What would you get if you crossed Alice in Wonderland, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, and Tim Gunn? Return of the Dapper Men, that’s what — a lyrical and impressionistic new tale by Jim McCann with charming illustration by Janet Lee and a foreword by, yes, quintessential modern dapper man Tim Gunn.

It’s the story of a human boy named Ayden, a robot girl named Zoe, and 34 Dapper Men who restart the world they live in — a world without time or progress, which only robots and children who never grow up inhabit. It’s part remarkably crafted graphic novel, part beautifully told morality tale, part something else entirely.

Return of the Dapper Men is as much a wonderful and whimsical piece of children’s literature as it is a timeless and profound meditation on individualism, community, change and permanence — which makes it a fine addition to both our favorite children’s literature of 2010 and our top five children’s books with philosophy for grown-ups.