Sylvie and Bruno

You have in front of you the edition “Sonia in the Kingdom of the Dīve”—that’s what, in 1879, the very first Russian translation of Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” was called. When readers first encountered the story of Sonia (Alice), accompanied by illustrations by John Tenniel, they didn’t accept its fantastic adventures and peculiar characters, calling the book an “awkward dream,” a “worthless invention,” and “painful nonsense.” Back then, almost no one could have imagined it would later become world-famous, and Tenniel’s and other illustrators’ works for early “Alice” editions would eventually turn into an acknowledged classic. Notably, the Russian translation of the Alice story appeared after Carroll’s only trip abroad—from Europe to Russia, impressions from which he enthusiastically described in the published “Diaries.” More than 160 years have passed, yet the tale of a girl who truly revolutionized children’s literature is still loved by readers. No wonder, in the English-speaking world, Carroll is quoted more often than anyone else besides the Bible and Shakespeare. This unique edition brings together the best illustrations from the entire history of “Alice” publications—traditionally called Sonia here.