Rene Cloke (1904-1995), was a gifted British illustrator, with a rich body of work, mostly as an illustrator of books and postcards.
Her Alice in Wonderland was first published in 1944.
I know I sometimes say on Alice editions that they are ‘profusely illustrated’, but if there’s an Alice edition that really is profusely illustrated, it’s Cloke’s Alice. It has 80+ illustrations. Some in color, most are in 3 colors.
Cloke’s Alice in Wonderland, is playful and sweet. Her Wonderland isn’t dark or threatening, but rather fun and child-friendly.
Let’s dive into my copy, 1st edition, 1944ish, with the dust jacket.
One note about this book, and this particular post. I’ll place it’s illustrations by order of appearance in the book. As you’ll see some of the illustrations are not synched with the text / chapter the scenes appear on.
Dust jacket of front cover
Dust jacket back cover
Front cover (dust jacket removed)
Alice falling down the rabbit’s hole
Title page – Published by P. R. Gawthorn LTD.
Alice watching the White Rabbit’s house
The Tea Party Trio – Hatter, March hare & Dormouse
Bill the Lizard kicked out of the chimney, on the printer’s details page
Alice and the animals in the caucus race
Alice and the White Rabbit (p.s. this looks like it’s part of the trial scene)
Alice and sister – Chapter 1
White rabbit looking at his pocket watch
Alice watching the White Rabbit go down the rabbit’s hole
Alice peeping through the tiny door into Wonderland
Alice picking up the ‘Drink Me’ bottle
Alice shrinking after drinking the ‘Drink Me’ bottle
Chapter 2 – Pool of tears
Alice crying
The White Rabbit dropping his fan and gloves
Alice and the animals contemplating how to get dry, after swimming in the pool of tears. Note that the colored illustrations aren’t in-line with the text, and the monochromatic illustrations.
Alice putting on one of the White Rabbit’s gloves
Alice swimming alongside the mouse, in her pool of tears
Chapter 3 – A Caucus-race and a long tale
The mouse’s tale
Alice and the Dodo
The mouse weeping
Alice makes the animals uncomfortable with her remarks on Dinah, her cat
Chapter 4 – The Rabbit sends a Little Bill
Alice outside the White Rabbit’s house
Giant Alice inside the White Rabbit’s house, kicking poor Bill through the chimney
Alice’s giant hand, shocking the poor White Rabbit
Alice and the Caterpillar
Poor Bill the lizard, getting carried out for further care
Alice and the Puppy
Chapter 5 – Advice from a Caterpillar
Alice by the mushroom
Father William balancing a snake on his nose
Alice taking some shrooms
Alice and the pigeon
Chapter 6 – Pig and Pepper
Alice and the Footman
Alice, the duchess, the baby, and the cook
The cook tossing dishes at the duchess and the baby, with Alice
The cook
Alice and the pig baby
Alice and the Cheshire cat
Chapter 7 – A Mad Tea Party
The Mad Hatter
Alice and the Tea Party Trio
Hatter pouring tea over the poor dormouse
The Dormouse
The Hatter and The March hare tormenting the poor Dormouse
Chapter 8 – The Queen’s Croquet Ground
Painting the Roses
A Mad Tea Party
Alice, the Royals, and their squires
Alice and the White Rabbit
Alice, holding the Flamingo, speaking to the Cheshire cat
Soldier
Chapter 9 – The Mock Turtle’s Story
The Duchess, way too close to Alice
Alice, the Duchess, and the Gryphon
The Mock turtle, crying
Alice, the Gryphon, and the Mock Turtle
Chapter 10 – The Lobster Quadrille
Alice and the Queen on the Croquet ground
The Lobster Quadrille
Fish and snail
Alice
Owl and Panther. I had to go back to the text to see where on earth there are a panther and an owl. Well, here they are (at the end of chapter 10):
“…“Go on with the next verse,” the Gryphon repeated impatiently: “it begins ‘I passed by his garden.’”
Alice did not dare to disobey, though she felt sure it would all come wrong, and she went on in a trembling voice:—
“I passed by his garden, and marked, with one eye,
How the Owl and the Panther were sharing a pie—” “
Alice and the Gryphon, running
Chapter 11 – Who stole the tarts?
Alice and the Jury
Hatter giving a testimony in front of the King and Queen, with the march hare and the dormouse
The Queen
The hatter pleading
The cook at the court
Chapter 12 – Alice’s Evidence. Alice with the flying cards
Alice, the Gryphon, and the mock turtle
Alice breaking down the court
White rabbit, King, and soldiers at the trial
The White Rabbit in the trial
Poor Bill the lizard
White Rabbit, Queen and King
Alice awakens
Alice tearing down the court