The Great Puzzle: Issues of self-identity in Carroll's Wonderland

Earlier this year, Jen Harrison at East Stroudsburg University, asked me to write a Guest Post on her blog, The Worrisome Words. Here's a link to my post "The Great Puzzle: Issues of Self-identity in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland."

Thanks Professor Harrison for publishing my essay on a question Alice asks, "Who in the world am I?"

Secrets of Famous Children's Literature

Do you know about the real lost map that's connected to Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson? This mystery is one of several background stories about children's books that I talked about with Rachel Hatch in an article in the latest issue of Redbird Scholar, Illinois State University's magazine on faculty & staff research.

Q&A with Jan Susina: Secrets and origins of famous children's literature

 Jan Susina

Evolution of Alice exhibit at Milner Library

Photos from the new exhibit of "The Evolution of Alice in Wonderland for 150 years" at Milner Library at Illinois State University. 

Title of Alice in Wonderland exhibit near Special Collections on the 6th floor of Milner Library at Illinois State UniversityA first edition of Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and materials inspired by Alice.

Alice puppets from the library's Lois Lenski collections

(Un)Birthday Celebration at UNC-Charlotte

Thanks to the Children's Literature Graduate Students and Mark West at University of North Carolina-Charlotte's English Department for inviting me to be part of their (Un)Birthday Celebration of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

I am looking forward to meeting with students and talking about "Alice and Multiple Wonderlands." How has Alice endured for so long? How did Lewis Carroll, particularly as the controller of the Wonderland empire, help to cement the book's legacy? What is it about the books that still appeals to readers? These are some of the questions that I have been pondering as I prepared the talk.

Alice in Wonderland exhibit opening at ISU's Milner Library

Twelve different illustrators' interpretations of Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland will be exhibited in the special collections section of Illinois State University's Milner Library. Included in the exhibit will be Alice related items such as posters and fashion.

Thanks to the Maureen Brunsdale, special collections librarian, and Reiley Bonislawski, Milner library intern and an English major at ISU, who made this exhibit possible.

We have received quite a bit of media attention.

• WMBD-TV reported on putting up the show on Thursday, Nov. 5. http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/celebrating-150-years-of-alice

• The Vidette's reporter Brent Bader did several interviews to write his article on the show "Milner Library Celebrates Alice in Wonderland's 150th anniversary." (Nov. 3, 2015) http://www.videtteonline.com/index.php/2015/11/03/milner-library-celebrates-alice-in-wonderlands-150th-anniversary/

• WJBC interviewed me and Reiley Bonislawski last month for a preview about the exhibit.

• The Pantagraph had a mention of the show in its roundup article about arts events this weekend. http://www.pantagraph.com/entertainment/go/art-round-the-corner-and-beyond/article_a9fa31a0-c936-5cad-99a2-a3a0e0394012.html