
How do I use the questions?
Start with the story's own questions, which have answers in the leader's notes, then move to the open ones and listen for reasons. There is no wrong answer to an open question. Stop when the group runs out of things to say.
Club kits for stories like this
- Peter Pan (level 10)
- Rip Van Winkle (level 12)
- The Case of the Missing Mangoes (level 10)
- The Wizard of Oz (level 10)
- A Christmas Carol (level 14)
- How the Camel Got His Hump (level 8)
How this kit is made
The short version, the facts and the first questions with their answers are the story's own, written for its page in Peabody's library and checked against the sources named there. The open questions, the activity and the plan are Peabody's, written for this kind of story. No part of it is written by a computer model.
Running the meeting: the meeting plans (30, 45 and 60 minutes) and the sign-up sheet.