Capt. Hook: The Adventures of a Notorious Youth

Book review by Matt Berman, Common Sense Media
Capt. Hook: The Adventures of a Notorious Youth Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 12+

Exciting but violent -- not for sensitive kids.

J. V. Hart Adventure 2005
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Parents say

age 11+

Based on 1 review

Kids say

age 13+

Based on 3 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this book.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this story is about the making of a classic literary villain, so he behaves badly a lot of the time -- but because he's the hero, and meant to be sympathetic, his behavior becomes appealing. The brutality can be disturbing: human carcasses on a plague ship, whipping and beating, poisonous spider bites, swordplay and fighting, a brutal game with lots of injuries, mistreated and tormented slaves, a sailor killed with a hook. This also isn't for reluctant readers: Overflowing with British, specifically Etonian, slang, Latin names, and old-fashioned heroic repartee, it will be heavy going for some, who may need help to decipher it.

Community Reviews

mimsigal
mimsigal Adult
November 22, 2008
age 11+

A good read for older kids

My daughter was interested in this, as she loves all things Peter Pan. I read it in an afternoon (older readers will have no problem with it) and as an adult, I thoroughly enjoyed it. However, for younger kids, it is a bit violent. If your kids can tell the difference between fantasy and reality, are not prone to nightmares, and enjoy a good adventure story, they will probably love this one. If they get scared easily, I'd avoid it for a bit... poisonous spiders, sword fights, and a guillotine can leave one a bit frightened. More mature younger readers will also be fine with it, less mature older readers will need to be left to the parents judgment.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

James, the illegitimate son of a British lord, is sent to school at Eton. Subjected there to the institutionalized violent hazing that was peculiar to the schools for the British elite, he fights back in surprising ways that turn the school on its head and make him the hero of the underclassmen. Adept at sword-fighting and training poisonous spiders, and with an indomitable will coupled with a fierce intellect, he is soon called King Jas., and has made deadly enemies of the Eton Bloods, especially one Arthur Darling. His one friend is Roger Peter Davies, soon dubbed Jolly Roger. Together they embark on a series of triumphs and mad exploits, including dueling, kidnapping a sultana, stealing a ship, and assorted mayhem, that eventually gets them expelled from the school, whereupon they sign up on a sailing ship owned by James's father, only to discover that it is a slaver.

Is It Any Good?

Hart, screenwriter of the movie Hook, has outdone himself in creating a fascinating hero/villain who is as magnetic to the reader as he is to his schoolmates. Hart uses as a springboard an obscure short story by J. M. Barrie, combining it with hints laced throughout Peter Pan to create a thrilling story that fleshes out the evil pirate captain's early life. Barrie always saw Hook as an intriguing, tragic figure, and a reflection of himself.

Hart's dark and violent conception of Hook is truer to Barrie's original vision than it is to the humorously foppish popinjay caricature Americans have come to know, thanks to Disney and Cyril Ritchard. In the original 1904 stage play, Hook was so terrifying that children often had to be carried out of the theater screaming. It takes more to shock the worldly kids of today, brought up on violent movies and video games. But no one can accuse Hart of not trying. And sensitive kids may still need a guiding hook, er, hand.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about perspective. Captain Hook is traditionally a villain, but he's the hero here. What makes a "good" guy good and a "bad" guy bad? Does James come across as sympathetic here, or are his actions only justified in his own mind? How would you retell the story from a different point of view?

  • Think about all the different media that Peter Pan has spawned -- from stories and movies about Captain Hook to Web sites and games about Tinker Bell. Why do you think this story has endured? What makes something a classic?

Book Details

Our Editors Recommend

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