“A Matter of Time” Encourages Young Readers to Read it in 20+ Different Ways

Disney has released an Alice Through the Looking Glass companion book, A Matter of Time, which will be a joy to anyone seeking a magical reading experience. (Target age of 9-12).

The book begins with a warning: THIS IS NO ORDINARY BOOK! It is a chrononsphere: a time deportation device. Readers are encouraged to move forward and backward in time as well as switch character perspectives, often flipping the book upside down.

Readers may choose from Alice, the Hatter, the Red Queen or the White Queen and each of these choices have multiple choices within them. When the reader makes a choice, they then follow the prompts as to which page to read next. You then “hop” through the book.

Peppered with steampunk inspired clock and tea party end pages, and with cartoonish illustrations throughout this book, it is a visual wonder. The pages are made from a thick stock which makes the simple act of turning the pages a tangible pleasure.

Released right before summer, this is an excellent choice for fans of the Alice stories, Tim Burton’s retelling of the story, and reluctant readers. The beautiful thing about this particular book is that even if you don’t fit into any of those categories, you are still likely to get some intrinsic pleasure form this delightful book.