The Best YA Alice in Wonderland Retellings: 26 Insane Books That Will Make You Lose Your Head

For any true Lewis Carroll fanatic, YA Alice in Wonderland retellings are as irresistible as a plate of cookies labeled EAT ME.

With white rabbits running late on their morning commute, soirées with mentally unstable hat lovers, and croquet games that turn into crime scenes at the drop of a hat (or head), Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is undoubtedly one of the strangest stories in classic literature.

And that’s why we love it.

So get ready to celebrate your unbirthday with these 26 curiouser and curiouser YA Alice in Wonderland retellings that will instantly transport you through the looking glass.

[BONUS]

Read to the end of this wondrous list (pun intended!) to unlock an extra 5 books like Alice in Wonderland for adults.

26 Dark YA Alice in Wonderland Retellings That Prove We’re All Mad Here

For the readers who have ever wondered, “Is there a dark version of Alice in Wonderland?”

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Fantasy YA Alice in Wonderland Retellings

1. Heartless by Marissa Meyer

Catherine is just a girl with a dream—to open up her own bakery. What that dream does not include: accepting the growing affections of the King of Hearts and becoming his bride.

But when Cath meets Jest, the handsome and mysterious court joker, he turns her simple world of pastries and tarts upside-down.

At the risk of offending the king and infuriating her parents, she and Jest enter a secret whirlwind romance.

But in a land thriving with magic, madness, and monsters…disaster lurks around every corner.

FOR FANS OF: The Queen of Hearts, villain origin stories, YA Alice in Wonderland prequels, The Lunar Chronicles series

2. Jabberwocky by Daniel Coleman

Tjaden is an aspiring Elite soldier in love. But his beloved—a woman named Elora whose face was disfigured by a bandersnatch—feels unlovable and doubts his affections.

But before Tjaden can convince her that scars don’t matter, an even more terrifying monster comes between them—the Jabberwock. Tjaden must risk his life not only to prove his love to Elora, but to save her from a terrible fate.

FOR FANS OF: Alice in Wonderland prequels, Lewis Carroll’s poem, “Jabberwocky”

3. Splintered by A.G. Howard

For generations, Alyssa’s family has been cursed with the maddening ability to talk to bugs and flowers—an affliction that landed Alyssa’s mother in a mental institution.

But when her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa must journey down the rabbit hole to break the curse.

Can Alyssa undo the mistakes of her great-great-grandmother, Alice Liddell, and set things right in Wonderland once and for all?

FOR FANS OF: Twisted Alice in Wonderland retellings, YA books with love triangles

4. The Looking Glass Wars by Frank Beddor

Alyss Heart is the true heir to the Wonderland throne, a fact that her Aunt Redd is willing to kill to remedy. To escape her aunt’s murderous plot, Alyss flees through the Pool of Tears and ends up stranded in Victorian London.

With the help of an aspiring author named Lewis Carroll and her royal bodyguard Hatter Madigan, Alyss is determined to find a way back to Wonderland.

But can Alyss take back her rightful place as the Queen of Hearts and win the endless war for Imagination?

FOR FANS OF: Young Adult fantasy trilogies, reverse portal fantasies

5. Unbirthday by Liz Braswell

Despite her older sister’s wishes that she become a “respectable” member of society, eighteen-year-old Alice is perfectly happy meandering about the city taking pictures with her trusty camera.

But when Alice develops her most recent neighborhood pictures, she can’t believe her eyes: her old friends from Wonderland are staring back at her. And they’re in trouble!

To save them all, Alice must travel back to the place of nonsense from her childhood. Will she be able to topple The Queen of Hearts’ tyrannical regime before it’s too late?

FOR FANS OF: Disney’s animated film, A Twisted Tale series, YA Alice in Wonderland spin-off books

6. Mad About the Hatter by Dakota Chase

When Henry’s older sister, Alice, told him wondrous tales of a land that lies at the bottom of a rabbit hole, he didn’t believe her.

But all of that changes when he accidentally crosses through the looking glass and finds himself stuck in the topsy-turvy world of Wonderland.

To get back home, Henry must team up with the insufferable and alarmingly attractive Mad Hatter.

But can the two young men navigate this dangerous place without (literally) losing their heads?

FOR FANS OF: Mad Hatter, M M Romance novels, Young Adult LGBT books

7. Ghost in the H.A.T.B.O.X. by Frank Beddor and Adrienne Kress

The prequel to Frank Beddor’s The Looking Glass Wars.

