Tim Burton's return to Wonderland via his new “;Alice in Wonderland”; film arriving in theaters March 5 has and will continue to generate excitement over the fantasy characters and scenarios dreamed up nearly 150 years ago by Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, writing as Lewis Carroll.

In the film that builds on Carroll's “;Alice's Adventures in Wonderland,”; a now 19-year-old Alice returns to the magical world of her childhood, where she learns it's her destiny to end the Red Queen's reign of terror.

In paying tribute to the classic tale, the Internet abounds with sources for Alice costumes and staging your own Mad Tea Parties, which call for bringing in the crazy in the form of a colorful tablecloth, mismatched tea pots, tea cups and saucers, an assortment of odd chairs to have guests sitting at different heights, and odd objets d'art at the table.

What I've found in talking to people about the original story, though, is that while many are familiar with the major characters from the tale, few have actually read the book. To refresh your memory, I called on local designer Zhanneta Sharov of ZhanVi Designs to help share part of the story.

“;She came upon a low curtain she had not noticed before, and behind it was a little door about fifteen inches high: she tried the little golden key in the lock, and to her great delight it fitted!”;

“;Alice began to feel very uneasy: to be sure, she had not as yet had any dispute with the Queen, but she knew that it might happen any minute, 'and then,' thought she, 'what would become of me? They're dreadfully fond of beheading people here …'

“;Soon her eye fell on a little glass box that was lying under the table: she opened it, and found in it a very small cake, on which the words 'EAT ME' were beautifully marked in currants.”;

“;'Well, I'll eat it,' said Alice, 'and if it makes me grow larger, I can reach the key; and if it makes me grow smaller, I can creep under the door …'”;