Alice in Wonderland High

Gr 7–10—While she wishes to carry on the legacy of her eco-warrior parents, petite Alice is torn between that promise and maintaining the good-girl image she has developed since their deaths. When her mild protest liberating boxes of school letterhead to recycle gets hijacked by a much more savvy and secretive protester from her school, Whitney Lapin, Alice begins taking on bigger ways to shock those in her town and school into concern over their environment. She joins a far more active and risk-taking group of ecologically aware teens, including Chester Katz, a cute guy with quite a grin, who has a habit of disappearing from time to time. Additional characters include author Shane's version of Tweedle Dee and Dum (Alice's vapid school friends who act like they are two bodies of the same mind) and the Mad Hatter, another mysterious member of the socially conscious group, all of whom go to a school led by Principal Dodgson. There's even a drink given to Alice when she's an initiate to the group that seems to make her smaller. Mostly in small and not terribly important ways, these references to Lewis Carroll's stories are peppered throughout, but only teens with deep knowledge of the original work will find them cute or clever. While the writing is serviceable, the book lacks relatable characters and engaging plot points.