Classic Starts®: Peter Pan

Not the version I thought. It is abridged.

My wife and I both grew up watching Disney films. We each have our own likes and dislikes, but one that we both enjoyed and would watch anytime is Peter Pan. When I heard that Sterling Illustrated Classics was printing Peter Pan and Wendy, I knew I had to own this book. The book begins with a foreword by David Barrie, J.M. Barrie' great-great nephew. This was a brief two pages, but was very interesting. The rights to Peter Pan were left to Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (in perpetuity) so that the hospital might always thrive due to this work's popularity.The story itself begins with background on the Darling family. We learn about how Mr. Darling got Mrs. Darling to marry him, the birth of the three children, and how finances were tight with that many mouths to feed. It is also where we are introduced to the notion of Peter Pan and Neverland. Chapter Two is the famous shadow scene, where the faithful dog Nana sees Peter Pan flying about and tries to catch him, but only manages to nab his shadow! The rest of the story is very familiar, as we see mermaids, Lost Boys, pirates, Captain Hook, and Tinker Bell too! The book ends with Wendy growing up and having a daughter who goes off to Neverland. She too will have a daughter, and that daughter will have a daughter, and the cycle will continue indefinitely.This is a quality printed, hardcover book with a dust jacket. What makes it stand out from other editions of this book is the beautiful illustrations. I have never felt anyone has done a sufficient job of capturing the true child-like nature of Peter's character, but these illustrations of him are some of the best I have seen. If you are any kind of fan of Peter Pan, you need this book in your collection. I know I will treasure this copy for years to come!

I have always been curious to read the adventures of Peter Pan without the 'bloated' media versions (Disney, Dreamworks, Kids Story Books, Shrek) that have floated around forever... much like Peter Pan... floating around forever (accidental analogy)Not until my curiosity was peaked by reading about the book 'Child Thief' by Brom did I finally do it. The interest was spurned by Brom's recollections of the Pan story that caused him to actually be inspired to write his own version.I very likely would have given this book a 4 1/2 stars, but some of the language and terminology was lost on me (some was 'translated' but I am sure I am missing some chunks of understanding due to my lack of vocabulary)You may want to keep in mind that I am reading this .. in order to understand the adaptation that Brom created - in that light I knew what Brom got out of tiny parts of the Peter Pan story... that likely affected my minds-eye in reading it, but honestly ... hopefully ... not too much.Initially as you enter the story, the undertone of 'horridness' begins, because there is SO much talked about how 'that night' and the regrets that the parents have over what they did, or did not do - that caused the children to be able to travel to Neverland.Peter is much of a failure of a hero - but I think that not because he fails (many 'heroes' do this) - but because he does not seem to learn - honestly that is the truth of who he is. A boy that just wants to have fun - if he were to learn and become a respectable hero ... he would have to learn and mature, instead he gets by on his luck, and just more blind luck - calling it cleverness does not necessarily make it yours - though when done properly, you certainly can look the wise hero.When you can completely forget that you were leading a group of children to your home, then you cannot be that great of a 'role model'. I would hate to think there were other children he found to recruit as lost boys ... to only forget them and lose them while flying over the ocean.The fact that Peter actually 'made up' or 'said whatever was in head' coming up with the directions that 'EVERYONE' knows in order to get yourself to Neverland. It seems to me that leave five minutes before morning would make for a shorter trip based on those directions.Now - I do not mean to try to rip this classic apart, just bring to light some things that may have been 'glossed' over for so long that we have no idea what the story really contained. I very much enjoyed the story - and gave the stars to prove it, I just never realized how dark the story behind what I saw all my life really was!I had my suspicions - watching the tinkerbell movies - tink is kind and lovable, basically one of the better fairies - yet in the original story (and this was in the movies) she had a foul mouth - and tried to cause a murder.Micheal (the youngest Darling - btw SPOILER ALERT after this ........) killed a pirate near the end of the 'adventure' ... how is that for a young child's upbringing! Peter forgets about Tink a year after the adventure (the narration mentions that she probably died) .... what a wonderful companion? (also the part in Shrek where you see Peter trying to sell Tink... I think is entirely possible as he could have forgotten who she was... )As well to not completely 'trash' Peter - he has his kinds streaks (with the Never Bird's eggs - and a few other times)...SPOILER END...All in all - the story is great as it is. Not the happy go lucky clean and cut adventure that we may have all seen and 'loved', but a story with a grand lesson. Peter does not wish to grow up... so in Neverland he forgets everything - memory is what causes us to grow. When we learn something - when we begin to understand something ... we need to make changes, because we REMEMBER!When we make the decision to NOT REMEMBER - to NOT GROW - we become like Peter. Lost. And Alone. So afraid to move forward in life that he must 'steal' children and create adventures. Well onto the adaptation by Brom... which is promised to be even darker - more honestly - I can see it only lifting the veal a tiny bit more.

