Peter Pan

by Marian Leighton (Adapter), J.M. Barrie

The world's best-loved children's stories set in large type for easy reading.
-- Over 100 illustrations in each book

Genres: Classics, Fiction, Childrens, Fantasy, Adventure

240 pages, Library Binding

First published June 1, 1995

Reviews

[Fran Clarke · Rating 3 out of 5]

First book of the year finished

[Diana Torales · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5★

[Mary T · Rating 4 out of 5]

My fourth graders highly recommended this book ("I won't stop asking you until you read it!"). I realized while reading it that I didn't know the Peter Pan story as well as I thought I had (I think I've watched Hook more than Peter Pan). I thought it was a little violent, although probably toned down from the original version.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been ages since I have watched any one of the numerous "Peter Pan" variations and what seems like years to have read the actual book. What has piked my interest on this besides the Classics challenge that I have set myself is the fact I am reading a book that is meant to be a spin-off of it thus I want to refresh myself.

What always irritated me with "Peter Pan was it was so outdated while showing the Indians in such a bad light. There was never an explanation for them while in both the Disney version and J.M. Barrie's original there were so many wrong stereotypes. Maybe since of the political correctness farce I am getting to be soft and more lenient while accepting that back in 1911 that was the way things were seen by the "civilized" people.

Maybe I am more forgiving since of the fact that I am going through a phase where I can read a good book and enjoy the adventure that it gives. Or maybe it is the excitement that shows for a life we all dream of while at the same time comparing it with the one that we wish we actually had instead.

This particular version is missing the majority of what makes Barrie's "Pan" Pan but it does cover the basic. In this particular site there is more adventure and violence highlighted so it is best to avoid for smaller children but older children should enjoy it....

~A Book Written By An Author With the Same Initials~

[Xenia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Strangely enough, I never read the story of Peter Pan until now. It was a quick read, and quite frankly, I was shocked. I didn't care for it at all, and found it hard to believe that this is considered a great book for children. Peter Pan is very self absorbed, has no respect for authority, loves to show off, scare the other children, and engages in violence. Tinkerbell is a very jealous faerie, who along with Peter Pan, encourages the children to run away and disobey their parents. Tinkerbell is so jealous of Wendy that she plots to kill her. Peter Pan also has problems outwardly showing love. Then there is the stereotypical view of First Nations People. The story of Peter Pan is a hot mess to me.

[Renee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an edited version. Not quite Disney, but obviously not the full original, either. We picked it as an early chapter book to read with my 3.5 year old son. It wasn't a good choice for his age; too much blatent violence, and separation from parents. We finished it with him by doing some of our own editing because he was so excited about the story and reading a real chapter book. I look forward to reading the original text on my own.

[Brian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars and two thumbs up from Parker. I would probably give it four because I wasn’t a big fan of how violent and mean the Lost Boys and Peter were capable of being. Not a great message for little kids, but I guess the whole concept is boys who don’t grow up will be a little immature and mean. A classic story for a reason though as it’s plenty imaginative with memorable characters and decent adventures throughout.

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was fun to read and I liked reading it.

[Raphael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peter Pan


The book Peter Pan was written by J.M Barrie, a Scottish author. In his novel, Barrie tells us the story of Peter Pan and Wendy.

One night, when Wendy’s parents are out, Peter Pan and Tinkerbell fly into Wendy’s house to get Peter’s shadow back, which he lost on a previous visit. Since the two creatures make a lot of noise, Wendy wakes up and Peter goes to her room. After a big discussion, Peter convinces Wendy and her siblings to follow him to Neverland by promising to teach them how to fly. This is where the adventure begins.

In this peculiar land, Wendy and Peter live with the Lost Boys. Their lives are constantly threatened by a pirate named Captain Hook. This pirate is jealous of the Lost Boys, because he wants Wendy to take care of him too. For this reason, he captures Peter’s friends. When Hook captures them, Peter Pan takes his revenge and drives him to jump off his ship right into a crocodile’s mouth, the same crocodile which has eaten his hand. After many other adventures, Wendy and her siblings return to the real world. The Lost Boys finally find a family when Wendy’s family adopts them.

