Is it #TeenTuesdays again? Yep! Let's continue the Summer Reading theme of discussing YA Graphic Novels of a most fantastical nature! This week we will talk about Cheshire Crossing by Andy Weir and Sarah Andersen. You may have seen our Sarah's Scribbles series on the shelves - she is the same illustrator!
Cheshire Crossing is set in a pop culture multiverse starring three famous heroines: Dorothy of Oz, Wendy of Neverland, and Alice of Wonderland. These three girls are taken to a special boarding school, known as Cheshire Crossing (THERE'S the title!) where they can learn to appreciate and use their powers for good (sort of a fairy tale-ish version of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters).
Long story short, Alice gets a bit angsty, steals Dorothy's slippers, and she and Wendy disappear into Oz. What follows is a chase by Dorothy and the girls' school nanny (who bears a striking resemblance to Mary Poppins...). There is a lot of universe jumping, whether it be heel-clicking, pixie-dust flying, or mirror-entering. The Wicked Witch of the West happens to still be alive somehow, and she and Captain Hook team up to become a romantic villainous duo who want to kill the girls and triumph over everyone and everything.
Can Dorothy, Alice, and Wendy overcome their differences and defeat Hook and the Witch?
Callie's Opinion: If you have a soft spot for any of the three aforementioned tales or their heroines, you will enjoy this book. However, the writing at times felt like fan fiction, and the characters felt a bit immature, although this sequel is supposed to be set after their original stories. The author tries to make them out as hardened heroines but it just doesn't always translate. There was a lot of universe jumping and it was difficult to keep up with at times. The "rules" for the characters kept changing - Dorothy could teleport herself without her slippers, Alice could use any mildly reflective surface to travel, etc. At times, it felt like the author was just winging it - sort of like Tinkerbell (get it?)
Check out Cheshire Crossing here in our catalog!