All Cadet Hatter Madigan wants to do is graduate from the Millinery Academy as a Spade, a spy in the service of the Queen of Hearts.

But when he starts to see ghosts lurking in the school corridors, he knows something is seriously wrong.

Hatter and his fellow cadets must unlock the mysteries behind the ghosts, and the headmaster’s suspicious behavior, before the entire student body finds itself possessed!

FOR FANS OF: YA Alice in Wonderland retellings about the Mad Hatter, The Looking Glass Wars trilogy, Ender’s Game

8. Queen of Hearts by Colleen Oakes

Dinah is the young and naïve princess of Wonderland. All she wants is to make her father proud and live happily ever after with the boy of her dreams.

But when a betrayal breaks her heart and threatens her throne, she is launched into Wonderland’s dangerous political game.

Dinah must stay one step ahead of her cunning enemies or she’ll lose not just the crown, but her head.

FOR FANS OF: YA Alice in Wonderland retellings about The Queen of Hearts, villain origin stories, the Wendy Darling series

9. Ever Alice by H.J. Ramsay

When Alice returned from Wonderland, her unbelievable stories did more than raise a few eyebrows—they landed her in an asylum. Now fifteen years old, Alice will do anything to escape reality and return to the strange land from her youth.

Even if it means promising to kill the Queen of Hearts.

But when love, scandal, and intrigue muddle her mission, will Alice find herself on the wrong side of the chopping block?

FOR FANS OF: Disney’s animated film, dark Alice in Wonderland sequels

10. Hatter by Daniel Coleman

Hatta is a kind-hearted traveling artisan with a passion for colors.

Chism is a hot-tempered Elite soldier with a love for justice.

Together, these two unlikely heroes are destined to rescue the kingdom from the Queen of Hearts’ evil clutches.

Along the way, they’ll make new friends, confront their pasts, and go a little insane.

FOR FANS OF: Mad Hatter origin stories, Young Adult Alice in Wonderland prequels

Urban Fantasy YA Alice in Wonderland Retellings

11. Insanity by Cameron Jace

When nineteen-year-old Alice wakes up in an asylum, she isn’t sure how she got there.

Alice allegedly killed all of her classmates, but she can’t remember anything about who she was before. Only her hookah-smoking professor, Cater Pillar, doubts her insanity.

Soon, Alice is tasked with an important mission—help stop the Wonderland monsters who have been reincarnated as modern-day criminals.

Will Alice be able to uncover the secrets of her past, or will she succumb to the madness once and for all?

FOR FANS OF: YA books set in college, modern YA Alice in Wonderland retellings

12. Wonderland Academy by Melanie Karsak

Ever since Alice “Lacey” Crane witnessed her boyfriend’s death during a school shooting, she’s been in and out of psych wards and therapy sessions.

But just as Lacey is settling back into a normal life, her grandmother turns it upside-down again by shipping her off to a mysterious school called Wonderland Academy.

There, she rides jabberwockies, trains with a vorpal sword, and casts spells using teacups.

But it doesn’t take long for Lacey to realize that no one must discover her real name—or else she might just lose her head.

FOR FANS: Magical boarding school books, modern YA Alice in Wonderland retellings

13. A Blade So Black by L.L. McKinney

Alice Kingston is a Black teen who hunts deadly Nightmares that have escaped from Wonderland into the real world.

But it’s hard to be a monster-hunting warrior when you’ve got an overprotective mom, a high-maintenance best friend, and a slipping GPA.

When Alice’s handsome mentor is poisoned, she must find the antidote by venturing deeper into Wonderland than she’s ever gone before. And she’ll need to use everything she’s learned in both worlds to keep from going insane…literally.

FOR FANS OF: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, YA books with Black female leads

14. Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter

When Alice Bell’s entire family dies in a car crash, she quickly learns that her father was right:

Zombies are real. And they’ve eaten his soul.

With the help of a mysterious boy named Cole, Ali must travel to another world and learn to fight the undead.

Will she be able to avenge her family? Or will she lose her soul instead?

FOR FANS OF: YA horror books, zombies, dark versions of Alice in Wonderland

15. Trapped in Wonderland by Dani Hoots

Meredith Alice Hughes’ life was perfectly normal. Up until the day she accidentally stumbled into Wonderland and was almost murdered by the White Rabbit.

Now, she is trapped in the kooky world of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. And according to an ancient prophecy, Alice is the only one who can stop the Cirque de Rêves, an evil group trying to destroy the world.

Will Alice believe in herself enough to defeat the Cirque de Rêves? Or will she fall victim to the dark thoughts that cloud in her heart?