I recommend this book, because I loved it. It made me return to childhood. Furthermore, I think that fantastic stories are the best. They give us the impression that everything is possible and make us forget about the routine. “So come with me, where dreams are born, and time is never planned. Just think of happy things, and your heart will fly on wings, forever, in Never Never Land ! ” This sentence is, in my opinion, the most beautiful sentence of the whole novel. I think that it really shows how magic is this story. Moreover, I really like the way the book is written, the words used, the way the sentences are constructed and the little touch of magic the author puts in the novel, which we can see in the quote I mentioned earlier. All these elements permit us not only to read the story, but also to live it. It gives us the impression that we are in the story with the characters. My favorite character is Wendy. Here are the reasons why : Wendy is a really generous girl, she gives her time to protect the Lost Boys and she does everything for them to be in security. Moreover, she adopts them. We see that when she starts something, she finishes it and it is important to her. Plus, I like Peter Pan, because he is the type of guy that makes us live wonderful experiences and get out of our comfort zone.

To conclude, Peter Pan is a wonderful story and J.M Barrie did a really good job ! I would recommend this book a thousand times !

[Wes Flease · Rating 5 out of 5]

personal Response: I think that this book was awesome. I loved the movie so I decided to read the book. The author did a great job describing each character in great detail. I always felt like I was in the book with the characters. This book also kept me interested the entire time I was reading.

Plot summary: Peter Pan is a young boy who never wants to grow up. Peter is intrigued by a young girl named Wendy. He offers to take Wendy with him to his home, never land. Wendy and her brothers go with Peter Pan to neverland. They encounter many dangers and struggles. Peter must try to defeat the dangerous pirate captain Hook.

Recommendation: I recommend this book to any one who likes adventure books. People with open minds, and great imaginations would love this book. If you do not care for some violence then this is not something you should read.

Characterization: Wenndy is just a normal little girl. She soon becomes very adventures. Wendy then takes on an important role of protecting the lost boys. She makes sure the boys have a home and food to eat. Wendy soon becomes a mother herself and sends her child to never land.

[Eloise Sunshine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ausalt öeldes minu jaoks tundus see lugu lasteraamatu kohta ootamatult julm ning verine. Olles näinud mitmeid multifilmi versioone ja no päris filmi ka, siis sealne jätab mulje täiesti tavalisest ninnu-nännu laste muinasjutumaast, kus ehk toimub väike sõbralik nääklemine, nagu ikka, aga liialt tõsiseks asi kunagi ei lähe. Ses mõttes oli raamat filmiversioonidest midagi hoopis erinevamat. Minu 6-aastane siiski kuidagi sellest häiritud ei olnud (võib-olla seetõttu, et lugedes ei ilmu silme ette võikaid pilte lahinguväljalt, kus kõik on maha notitud), ta arvas, et raamat oli täitsa okei.

[Lucian · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.20/5.00

Holy smokes, this .... book ... sucked! Read the Romanian "Aventurile lui Peter Pan - Mari Clasici Ilustrati" edition from Editura Arc. The translation was hor-ri-fy-ing!!!! The story line full of tantrums, killings and overall nasty characters.

Why would anyone call this a children's book? I would NEVER EVER suggest this one to my daughter, not in a million years. Not that I don't think she can't digest it; she'll just be appalled by the characters in this book. How they think and act! Just ... bah!

Well, read it, checked that box. Moving on. Never again!

[Dana Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series of "Great Illustrated Classics" is great for beginning readers who prefer to have some photos with their stories. My kindergartener will sit and listen to chapter after chapter if there's something for him to look at. It turns out that even though we found this version at my son's school library, our public library has the whole series.

What I learned by actually reading the Non-Disney Peter Pan is that Peter was really pretty much a jerk. He didn't just refuse to grow up, he was pretty mean-spirited entirely.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Peter Pan is of course an awesome story, and my 6th graders (and I) loved the bit of violence that adds some depth and realism to the story, but it can be a bit shocking for younger readers. It's not gory - just unexpected to have an illustrated "kiddy" book.
I do wish it was the unadapted version, but I can't "blame" the book for this, since I chose it! That said, I didn't realize immediately that it was; it stuck pretty pretty close to the original, which was great to see.

[Josh Mason · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beauty of the Great Illustrated Classics collection—or at least a great number of them—is that the children to whom you’re reading already know the story, but can gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the characters, setting, and structure through these simplified versions. All that is not to even mention the illustrations, that help to keep these kids engaged mentally in the story. These books make my job as an early childhood educator easier and better.

