Ever since Lewis Carroll dropped Alice down the rabbit hole, alternate universes have amused us, fascinated us, and sometimes scared us silly. There is really no limit to what might be out there, just the other side of your imagination.

Yes, we believe in classics, and this is at the top of the list. Who wouldn't want to fly off to Neverland (before Michael Jackson corrupted the name)? This story has never been just for kids. C'mon, 'fess up. You clapped your hands for Tinkerbell, didn't you?

We also confess to liking the movie "Finding Neverland" with Johnny Depp:

Finding Neverland (Widescreen Edition)

Do we really need to say anything about this grandmother of all classic tales? Suffice it to say that if you have never read Alice in Wonderland, it's time you did and discovered what all the fuss is about. 

Carroll may have been the hookah-smoking addict (or not), but something certainly did wonderful things for his imagination.

A poignant and bittersweet tale about three children who walk into an alternate reality. Like Narnia, it's a world of beauty and terror. Separated from each other, each must face his or her own destiny in this new world, always with the thought of someday going home.

Beautifully written YA that, like all really good YA, is also a good read for adults. Worth looking for, though it was still available used the last we checked.

The Dragon and the George

These are a hoot, with a delightful twist on the old trope of falling into a new universe. Poor Jim Eckart ends up in the Middle Ages--as a dragon. And guess who's the biggest target around?

The Dragon and The Djinn
The Dragon on the Border
The Dragon at War
The Dragon, The Earl, and the Troll
The Dragon & the Gnarly King
The Dragon and the Fair Maid of Kent
The Dragon In Lyonesse

A really excellent trilogy, better in many ways than the Krondor series. The innocent heroine plucked from her convent literally at the last moment before taking final vows learns, like Scarlett O'Hara, to survive and thrive on her own. Bereft of kin, deprived of allies outside her own household, she rises on brains and a willingness to flout custom to get her way.

Hambly introduces Darwath by transporting two hapless Californians to this alternate reality, and then takes the series on from the original trilogy. An elegant writer, her work is always worth the read.

One of the classics of YA fantasy. Three children sent to the country to escape the Blitz in London during World War II walk through a magic wardrobe into a strange and beautiful country where their coming has been foretold since time out of mind.

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
Prince Caspian
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The Silver Chair
The Horse and his Boy
The Magician's Nephew
The Last Battle