Sparkle Valley and Alice in Wonderland
- Apr 20
- 4 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
How two worlds treat imagination—and what happens when we grow up
Sparkle Valley stands on its own, so there are no real comps, but it's always interesting to try to put it into context. And one of the stories that might help with context is Alice in Wonderland. I like that story. Everybody does, of course. And there are similarities. But there are also differences. So let's talk about it.
She falls
Both books start off with the girl who falls. Alice falls down the rabbit hole. And she falls into this world where everything is just a little bit off. There are cats that speak in riddles. Tea parties that never end. (I love this because it's so true.) Nothing quite holds together. And the whole point is that nothing makes sense. It is based on logic, but that logic is messed with. And it’s all intentional.
What about Sparkle Valley? On the surface, it looks similar. Abigail also falls, over a waterfall. She ends up in a weird place with talking tortoises, forgotten toys, a river that runs the wrong way, a frog who thinks he's a prince, a troll who lives in a school bus.
But it's not random.
This world is based on Emily. And when she forgets, then the world fades. And when she remembers, then it stabilizes. It's not chaos. It's not absurd. It's responsive.
The Worlds
Another way to look at it is just think of Wonderland as being external. We're looking at it. It's like a funhouse version of reality where everything is exaggerated. It plays with language, with rules, basic assumptions. Nothing really makes sense. And the whole time, Alice is just trying to keep up.
But not Sparkle Valley. Things do make sense here because it’s internal. The world is reacting to Emily, and Abigail’s trying to keep up. And that's really the difference here. Alice visits her world, but Abigail lives in hers.
The Characters
Think about the characters in Alice in Wonderland. There's Cheshire Cat, the Mad Hatter. Fun characters who twist reality. But they're not so much guiding Alice as they are kind of confusing her. That's the point of the experience.
Sparkle valley also has its own versions. There's the Smortzle, Ivana, Hank Needlenose. But they're not random. They're based on things that seem familiar. Smortzle’s power, Ivana's pride, Hank’s control. This isn’t abstract. These are things that Abigail has to deal with, just like anybody would.
And then there are the characters in Sparkle Valley that help her out. Grandma Doris, Gloria, Fluffy. It's not so much that they figure things out for her, they just keep her grounded so she can figure it out for herself. Despite a lot of strange things happening, Sparkle Valley is not chaotic. It feels emotional.
The Stakes
The other thing that separates the two stories is the stakes. In Alice in Wonderland the stakes are really not that high. It's all temporary. Alice’s journey is over when she wakes up from a dream.
But not Abigail. For her, it’s about survival. If Emily stops believing, it’s over. Her world ceases to exist. Belief isn't just a part of the story, it's the whole story. It's what holds that world together. There's nothing like that Alice in Wonderland.
Where they end up
So even though the stories definitely have similarities, they don't end up in the same place. Wonderland is a place that you can visit—a dream that ends. But Sparkle Valley is a place that actually depends on you. And it doesn’t stop when you wake up. Even if the lights are out, it’s still there (with Abigail fighting to hold it together).
In other words, that imagination you thought was gone—it isn’t. It’s just waiting there, until you actually look again.
Continue Exploring
If you want to compare Sparkle Valley to other imaginative worlds
→ Sparkle Valley & Calvin and Hobbes — imagination in ordinary life
→ Thin Places — where the world becomes emotionally alive
→ The Blue Flower — the deeper symbolic heart
If you want to understand the characters behind the world
→ Emily — the imagination behind Sparkle Valley
→ Abigail — the one fighting to keep it alive
→ Ivana — what happens when connection breaks
If you want the practical side
→ Blue Flower Power: Imagination — seeing differently
→ Finding Your Own Sparkle Valley — bringing wonder into ordinary life
Field Guide Notes (Quick Reference)
Concept: Sparkle Valley vs. Alice in Wonderland
Core contrast: internal world vs external world
Wonderland: absurd, linguistic, destabilizing
Sparkle Valley: emotional, responsive, tied to belief
Mechanism: Wonderland breaks logic; Sparkle Valley follows feeling and memory
Role of protagonist: Alice observes; Abigail participates
Character function: Wonderland confuses; Sparkle Valley reflects inner conflict
Core stakes: Wonderland is temporary; Sparkle Valley depends on belief
Central idea: imagination as structure vs imagination as reality
Guiding line: One world is visited. The other depends on you
