Cheshire Crossing: [A Graphic Novel]
OverDrive Read Series
on Goodreads (6,281)
What’s inside...
In a unique graphic novel collaboration, 'Cheshire Crossing' brings together Alice from Wonderland, Wendy from Neverland, and Dorothy from Oz as they team up to save the multiverse. Created by bestselling author Andy Weir and illustrator Sarah Andersen, this inventive journey reimagines classic tales with humor and vivid artwork. The story centers around a boarding school where the girls learn to harness their magical powers, but soon find themselves on an adventure beyond the classroom. What happens to Alice when she comes back from Wonderland? Wendy from Neverland? Dorothy from Oz? The three meet here, at Cheshire Crossing--a boarding school where girls like them learn how to cope with their supernatural experiences and harness their magical world-crossing powers. But the trio--now teenagers, who've had their fill of meddling authority figures--aren't content to sit still in a classroom. Soon they're dashing from one universe to the next, leaving havoc in their wake--and, inadvertently, bringing the Wicked Witch and Hook together in a deadly supervillain love match. To stop them, the girls will have to draw on all of their powers and marshal a team of unlikely allies from across the magical multiverse.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
12-13
Length
128 pages
Text complexity
Character compass
Alice Liddell
Dorothy Gale
Wendy Darling
Peter Pan
Mary Poppins
Wicked Witch Of The West
Captain Hook
Discussion points
What do you think Alice, Dorothy, and Wendy learned about themselves through their adventures in Cheshire Crossing?
How do the characters use their unique abilities to face challenges? Can you think of a time when you used one of your strengths to solve a problem?
Each character comes from a different magical world. How do you think their backgrounds influence their actions and decisions in this story?
What would you do if you were in the place of one of the characters? Which magical world would you like to visit the most?
How do the characters change from the beginning to the end of the story? What do you think caused these changes?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to reflect on the similarities and differences between themselves and the characters, fostering a deeper connection to the story.
Discuss the theme of friendship and teamwork in the novel, exploring how working together helped the characters overcome obstacles.
Ask your child to imagine their own magical world and describe it. This can help them engage creatively with the content of the book.
Link discussions to real-life scenarios, asking your child how they might use their strengths just like the characters did in challenging situations.
Highlight moments in the book where characters show growth or learning. Encourage your child to think of personal instances where they've experienced growth.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Resilience and Adaptability
Explanation: Cheshire Crossing showcases characters who use their unique abilities to navigate and adapt to unpredictable worlds. These characters, including Dorothy from Oz and Alice from Wonderland, exemplify resilience as they face various challenges.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to adapt to new situations and overcome obstacles, understanding that flexibility and resilience are key qualities for personal growth and success.
Example Lesson: Teamwork and Collaboration
Explanation: The graphic novel highlights the power of working together as the characters must combine their strengths to tackle common foes and challenges. This cooperation allows them to succeed where they might have failed alone.
Real-World Application: This lesson encourages children to value collaboration, showing them that teamwork can lead to achieving goals that seem impossible individually.
Example Lesson: Courage and Self-Discovery
Explanation: Throughout the story, characters courageously pursue their goals, which leads them to discover more about their own strengths and capabilities. Each character’s journey is a testament to the bravery required to explore the unknown.
Real-World Application: It teaches children the importance of courage in the face of the unknown and helps them see that self-discovery is a part of growing up and finding one’s place in the world.
Example Lesson: Problem Solving and Critical Thinking
Explanation: The characters often find themselves in complex scenarios where quick thinking and creative solutions are necessary. These moments highlight their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Real-World Application: Children learn the significance of thinking critically and creatively to solve problems, an essential skill in academics and everyday challenges.
Example Lesson: Acceptance and Diversity
Explanation: Cheshire Crossing is a melting pot of characters from different stories and backgrounds, teaching a subtle lesson about acceptance and celebrating diversity.
Real-World Application: This can help children appreciate diversity in the real world, promoting inclusivity and acceptance of people from various backgrounds and cultures.