This is a story about a surprisingly new way to enlighten children with reference togrowing up, and Wendy found that out when she was two. Growing up was a way of life. We can't stay young forever. But there was one boy who had defied that logic. Peter Pan was that boy.Wendy was the oldest of three children in the Darling family. John came next, thenMichael. There was also a nurse. A Newfoundland dog named Nana, who knew signlanguage.One night as Peter Pan followed Tinker Bell, a tiny fairy, to the Darling home, looking for his shadow, he found it hidden in a drawer, and was trying to put it back on with soap. Who or what hid his shadow? Was it Nana or Mrs. Darling and why? About that time Wendy woke up and was startled by him being there and offered to help him. After coming up with a surprising trick the shadow stuck.Once Peter heard what a wonderful story teller Wendy was he wanted her and the boys to come to Neverland and tell her stories to the other children. He told her it was a magical place filled with adventure and where a child would never grow up. So the three children followed Peter to Neverland. But while they were there, bad things began to happen, like adventures with pirates and indian attacks. Wendy and the boys began to miss home and wanted to go back.But after a little while they began to forget about home and their parents.Will the three children ever make it back home again, or will they have to stay forever in Neverland? These and many more questions will be answered once you read "Peter Pan," a wonderful book written for children of all ages. It will feed your imagination, because there was one unique thing that Peter Pan could do that no other young person could do. He could fly.

The tale of Peter Pan has always been a favorite of mine, from a very young age. I realized the other day that I had never read the original book and thus, purchased the kindle version. I'm only about 1/3 of the way through but so far I am loving it. I don't really see it as a children's book unless maybe older children. It is worth a read, for sure.

Livro ótimo, chegou bem embalado tudo certinho.

Over all its good in respect of expectation

This is a wonderful complex and enchanting story. However there are themes that will need to be discussed with a younger reader - the position and role of women in society and the portrayal of native Americans being the most significant.

¡Preciosa edición estadounidense americana en inglés hecha e impresa en Los Estados Unidos de América (Nueva York) de Peter Pan con una presentación preciosa de lujo (portada, contraportada, lomo,etc...) y muy suave y cómoda de llevar de bolsillo!. Lo único negativo es que no tiene ninguna ilustración o dibujo pero aún así, ¡compra muy recomendable! . ¡Ha llegado al día siguiente de haberla comprado!. ¡Muy recomendable!. ¡Un 10!.

There is no comparison between the colourless, lame Disney rip-offs of this story and the original. The original is literature of the highest calibre, for adults too. I realized when I read it with my daughter that I had never actually read the original.It is one of the most insightful explorations of mother-son, mother-child relationships I have ever read, and transcends the Edwardian time period in which it was written. The insights are universal. It does of course, also deal with the timeless theme of growing up, and whether we would really ever not want to do that!In a few respects, it might not seem politically correct today (the Lost Boys actually do kill pirates, and Tinker Bell regularly calls Peter Pan "a silly ass") but it is more than compensated for by its psychological depth. It's a bit like the best Hollywood animated features these days... many funny side jokes and observations in it for the parents as the basic story line is for kids.The illustrations in this version are also lovely. This was the "best Peter Pan" illustrated version as recommended on a parenting site.