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Peter Pan in Scarlet
- By Geraldine McCaughrean
- Genre: Fantasy
Common Sense Media says
Official Peter Pan sequel doesn't soar.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that several characters nearly die but don't, and there I's a lot of threatened violence -- though little actually occurs.
What's the story?
Some 20 years have passed since the events chronicled in Peter Pan. The Lost Boys have grown up, little Michael has been killed in WWI, and the rest have careers and families. But dreams are leaking out of the Neverland, disturbing their sleep, and leaving all-too-real souvenirs. Gathering together with Wendy, they decide they must become children again and fly back to Neverland to find out what's wrong.
Once there they discover a land that is deteriorating, but they forget their mission. Finding the derelict "Jolly Roger" and a treasure map on board, they join Peter on an expedition to find Hook's treasure. They are joined by the mysterious Ravello, a circus-master, who becomes Peter's butler. But in Neverland, adults can only mean trouble.
Is it any good?
In this "First-Ever Authorized Sequel," Geraldine McCaughrean has sucked out the joy, the effervescent spirit, the humor -- everything that made Peter Pan a classic -- and produced a plodding slog of a story. The original may have been dark, but it was never dreary; it was woven of dreams and fairy dust. But here a scene involving quicksand is all too emblematic.
The journey to and up the Neverpeak alone is so tedious and sprawling, not to mention grinding and miserable, that many readers who have hung in that far will drop out. Now Peter seems like a crabby old man who grumbles about pains in his joints. This joyless, forced march badly needs an infusion of happy thoughts.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about how this works as a sequel to the classic. How is the style similar or different? The characters? The story? Also, why is Peter so averse to adults and growing up?
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AGE
it's pretty good
let's face it.
You can't do justice to Peter Pan no matter what.
Though there are some parts where the book is reminisent of J. M. Barrie's tone, mainly it is average. A bit cheesy too. You might want to try Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry.
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AGE
prefer for teens
I think it was perfect. It shows how our actions effect others, changing them from once happy, worry free dreams to grumpy, miserable, and lonely people. It shows that everyone has emotions and that you can't just leave and expect things to stay perfect. It shows that every action we do has an effect and that we all need to make hard choices.
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| Author: | Geraldine McCaughrean |
| Illustrator: | Scott M. Fischer |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Fantasy |
| Publisher: | Simon & Schuster |
| Publication date: | October 1, 2006 |
| Number of pages: | 310 |
| Hardcover price: | $17.99 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 8 - 12 |
| Read aloud: | 9 |
| Read alone: | 10 |
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