Peter and the Starcatchers, Book 1

Book review by Matt Berman, Common Sense Media
Peter and the Starcatchers, Book 1 Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 10+

A swashbuckling high-seas adventure.

Dave Barry, Ridley Pearson Fantasy 2004
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Parents say

age 9+

Based on 11 reviews

Kids say

age 9+

Based on 42 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 Peter and thre Starcatchers, by Dave Barry and Ridley Peason, is the first of a four-book series that imagines Peter's adventures before the action chronicled in J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan. Here an orphan boy named Peter and his friend Molly overcome bands of pirates and thieves and travel to an island on a ship named Never Land. There's plenty of peril and fighting, and adult sailors and pirates get drunk on rum and grog. There's occasional and unnecessary sexual innuendo for a book aimed at tweens, and and Peter kisses a mermaid who's naked from the waist up.

Community Reviews

1froggy1
1froggy1 Adult
June 1, 2015
age 10+

Great Plot line!

I love this book, I have read it and I think that there are some limits because of the rum and other such drugs, but other than that it is a great story.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
Puppeteergirl
Puppeteergirl Adult
July 27, 2011
age 8+

Worried about this book?

I really enjoy this series! I read it to my brothers and they beg me to continue when its time to stop. The only thing that bothers me about this series is the sneaky (and completely unnecessary) sexual content. Nothing horrid, but enough to make me purposefully skip certain sentences. For instance, one character's governess flirts and possibly has a sexual relationship with one of the villains (implied), and the mermaids look like naked women from the waist up (they have long hair that supposedly covers them). Some other stuff I didn't think necessary to skip: a mermaid saves Peter from drowning and gives him CPR and in his dazed state he thinks its a kiss (pretty silly actually)- a pirate captain has a special sail made that is shaped like a corset (image included in the book). I definitely recommend this series, but read it yourself first, so you can choose to skip stuff or not. The bad guys are bad, the good guys are good, but nobody's perfect, even the heroes.

This title has:

Too much sex
See all 11 parent reviews

What's the Story?

Peter and four other orphans are taken aboard a rickety old ship, the Never Land, to be delivered as servants to the evil king of Rundoon. Also on board the ship is Molly, daughter of the British Ambassador to Rundoon, and a mysterious trunk filled with a special treasure. The feared pirate Captain Black Stache knows there's a valuable treasure on board, though he doesn't know what it is. Peter befriends Molly and finds out that she and her father are Starcatchers, members of a centuries-old secret society that protects humanity by making sure that evil people don't get their hands on starstuff, magical material that falls from the stars and changes the nature of everything it touches. Through storm, treachery, and shipwreck, Peter, Molly, and the boys end up on an island with the treasure, the pirates, fierce natives, the villainous first mate of the Never Land, mermaids created by the starstuff, and a giant crocodile. While Peter and Molly try to get the starstuff for the Starcatchers, everyone else is battling to get it for themselves.

Is It Any Good?

This is prequel to the classic Peter Pan story is an exciting adventure by humor columnist Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. The co-authors make some good choices at the outset. They do not attempt, in style, plot, or atmosphere, to mimic J.M. Barrie's masterpiece. Instead, they cleverly create and bring together almost all of the characters and elements of the original: pirates, natives (no longer Indians), lost boys, mermaids, fairies, the crocodile, fairy dust, flying, not growing up, and the enchanted island itself.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about what Peter and the Starcatchers has in common with Peter Pan. How is it similar, and where does it differ? Which do you like better, and why?

  • What are the book's major themes?

  • Do you think not growing up is a good thing or a bad thing? Why?

Book Details

Our Editors Recommend

For kids who love fairy tales and adventure stories

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