Peter and the Starcatchers

Authors: Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

Publication: New York: Hyperion Books for Children

Pub. Date: 2004

Illustrator: Greg Call

ISBN: 0786854456

Pages: 451

Summary: In this "prequel" to J.M. Barrie's Adventures of Peter Pan, Barry and Pearson tell how Peter came to live on Neverland and never grow up. As the orphaned Peter sails toward his new home he meets Molly, whose father guards a great secret. Together, they battle fierce storms, vicious pirates, and terrifying monsters in order to protect that secret.

Major Characters: Peter, Molly, Black Stache (a pirate captain)

Comments: Even though this novel was written as a retelling of the Peter Pan story, the plot could have easily stood on its own. The authors have taken great liberties with details of the story and have made it completely theirs. They answer all the burning questions such as who the lost boys are, how Peter learned to fly, and how Capt. Hook got into a run-in with that crocodile. This is a highly entertaining novel, and I wouldn't be surprised if it got turned into a movie at some point. My only criticism is that the was not as funny as I expected it to be, (considering who wrote it), but I still strongly recommend it.

Genre: Revised fairy tale / Fantasy

Age Level: 10-15

Rank: 4/5