D23 pulled back the curtain on a new Disney publishing release Tuesday, April 14, 2026, with an exclusive cover reveal for Wondrous, a young adult novel by Heather Fawcett. According to the official post, the book is scheduled for October 2026 and continues the world of Disney’s Alice in Wonderland with a new story centered on an older Alice.
The official reveal frames Wondrous as a return trip to Wonderland with a slightly darker but still cozy tone. D23 also shared comments from Fawcett, who said Alice in Wonderland was one of her favorite stories as a child and that she enjoyed writing about characters including the Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter, and the White Rabbit.
What D23 revealed about Wondrous
Quick answer: D23 officially revealed the cover for Wondrous on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, and said Heather Fawcett’s novel will be available in October 2026. The post describes the book as a new Disney-connected return to Wonderland that expands the familiar setting with a fresh story and new stakes for Alice.
D23 said the novel is timed to the 75th anniversary of Disney’s enduring classic Alice in Wonderland. The cover art shows Alice mirrored against a floral and ornate Wonderland-inspired frame, with Fawcett credited as the author. D23 also included a preorder link through Penguin Random House as part of the reveal.
What the official book description says
Quick answer: The official description says the story follows a teenaged Alice returning to Wonderland years after her first journey. Once she gets back, she discovers other girls claiming to be the real Alice and gets pulled into a prophecy-driven conflict involving the Queen of Hearts and invading mock dragons.
In the official synopsis published by D23, Alice has returned to Wonderland for good after facing limited options in 19th century London. She hopes to open a traveling magical tea shop, but the story quickly turns into a competition over identity and destiny when another teenager appears and claims to be the true Alice. D23 says the Queen of Hearts believes one Alice is destined to save Wonderland from peril, while the others could be exiled forever.
The synopsis also says Alice forms a tentative alliance with a strange boy who has a connection to jabberwocks. That setup positions the novel as both a sequel and a larger expansion of the Wonderland mythology, while staying tied to Disney’s animated classic.
Why the timing matters for Disney fans
Quick answer: The timing matters because D23 explicitly ties Wondrous to the 75th anniversary of Disney’s Alice in Wonderland. That gives Disney fans a clear anniversary hook for the book’s October 2026 release, even though D23 did not share a specific on-sale date beyond that month.
For Disney fans who collect anniversary tie-ins, the October 2026 window is the biggest hard news in the reveal beyond the cover itself. D23 did not announce a film, series, or park tie-in in this post, but it did position Wondrous as a notable addition to Disney’s broader Alice in Wonderland lineup for the anniversary year.
That makes this reveal more than a simple preview image. It gives readers a release window, a clearer sense of the book’s tone, and a detailed synopsis for where Disney’s Wonderland story is heading next.
Related Articles
- D23 Tickets On Sale for Dead Man’s Chest Screening
- D23 2026: Everything Announced at Disney’s Ultimate Fan Event
- Disney Parks Launches Teacup Confessions Celebrity Series
Source: D23
Discover more from Theme Park Shark
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