FOR FANS OF: The Chosen One trope, modern Alice in Wonderland spin-off books

Contemporary YA Alice in Wonderland Retellings

16. Alice in Wonderland High by Rachel Shane

Sixteen-year-old Alice is the daughter of two extremely vocal environmental activists. But despite her parents’ love of public protests, Alice struggles to find her own voice.

But all of that changes one day when she meets Whitney Lapin—a mysterious girl who leads Alice on a rabbit trail to an underground society of environmental vigilantes.

Alice has finally found a cause worth fighting for, but will operating on the wrong side of the law have disastrous consequences?

FOR FANS OF: Ally Carter, lower YA books, stories about activism, Young Adult books about the environment

17. Wonderland by Juno Dawson

When Alice’s best friend Bunny goes missing, she’s determined to find her. Her desperate search leads Alice to discover a mysterious invitation to ‘Wonderland’: a party to end all parties. But only the rich elite are welcome.

Will she find Bunny there? Or will the ruthless socialite queen, Paisley Hart, drive Alice to the brink of insanity?

FOR FANS OF: Juno Dawson, Clean and Meat Market, YA books with transgender main characters, The Great Gatsby.

Science Fiction YA Alice in Wonderland Retellings

18. Umberland by Wendy Spinale

Book two in the Everland trilogy.

To find a cure for the deadly Horologia virus, Alyssa must travel to the center of an impossible labyrinth hidden deep within Germany—a place no one in their right mind enters.

With no other options, Alyssa sets out with only her sword, her wits, and the help of Maddox Hadder, a wild boy who oversees the castle gardens. To get to the center of the maze, she’ll be forced to battle monsters more terrifying than her darkest nightmares.

FOR FANS OF: Steampunk, the Everland series, Young Adult dystopian novels

19. Wonderland by Robert McKay

Intergalactic Fairy Tales #1.

Thirteen-year-old Alice has always wanted to be a swashbuckling space pirate. So when the chance to commandeer a sentient spaceship called The White Rabbit presents itself, she takes it without hesitation.

But what started out as a dream quickly turns into a nightmare as Alice finds herself stranded on an uncharted alien planet called Wonderland.

Will Alice be able to escape this strange new world or will she meet a very…headless…fate?

FOR FANS OF: The Lunar Chronicles Series, YA retellings set in space

Historical Fiction YA Alice in Wonderland Retellings

20. Alice by Heart by Steven Sater

Fifteen-year-old Alice Spencer and her best friend, Alfred, live among the rubble of the Blitz of World War II.

Forced to take shelter in an underground tube station, the two children rely on their favorite pastime to keep them sane: reading Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

But when Alfred gets sick with tuberculosis and must be quarantined, the lines between fact and fiction begin to blur.

Is that a militant Red Cross Nurse demanding that Alice get BACK. TO. HER. BED!, or is it the infamous Queen of Hearts saying…something about her head?

FOR FANS OF: Young Adult WWII books, the Alice By Heart off-Broadway production

YA Alice in Wonderland Retelling Anthologies

21. Beware the Little White Rabbit Edited by Shannon Delany and Judith Graves

Through rich historicals, castles and keeps, wild wormholes, secret workshops, deadly plagues, and gritty urban explorations, this Young Adult anthology contains 13 new tales of Alice and her white rabbit.

FOR FANS OF: Anthologies, YA Alice in Wonderland retellings about the White Rabbit

22. Falling for Alice edited by Dawn Dalton

From the modern Alice dumped in the Aquarian Age of the late sixties…

To the present day Alice, tormented by body image and emotional issues…

To the Alice of the future, launched forward through time and space…

This anthology offers five fresh takes on Lewis Carroll’s classic tale, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

FOR FANS OF: Young Adult short stories, stories inspired by Alice in Wonderland

YA Alice in Wonderland Retellings Graphic Novels

23. Alice in the Country of Hearts by Soumei Hoshino

Alice Liddell’s life is completely average—or at least it was.

All of that changes when Alice is kidnapped by a man with white rabbit ears and forcibly taken to a place called Wonderland.

But Wonderland is going through violent times. Before she knows it, Alice is caught in the middle of a bloody civil war full of political intrigue and divided loyalties.

The only way home is to take part in a deadly game of love. But if Alice fails, she’ll lose not only her head but her heart.

FOR FANS OF: Otome games, reverse harem manga

24. Cheshire Crossing Written by Andy Weir and Illustrated by Sarah Andersen

When Wendy, Alice, and Dorothy meet at a magical boarding school called Cheshire Crossing, it doesn’t take long for them to stir up trouble. When Alice steals Dorothy’s silver slippers, the three teens find themselves thrown from one magical world to another.

