Alex in Wonderland
Author Simon James Green
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Story
Alex is a shy, awkward 15-year-old who has been abandoned by his friends for the summer in a boring seaside town. When he lands a part-time job at Wonderland, a dilapidated arcade, he becomes friends with its ragtag crew, including Ben, who Alex starts to fall for. Over the course of the holidays Alex begins to grow in confidence, attempts to save Wonderland from debtors, and even has some romantic adventures…
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Why we chose it
A joyous, light hearted story combining comedy, romance, mystery and how it feels to be an awkward, self-conscious, gay teenager in a small seaside town with the summer stretching in front of you and the feeling of having been somehow left behind.
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First published
2019, Scholastic
Story Reviews
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Initially I was unsure if I would enjoy this novel as it isn’t the sort of thing I would usually read. However, I found that the narrative was compelling and funny, and I did like reading it. The story follows 16-year-old Alex over his summer holidays during which he gets a job at a local amusement arcade and tries to both navigate love and restore the arcade to its former glory. Especially towards the end, there were some surprising plot twists which I found particularly interesting. This novel is probably best for mid teen or young adult readers. Interesting and well-developed characters.