Alice’s Magic Garden

Alice goes to a boarding school that is very bland. Everything around her is a pasty grey. The walls and furnishings are grey. The clothing worn by students and faculty are various shades of grey. Even the food is grey and tasteless and overcooked and the consistency of porridge, except for the porridge of course. The clocks are grey and seem to tick-tock more slowly than they should. It is a dreary life. Alice finds her way into a a secret garden where plants are wilting and uncared for. Alice begins to care for the garden, and soon it is filled with color and beauty. Alice helps some little creatures, and magical things begin to happen in her life. A little kindness goes a long way.

Author Henry Herz has looked to a time before Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland for his inspiration for this story, and it is filled with allusions to the Lewis Carroll classic. The charming illustrations by Natalie Hoopes give a nod to the story as the Disney Studios portrayed Alice, with her familiar blue dress and white pinafore. This is a cute story that will demonstrate the importance of kindness to youngsters.