Peter and the Starcatchers
by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
c.2004
Hyperion Books For Children: New York
451 pages
by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
c.2004
Hyperion Books For Children: New York
451 pages
Allow me to start off this entry by saying something very important.
Dave Barry is amazing.
If you don't think that Dave Barry is funny, then I don't know what to tell you. Clearly you have no sense of humor. That is sad for you, but really not my problem. (If you do not think that Dave Barry is funny because you *gasp* do not know who Dave Barry is, go here and you will feel better.)
I got this book off the bargain books rack at Borders a while ago, specifically because Dave Barry had something to do with it, and as we all know now; Dave Barry is amazing.
The book is the back story to Peter Pan, how he found Neverland, Captain Hook and Smee, eternal youth, Tinkerbell and the ability to fly. This kind of story almost always fascinates me. It's good stuff, taking a story that we already know and love and giving the characters a history, making them a little more complex.
Being written for children, Peter and the Starcatchers contained rather less of the patented Barry wit than I was hoping for. But it had shining moments: little lines that reminded me who was, at least partially, behind it all.
Parts of it were a bit choppy. The chapters are waaaaaaay too short, even for a children's' book, even in the culture of ADHD. There is no good reason for a book to have 79 chapters (literally), even when it jumps around between a rather large number of characters. (Especially since I keep telling myself that I am going to stop at the end of the chapter, but then the chapter ends so suddenly and so soon, and I am not satisfied, and decide to read just one more chapter, 77 times or so.)
All that being said. If you have a son/daughter/niece/nephew/cousin/camper/inner child that is in need of a book to read, this is a good one. It's got everything a good bedtime story needs: good and evil, Pirates and Indians, ships and storms, magic, giant flying crocodiles, mermaids, talking animals, and of course, an entirely chaste romance (although, Peter at one point, does start to think that maybe, just maybe, kissing wouldn't be totally gross). The kids are smart and resourceful, the pirates are gross and stupid, and the magic is mysterious and cool.
Plus, you'll be starting your child on the path to an appropriate affection for the work of Dave Barry at an early age, and that is VERY important. Also, it's just the kind of good fat book that a child who wants to be a reader will feel good about. (Come on, who doesn't remember the satisfaction of reading a good fat book? It still feels good once in a while. The Brothers Karamazov anyone?)
But seriously, the book made me wish I had some kid to read to. It's fun like that. Peter Pan is always a cool story, and the book works in introductions to all the good little aspects of Peter Pan's world seamlessly and creatively. Plus it has little bright details that just made me smile. For example: The same kind of magic that is responsible for Peter Pan was responsible for DaVinci, who aside from all this code nonsense was a very cool person. Also, the pirate ship catches up to the super fast British Navy ship using sails made from designs for womens clothing that look like a giant bra. (I'm not even kidding. See page 103 for an illustration.) Good stuff like that.
And of course, we must remember, Dave Barry is amazing.
Dave Barry is amazing.
If you don't think that Dave Barry is funny, then I don't know what to tell you. Clearly you have no sense of humor. That is sad for you, but really not my problem. (If you do not think that Dave Barry is funny because you *gasp* do not know who Dave Barry is, go here and you will feel better.)
I got this book off the bargain books rack at Borders a while ago, specifically because Dave Barry had something to do with it, and as we all know now; Dave Barry is amazing.
The book is the back story to Peter Pan, how he found Neverland, Captain Hook and Smee, eternal youth, Tinkerbell and the ability to fly. This kind of story almost always fascinates me. It's good stuff, taking a story that we already know and love and giving the characters a history, making them a little more complex.
Being written for children, Peter and the Starcatchers contained rather less of the patented Barry wit than I was hoping for. But it had shining moments: little lines that reminded me who was, at least partially, behind it all.
Parts of it were a bit choppy. The chapters are waaaaaaay too short, even for a children's' book, even in the culture of ADHD. There is no good reason for a book to have 79 chapters (literally), even when it jumps around between a rather large number of characters. (Especially since I keep telling myself that I am going to stop at the end of the chapter, but then the chapter ends so suddenly and so soon, and I am not satisfied, and decide to read just one more chapter, 77 times or so.)
All that being said. If you have a son/daughter/niece/nephew/cousin/camper/inner child that is in need of a book to read, this is a good one. It's got everything a good bedtime story needs: good and evil, Pirates and Indians, ships and storms, magic, giant flying crocodiles, mermaids, talking animals, and of course, an entirely chaste romance (although, Peter at one point, does start to think that maybe, just maybe, kissing wouldn't be totally gross). The kids are smart and resourceful, the pirates are gross and stupid, and the magic is mysterious and cool.
Plus, you'll be starting your child on the path to an appropriate affection for the work of Dave Barry at an early age, and that is VERY important. Also, it's just the kind of good fat book that a child who wants to be a reader will feel good about. (Come on, who doesn't remember the satisfaction of reading a good fat book? It still feels good once in a while. The Brothers Karamazov anyone?)
But seriously, the book made me wish I had some kid to read to. It's fun like that. Peter Pan is always a cool story, and the book works in introductions to all the good little aspects of Peter Pan's world seamlessly and creatively. Plus it has little bright details that just made me smile. For example: The same kind of magic that is responsible for Peter Pan was responsible for DaVinci, who aside from all this code nonsense was a very cool person. Also, the pirate ship catches up to the super fast British Navy ship using sails made from designs for womens clothing that look like a giant bra. (I'm not even kidding. See page 103 for an illustration.) Good stuff like that.
And of course, we must remember, Dave Barry is amazing.
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