Wonderland Beyond

By Ivy Tsao, Zoe Weber and Isabelle Wang

Julia and her friends--in both worlds--try to figure out how to fix the Wonderland Beyond.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ivy Tsao
• Release date: May 11, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201061111

Book preview

Chapter 1

Twelve-year-old Julia Rauner was striding through a city of ruins on a grayish afternoon; everything seemed dull. Her neighborhood, Angela Valley, got in the Great War. Everything seemed like it was one of those old black and white movies. Her neighbors had either fled or left to work overseas. How could anyone even have a normal life now in this old, crumbling valley? Julia’s parents were working for the Universal Army Company, like most adults in these times, and she is all alone. She had joined the Junior War Band at school, but they hadn’t made much progress recently. Jaylen, her best friend since elementary school, had told her the president of the club died a few months ago. Julia had never felt so hopeless. Truthfully, the president of the club was the one keeping everyone in order, as the last piece in the puzzle. 

As soon as she got home, her dog stood at the doorway, waiting.

Sorry, no treats today, Julia said. Bullet’s tail drooped and he whined. Julia sighed. Fine, but they are running out! she said. After giving Bullet the last of the treats, Julia sat down on the old sofa. It was the only place to sit in the now-abandoned house since the war started about a year ago. Julia started texting the War Band members, agreeing to meet in an hour. ‘The Meet Place’ as they called it, was a pizza parlor next to their run-down school building.

We would like to meet at Peter’s Pizza to have a discussion. someone texted.

Also, the new band president election starts Monday! texted Claire, the band’s best clarinet player. Julia thought nothing of this, considering that the band had the occasional discussion every once in a while. Julia replied that she was going to be able to make it, and dug through her closet to find some more exceptional clothes, instead of her school uniform.

Once dressed, she shut the door silently, trying not to wake up Bullet. If she had been leaving for a band discussion a year ago, she would just ask her parents to drive her there. But ever since the war, she had to walk everywhere. No parents to keep her up and lift her spirits. A lot of kids her age had it easy. Julia was toughened by this loneliness, and she had a different perspective on life. When her parents left for work overseas, her feet ached and swelled from all of the walking. This time, though, there was no hurting.

After thirteen long minutes, she arrived. Julia couldn’t help but to look around at the old and rotten floorboards that once were new and shiny, and at the roof that could barely hold three lights that were able to blind one person just by letting them step in.

Jules! Oh, I was so worried you wouldn’t have made it, gasped Jaylen. Mari Sato, the band’s only harpist, was busy ordering pizza and a couple of sodas. Mari was the one running the group chat, and Mr. Sato created a hotspot