Cheshire Crossing

May 27, 2019
Weir (Artemis for adults) and Andersen (the Sarah’s Scribbles series for adults) team up to bring Weir’s early webcomic to print in this fantasy mash-up that pitches together Wendy Darling, Dorothy Gale, and Alice Liddell as teenagers diagnosed with “dissociative psychosis.” In 1910, the trio arrives at Cheshire Crossing, an English boarding school/research facility where they are the only patients—the doctor believes that they really can travel to other worlds and is soon proven correct. Alice uses Dorothy’s slippers to travel to Oz, and Wendy is drawn along as she attempts to stop Alice. It’s not long before all three and their umbrella-wielding caretaker face off against the Wicked Witch of the West and Captain Hook in an adventure that spans Earth, Neverland, Wonderland, and Oz. Andersen’s large-eyed characters are reminiscent of manga and scenes convey the crux of each world, but Captain Hook is portrayed as the lone protagonist of color, and the story retains stereotypical images of Native Americans in Neverland. Other elements—Dorothy’s history undergoing “electric shocks” in sanitariums, a Peter Pan aged to his teenage years and feeling “physical needs”—seem aimed at an audience older than the stated age range. Ages 8–12.

Listeners are invited to venture once again into the magical worlds of Neverland, Wonderland, and Oz in this epic audio adventure. Sophie Amoss voices Alice, her volume low and her tone detached, creating a distinct image of a disenchanted girl. Kristen DiMercurio voices level-headed Dorothy, her tones evoking images of an all-American girl whose offhanded wit is quite endearing. Wendy is characterized by Brittany Pressley with an ever-optimistic ring to her words, an impeccable British accent, and an upbeat tempo that never wavers despite the girls' growing misfortunes. Together with a full cast, these narrators bring Andy Weir's graphic novel to life for audiobook listeners of all ages to enjoy. V.T. � AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine