Books With Bean ~ Peter Pan

This is the second installment in Arlene's Books with Bean series. Find her review of Pride and Prejudice here.

Peter Pan

Author: J. M. Berrie   
Published: 1813   

Genre: Children’s Fantasy  

Summery & What I liked about it: The classic children’s tale is well known, Peter is the boy who never grew up. The story has been adapted and retold many times with one of the most famous versions being the 1953 animated Disney version. But when I saw the book at the library booksale I decided to get it to see just how the original story went, after all Disney movies are good, but being for children they can be quite different from the original stories. 

I found however that in the case of Peter Pan the movie was quite actuate, Peter really was quite the annoying character. He is full of himself and selfish, but that comes from the fact that since he hasn't grown up he doesn't understand anything more deeply then his simplistic child like mind can understand. 

However I think that in spite of this there is much to be learned from the story especially about growing up. As someone who read this the first time as a teenager and being “Grown up” to some degree it was interesting to read Berrie’s representation of the innocence and the naiveté of childhood in Peter. Because while Peter is definitely a child and his actions reflect that, Berrie also shows us that those same actions are also seen in other characters, even ones that are considered “Grown Up”.

Language: none that I can remember as I write this

Romance: Wendy does have a small infatuation with Peter  but it is not a major part of the story.

Violence: Peter has a sword fight with captain hook but nothing gory.

Magic: There is magic in Neverland of course, there are fairies, mermaids and the magic than keeps people from growing old. I view it more as the magic of childhood then anything that might be considered heavy or questionable.

Recommended Age: I would recommend this as a book that is best read a few times as you grow up. Once as a smaller kid sometime between 8-10 and then maybe again every few years. Even if you never read it as a kid I would still recommend it to read if you are older.