It is with great pleasure that we present to you a visual masterpiece, illustrated with delicate, yet striking charm by Matthew Land, Alice With a Why written by Anna James is set to be a publishing phenomenon creating a new trajectory for illustrated fiction.
'Set in England, 1919. Alyce – with a Y – lives with her grandmother, the original Alice, having lost her father during the Great War. When a mysterious invitation to a tea party hits her square in the face, Alyce realises her grandmother’s strange stories of a place called Wonderland might have some truth to them after all.
But the land Alyce finds herself in feels different from the Wonderland of her grandmother’s stories – for it is trapped in its own war. The Sun King and the Queen of the Moon are fighting over a stolen hour, and soon Alyce is tasked with setting it right. With the help of the Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and a Sailor Fox, Alyce will have to solve Wonderland’s problems and, eventually, find her way back home.' Harper Collins Childrens Books
As an intriguing re-imagining of the classic story Alice in Wonderland, Alice with a Why invites the reader to enter an enchanting adventure through Wonderland, featuring stunning illustrations by Matthew Land. Starring new characters and old favourites, Alice with a Why is both a celebration of Lewis Carroll's beloved original story, and a modern masterpiece.
Matthew has always been recognised for his instinctive talent for creating visually arresting visualisations of fictional characters and this project couldn’t be better suited to his artistic skills.
The incredible detail in each stunning piece shows the care, attention and in-depth research Matthew puts into his work. With a keen interest period pieces and costume, he has given each of the familiar characters and not so familiar ones a fresh but nostalgic feel and will create the perfect interlude between story filled pages.
You can see the illustrations from this project on Matthew's portfolio. He says,
"This a special treasure of a book, and deserves a place on all bookshelves as a modern masterpiece. Anna has woven the most exquisite original story whilst taking the utmost care building upon Lewis Carroll’s world."
With numerous 5* previews reviews online already we know this book will catapult Matthew to becoming a new go-to artists for similar fiction projects.
Alice with a Why publishes with Harper Collins on the 5th June, treat yourself to a copy here.
You can find Matthew on Instagram sharing fascinating insights into a world of bookselling and event organising as well as wonderful hints on his illustrative projects.
For more information regarding working with Matthew or any of our brilliant artists please email info@arenaillustration.com
