J.Scott Savage Discusses: The Lost Wonderland Diaries
My Review
First off, you have to read this new book. The Lost Wonderland Diaries by J. Scott Savage is such a fun book. I read Alice's Adventure in Wonderland many years ago. Reading this new book brought back so many memories of that first read, but honestly, I loved The Lost Wonderland Diaries even better! You must also know that this is not a retelling but an adventure back in Wonderland many years later. The main characters Celia and Tyson are so relatable to kids now days. They are normal but also have unique situations as Celia is dyslexic and often feels alone in her struggles and Tyson is an avid reader who is often bullied because of his love of books. I love how their "oddness" turns out to be their greatest assets during the novel as they use their strengths to problem solve.
Another thing I loved so much in the novel were all of the rhymes, riddles, and math problems. As I was reading, I kept thinking how much kids are going to love reading this book. I was absolutely intrigued and delighted with trying to figure out the puzzles. The author is so brilliant with everything he has written in this book and showcases what a wonderful writer he truly is.
This charming book will take children and adults on a great new epic episode in the land where we first met the Mad Hatter and the Cheshire Cat. The beautiful thing is, anyone can pick up this book and have a great read without never having read or heard of Alice in Wonderland before. The Lost Wonderland Diaries brings a fresh new experience that will enchant Middle-Grade readers and teach some great lessons about tolerance, friendship, and believing in yourself.
*****Exclusive Author Interview With
Author J. Scott Savage****
1)How old were you when you first read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland? Who was your favorite character?
I remember it very well. I was either nine or ten and we were staying at a friend’s cabin. I was sitting out on the balcony eating green apples, smelling pines trees, and reading. (Is it any wonder I would love that?!) I was just amazed at how fun the nonsense was, and how the more you read it, the more logical it became, if that makes sense.
Back then, my favorite character was the Cheshire cat. Later I fell in love with Hatter. But when I wrote this series, I discovered my favorite character is now Alice. At the time Lewis Carroll wrote the books, having a young girl as a narrator was unheard of, and she is really what pulls the whole world together.
2) How did you come up with the character of Celia? Did you plan from the start to have her be dyslexic?
I almost always start my books with characters. For some reason they pull everything else into focus. With this series, though, I started with the fact that four of Lewis Carroll’s diaries disappeared after his death. How can you not want to write a story about that?
But as soon as I decided the main character would be a descendant of Lewis Carroll, I knew she would be dyslexic. I’m not sure exactly why. Maybe it was because Alice was such a ground-breaking narrator that I wanted one as well, and we need more neurodivergent main characters in kids’ novels. They are so tough and misunderstood. I especially like having a dyslexic girl, because you don’t see that very much in fiction.
The trick was learning enough about neurodivergent people to get it right. It’s not just a few mixed up letters, it’s a huge part of who that person is, and often, how they view themselves.
3)How long did it take you to write The Lost Wonderland Diaries from first thought to final draft? Was it an easy book to write?
I’d say about three months of writing and another three months of editing. The fun part was jumping into a world I love so much. The hard part was writing a story that makes the reader feel like they are actually in Lewis Carroll’s world. His voice and writing style are very unique.
I wanted to write a story that would appeal to three groups of readers: People who have never seen the movies or read the books, people who know the movies and the basic characters but don’t know much about the original books, and people who love the books and want an authentic experience. For kids who are just looking for an exciting adventure, I think they’ll be able to jump into the story without knowing the Alice books, but I love when people saying reading my books made them want to go back and read the originals.
4) I know there has to be a book two. Will there be new main characters or will Celia and Tyrus be back. I really loved both of them so I hope we'll see them again.
Celia and Tyrus will definitely be back. It’s a new place—The Looking-Glass World—and a new adventure, so readers who haven’t read book one will still be able to appreciate it, but readers who know the characters from book one will have lots of fun with book two.
Also, if you read to the very, very last page of book one, I left a little Easter egg scene hinting and a couple of other characters we will see again.
5) Did you come up with all of the rhymes/riddles and math puzzles yourself or did you have helpers? They were some of my favorite parts of the books!
Almost all of them! I love coming up with cool puzzles for my characters to figure out because it lets the reader feel like they are helping complete the adventure as well. After I turned in the first draft, my publisher told me which riddles they liked and which ones that wanted me to change a little.
But there is a scene where Celia and Tyrus must untangle knots from a mouse’s tail by solving math problems. Lewis Carroll’s real name was Charles Dodgson, and he was a math professor who created lots of fun math games and problems. For a while, he wrote a column called Math Knots. I couldn’t resist borrowing a couple of those to untie the math knots in the mouse’s tail.
About the Author:
J. SCOTT SAVAGE is the author of both the Mysteries of Cove and the Farworld middle grade fantasy series and the Case File 13 middle grade monster series. He has published 19 books, visited more than 3,000 schools, and taught dozens of writing classes.For author interview requests, please contact Callie Hansen at chansen@shadowmountain.com
Learn more about J.Scott Savage and his books HERE: https://www.jscottsavage.com/
Advanced Praise:
“Savage pays homage to Carroll's world with imagination as well as a notable love for math and literature while adding his own ingenious twists to the original. Both Celia and Tyrus struggle with bullying back home, and Celia's dyslexia is a constant source of frustration when other kids underestimate her intelligence, and the book ultimately offers a message of empowerment and self-love. A fun and clever return to Wonderland.”-Kirkus
“It's very clear that Scott not only loves the [Wonderland] books, but he GETS them. He gets Lewis Carroll/Charles Dodgson. His love of wordplay, which is so often missing from sequels and interpretations! The math! The names! The puns! What a delight! This is both an action-adventure and a wonderful exploration of Wonderland, and written with such sensitivity, too, toward the new main characters and the original characters!”-Jessica Day George, NYT bestselling author
“A whimsical adventure packed with clever puzzles and plenty of heart. Whether you're already a fan of Wonderland, or new to Lewis Carroll's world, you'll be so glad you fell down this rabbit hole!”-Shannon Messenger, NYT bestselling author
Purchase your copy of The Lost Wonderland Diaries HERE: https://amzn.to/2DBWbPu
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