But their inter-dimensional travels have unintended consequences: they accidentally bring the Wicked Witch and Captain Hook together in a deadly supervillain love match!

To stop them, the girls will have to combine all of their powers and team up with a rag-tag group of unlikely allies. But will it be enough?

FOR FANS OF: Peter Pan retellings, fairy tale crossovers, YA Wizard of Oz retellings

25. Finding Wonderland Written by WmW and Illustrated by roousuu

In Wonderland, Alex is the Ace. When tasked with hunting down the nefarious Black Knave and his scourge of Nightmares, Alex begins to have visions of a world beyond the one she thinks she knows.

In reality, Alex is a normal teen who has been placed in a dangerous simulation to draw out a scientist’s lost son.

And time is quickly running out.

FOR FANS OF: Webtoons, Madame Outlaw, Spells From Hell, The Wendybird

26. Are You Alice? Written by Ai Ninomiya and Illustrated by Ikumi Katagiri

When a disillusioned young man escapes to Wonderland, all he wants is to forget his boring old life and embrace a new, more interesting one.

He gets his wish alright, but not in the way he expects.

By royal command of the Queen of Hearts, the young man is named the 89th Alice of Wonderland and forced to play a deadly game called, “‘Kill The White Rabbit.”

If “Alice” refuses his assigned role, he’ll soon find out there are deadly consequences for not sticking to Wonderland’s script.

FOR FANS OF: Shonen manga, anime, gender-swapped Alice in Wonderland stories

BONUS: 5 Adult Alice in Wonderland Retellings

1. Alice by Christina Henry

Alice has been imprisoned in an asylum for as long as she can remember. Her past is a mystery to her. Only flashes of her life from before the asylum remain—something about a tea party, long ears, and blood…?

When a terrible fire at the hospital presents Alice with a chance to escape, she takes it.

But something else also escapes that night—something sinister.

FOR FANS OF: Very violent and bloody books, dark Alice in Wonderland retellings for adults

2. Meditations in Wonderland by Anna Patrick

Twenty-four-year-old Elizabeth is an interior designer who has it all—the perfect job, the perfect apartment, and the perfect boyfriend. Or so she tells everyone.

In reality, she hides her inner demons deep inside and relies on meditation (as well as recreational drugs) to find peace.

One day when she goes to meditate, Elizabeth ends up falling down the rabbit hole into Wonderland. There, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery that will lead her to the one and only Alice.

But as it would turn out: Alice wants her dead.

FOR FANS OF: New Adult fiction, books with protagonists in their 20s

3. After Alice by Gregory Maguire

After Alice disappears to Wonderland, her best friend Ada accidentally tumbles down the rabbit hole too.

Desperate to find Alice and safely return home together, Ada sets off on a perilous journey through this new topsy-turvy world where nothing is as it seems.

FOR FANS OF: Gregory Maguire, Wicked, Alice in Wonderland sequels

4. Curiouser and Curiouser by Melanie Karsak

Alice is saying goodbye to her life of crime and starting over as an honest maid.

That means no more working for Jabberwocky, no more making deals with the evil Queen of Hearts, and absolutely no more stealing.

Or so she thought.

To save her good friend the Hatter, Alice must pull one last heist.

The catch? She’ll have to work with the one man she despises so much that she might actually love him.

FOR FANS OF: Steampunk, fractured fairy tales, heist books, New Adult

5. The Looking Glass House by Vanessa Tait

Written by the great-granddaughter of the real-life Alice Liddell who inspired Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

Oxford, 1862. Although Mary Prickett is working as a governess for the Liddell family, she has little fondness for children. Especially the precocious young Alice.

But when Mary meets Charles Dodgson (AKA: Lewis Carroll), she starts to dream of a life where she is more than just an overlooked, dowdy governess.

And she’ll do anything to make it a reality.

FOR FANS OF: Historical Fiction books, the history behind Lewis Carroll and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland

Have You Read Any of These YA Alice in Wonderland Retellings?

Nightmare-hunting warriors, swashbuckling space pirates, certifiably insane teens, and soul-eating zombies—these crazy YA Alice in Wonderland retellings have it all.

So grab a teacup and try not to lose your head, because you’re late for a very important date with these 26 Young Adult book recommendations.

Now over to you:

In the comments, share one YA Alice in Wonderland retelling from this list that you’ve already read and one that you just added to your TBR!