Introducing Insta Novels, a reimagining of Instagram Stories to provide a new platform for iconic stories.

Insta Novels launched today on the Library's Instagram account (@nypl) with Part 1 of a newly digitized version of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. The novel is illustrated by well-known designer Magoz (@magoz).

In the coming months, look for two other literary works that will be released on the Library's Instagram account: "The Yellow Wallpaper," a short story by Charlotte Perkins Gilman illustrated by Buck (@buck_design) and The Metamorphosis, a novella by Franz Kafka illustrated by César Pelizer (@cesarpelizer).

The New York Public Library joined forces with the independent advertising and creative agency, Mother in New York, to create Insta Novels. The program aims to make great stories available even more widely.

How It Works

First, go to the Library's Instagram account (@nypl) and tap Part 1 of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in the Highlights section, right under the bio.

Rest your thumb on lower right part of the screen to hold the page, and lift your thumb to turn the page. (The lower right thumb holder is designed to double as a flip book: if you lift your thumb and let the pages flip, you'll see an animation.)

As more stories are added, the NYPL Instagram account's Highlights will turn into a digital bookshelf.

Read More on SimplyE from The New York Public Library

The three books coming to Insta Novels are also available on SimplyE, The New York Public Library's free e-reader app, available on the App Store or Google Play.

Anyone can browse classic titles, including Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, "The Yellow Wallpaper," and The Metamorphosis in the SimplyE Collection in the app. Those eligible for library cards from The New York Public Library can also access 300,000+ e-books, from bestsellers to classics, by connecting to NYPL in the app.

Other Ways to Read the Stories

There are many ways to read or listen to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, "The Yellow Wallpaper," and The Metamorphosis. Anyone can access the full text of the stories on the Project Gutenberg website. NYPL cardholders can check out the books and audiobooks via the NYPL catalog. Also, you can find the stories by searching the online catalog of NYPL's Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library.