[Tess Jones-Orta · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love the story of Peter Pan but I'd never read the book. So violent! Kids (even baby Michael) killing and everyone on the island hating each other. I had to skip over a lot reading this aloud to my daughter. Sad to say the movie versions (except Disney) do a better job smoothing out the harshness of this story and making it more for kids.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 5 year old loved this book and often asked for “one more chapter.” 😊 My 3 year old willingly sat through some of it 😆

It was really helpful that this Illustrated Classic had a picture on every page. It helped keep their attention and better visualize the story. Definitely going to look for more of these at the library!

[Rachel Tettleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this way back when I was four years old. It was one of my first reads and I will always love this particular edition of Peter Pan. Not everyone would give it so many stars but I do because it was what paved the way for my love of reading to grow to what it is today.

[Jade Fountain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read through this with my 1st grader. I did not remember Peter Pan as well as I thought I did. This adaptation felt a little jumpy - some of the transitions between chapters, even within chapters were not cohesive. I kept feeling like I missed something. My first grader enjoyed it, though.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic tale, my girls loved it!! Read at bedtime to my 10.5, 8, and just turned 6 year olds.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Luisa: one of my favorite parts was when the dad tells Michael to take his medicine, but the dad doesn't want to take his!

[Kali Burks-Mosier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly quick read! Light and entertaining as well. I finished it within the morning and found it a bit more satisfying than the Disney tale.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Peter pan so much ❤️

[Kara Kuehl · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was okay - definitely not entirely what I expected.

[KyneWynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a delightful adaption of Barrie’s quintessential story with lovely illustrations. I read it aloud to my seven-year-old grandson who got caught up in the adventure of it all.

[Paige Harlan · Rating 4 out of 5]

While not a usual read for me, I felt it was important to include because I've been reading this over the past 2 weeks with my 5-year-old. I love seeing his love for reading at such an early age!

[Zak Mellgren · Rating 3 out of 5]

A just fine abridged version of Peter Pan. My son enjoyed it. Yay.

[Grant Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it was a good book for being how old it is and it had plenty of action and adventure overall a great book in my opinion.

[Tanzila Tabassom · Rating 2 out of 5]

I vaguely remember watching the Peter Pan in my younger times. I remember enjoying it. So, as a teenager, I thought of reading the book of it only to be left bored and annoyed by it. Almost the near end of the book, I noticed it was an edited version of the original book, “Peter and Wendy”. What a fool I am, complaining about a simplified version of a book all the while knowing it is meant for a kid’s understanding and not for a nit-picky teen.

I really haven’t found a single thing in this book quite exceptional or worth-noting but plain frustrating to read through it. Wendy and her brothers learn how to fly from Peter Pan, goes to the the Neverland, then Wendy—a 14 year old teenager I mind you—is depicted as a mother to a bunch of boys similar to her age and then the pirates, some grown ass adults, want her as THEIR mother? How disturbing is that all by its own? Moreover, you want me to believe that the pirates managed to annihilate an entire indigenous group, known for wearing the scalps of the pirates as necklaces in a blink of an eye, but they all got killed by a bunch of preteens or younger boys with daggers? Mind you the boys didn’t even have any magical powers with them that gave them an upper hand, just plot armors.

Speaking of magic, other than flying, there were barely any magical elements in this book edition. The only things that were whimsical were fairies [Tinker Bell] and mermaids which both had held strange hatred and jealousy over the only human girl to ever enter the Neverland, Wendy. In addition, they each tried to kill her too, for no concrete reason that is. I wonder if the purpose of the female characters here were just to showcase that they are jealous of each other at all times. Not only that, but Peter Pan seemed so arrogant and crude. Sure, he is childish but that doesn’t excuse his actions. Not a perfect role model for kids, is he?

The ending was obvious from start: Captain Hook got killed by the crocodile he always feared and Peter became the pirate. Lost boys got adopted by the Darlings and Peter never grows up whereas Wendy’s daughter and grand-daughter flew to Neverland with him as well to be his “caretaker” which rubs me off in the wrong way.

Although I am quite disappointed, I have a tiny amount of hope stuck with me that maybe the original book could satisfy me in the future and maybe I could see what wonders I have missed. I just feel like I have read a completely different book from the rest of the people [and ironically it is]
On that note, I am giving it a final 2.25 stars.

[Lore Troncoso · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tenía demasiadas expectativas puestas en esta historia. Este libro me dió una perspectiva que no imaginaba.
Mi personaje favorito es Garfio, por todo lo que representa. Llegó un punto en el que no soportaba los personajes, Peter Pan hasta me pareció desinteresado, y egoísta.
Simplemente no era para nada lo que esperaba encontrar.