Date: June 21, 2023
Material: Mrs. White Rabbit by Gilles Bachelet (Book)
Comment: Patron objected to this book being in the children’s area because some of the topics are too mature for younger readers. Cited mentions of an eating disorder, “potty play,” a boy looking up a doll’s dress and an absent and drunken father.
Result: The book was reviewed and moved from the Easy Fiction section to the Juvenile Fiction section.
Supporting Information:
- This book is a satire of characters from Alice in Wonderland, which is shelved in the Juvenile Fiction section.
- From School Library Journal: “Grades 1 – 4 …In very adult and sophisticated language, she tells of her utter unhappiness with her life in a household that includes a teenage daughter who appears to border on anorexic in her efforts to become a bunny model, twin boys who play marbles with their own scat, and a young lad who is precociously interested in girls. The jokes are largely adult: for example, the White Rabbit is a drunkard who needs to be fetched from the palace in a wheelbarrow. The illustrations are fantastic, with incredible detail, but much of the humor will be appreciated only by those who know the Alice stories. Readers who haven’t been previously exposed to the tales will likely be confused and put off by the dolorous tone of the text. VERDICT Bachelet is undoubtedly an incredibly talented and funny illustrator, but the palpable anger of Mrs. White Rabbit and the many specific references to Alice’s world may bewilder young readers. Older readers familiar with Wonderland will likely find the book most amusing and enjoy the intricate, colorful illustrations.”