Peter Pan

Written by James Matthew Barrie

Narrated by Tim Curry

TIM CURRY READS THE CLASSIC TALE!

"ALL CHILDREN, EXCEPT ONE, GROW UP."

And so begins the story of one of the most beloved characters in children's literature, Peter Pan. J.M. Barrie's classic tale, completely unabridged, features a boy who refuses to grow up, Tinker Bell the fairy, and the Darling children -- Wendy, John, and Michael. Their great adventure begins on the night that Peter flies into the Darling home looking for his shadow and teaches Wendy, John, and Michael how to fly with him back to the Neverland, where adventures happen every day.

Look for Tim Curry's brilliant reading of Geraldine McCaughrean's authorized sequel to Peter Pan: Peter Pan in Scarlet!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
• Release date: Oct 5, 2006
• ISBN: 9780743564274

James Matthew Barrie

J.M. Barrie, the son of a weaver, was born near Dundee, Scotland, in 1860. He was a journalist and novelist and began writing for the stage in 1892. Peter Pan, first produced in London on December 27, 1904, was an immediate success. The story of Peter Pan first appeared in book form (titled Peter and Wendy, and later Peter Pan and Wendy) in 1911. Barrie died in 1937, bequeathing the copyright of Peter Pan to the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, a hospital for children.

Reviews for Peter Pan

[Shaun Robison · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Tim did a great job reading this. It was great to hear the full story written by Mr. Barrie

[marylee1973 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This classic allow you to escape the realities of life and follow an adventure with these great kids into another world. Great story idea, most, young and old, will relate and dream about having an adventure like this one day.

[pepperwings · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read this *after* reading about how sad J.M. Barrie was, and his mother, after losing his teenage brother. It puts a weird spin on the entire story, and it already seems quite dated ("redskins" "Indians") and surreal even without the fantastic elements. Why was the dog the children's nanny?It's a fun story, but there were just sad and odd undertones throughout, it was hard to forget the psychology and sadness around it.

[tapestry100 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was my first reading of J. M. Barrie's classic tale of the boy who would never grow up, Peter Pan. I'm pretty sure everyone is familiar with the story of Peter Pan, so I'll just highlight my thoughts about the book. Having always been steeped in the Disney version of the story, I was a little surprised by the darker and more violent elements of the original story, but found that they added an element to the story that really illustrates how much of a child Peter Pan truly is. I found myself becoming increasingly irritated with his actions, and those are truly of a child who has lived his whole life by his own rules and without the guidance of parental supervision. Peter is selfish, arrogant, unconcerned for the safety of others and wholly immature, yet innocent in every way. I also found Tinker Bell so much more amusing this time around. Overall, it was a fun read and didn't leave me disappointed at all.The Vess illustrations in this edition are beautifully rendered and capture the essence and spirit of the boy who won't grow up perfectly.

[anodos99_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a lot of fun to read. Much better and very different than the Disney version or any of the other Hollywood attempts, predictably.

[kristymk18-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have loved the movies of Peter Pan for years, but had never read it. I knew I would enjoy Barrie's novel; I just wasn't sure if I'd like it more than the adaptations. And, as usual, I felt the original was the best out of all. It is told by a narrator who sometimes interjects his thoughts or references the reader, yet does not interact with the characters in the novel (think of Scrooge and the ghosts of time who peak into, but cannot disturb, the scenes playing out). Peter Pan is not all full of childhood wonderment and fairy tales, there is a darkness to it as well. Peter kills the Lost Boys when they grow to old or when they disobey him and all characters in Neverland hunt and slain each other, sometimes for sport. Peter himself can be extremely self-indulgent and brash, yet all children look to him as leader and follow him regardless. I believe this portrayal added to the wonderful dimensions of Peter Pan and life on Neverland. I think the longing to never grow up, to experience adventure and to live within a wild dream, is something all children (and many adults) experience, and Peter Pan allows a glimpse into what that may look like.

[fothpaul · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An odd little book. Short and sweet, but with some quite dark images. The character of Peter is very well imagined.

[toxicmasquerade · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've always wanted to read the real Peter Pan and I finally have. To me, it is quite different than the disney movie. It is kind of a dark story. Definitely not what I was expecting. But, I did enjoy it very much.

[saeriellyn · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Having been a fan of Peter all my life since listening to the Mary Martin musical soundtrack at a tender age, I am surprised that it took me so long to actually read the original, unabridged story. It is, as an actor from the most recent film version put it, "The most famous book nobody's ever read."I find the book incredible...besides sheer entertainment value and a magical quality that will keep the kids mesmerized, it is packed with odd psychological symbolism that many adults will recognize as the author's venting of his own childhood traumas. A brief look into Barrie's bio makes a lot of the stranger things in Pan far more understandable, if undoubtedly tragic. Barrie does have a rather flippant way of engaging the reader, teasing and goading much the same way as his mischeivous, conscience-less hero. But he also writes with poetic beauty, filling his characters with rich and quirky descriptive elements such as Peter being somehow very like the unnattainable kiss Mrs. Darling keeps in the right-hand corner of her mouth (which only he is then able to get). The book does betray the social conventions of its time in Wendy's attitude toward motherhood (which is only problematic if you are a raving feminist) and a bit more uncomfortably in its depiction of the Indian culture on Neverland. These elements need not detract from the story if one is careful to put them in context for its young readers. The recent film adaptation, although closest of all the films in its adherence to character, is misleading in its interpretation of the story being about the sexual awakening of adolescence. The hidden theme of the book is overwhelmingly the innocence of childhood - innocence in the sense not of inherent goodness, but in inherent un-self-consciousness. Peter is a symbol of eternal childhood, not human at all, and as such is incapable of reciprocating or even understanding Wendy's budding romantic notions. He is selfish, but not self-aware. Ultimately, he is the lament of one man who lost his own mother too soon, and consequently never grew up himself. Be assured, however, that all this goes right over the heads of young readers, and even adults will only catch it by reading critically and analytically. Brilliant literature that deserves its place as a long-beloved children's classic

[justabookreader · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

My mom once told me that as a child I wouldn?t sleep until she read me Peter Pan. It usually took three or four reads since I was a child who didn?t care much for sleep. My mom had the story memorized and said if she turned the page too early, I would stop her to let her know she wasn?t done with the page yet. Apparently, I also had the story memorized. :-) The version I was read while tucked snuggly in bed was not this version but rather an illustrated book probably courtesy of Disney. Whatever version of the book I was read as a child, this one held true for me and every bit of it was fantastic.Peter Pan is a young boy who simply refuses to grow up. He lives in Neverland with the Lost Boys, the Piccaninny tribe, the mermaids, pirates, a ticking crocodile, and of course, Hook. Peter is the captain of the boys and they do whatever he tells them to. One night, he meets Wendy and her two brothers, Michael and John, and takes them all away to Neverland to share in his adventures.One thing I noticed about the book was the violence. There?s open talk of killing Hook, Peter is not shy about telling anyone that he cut off his hand, and that he plans to finish him. While no one says what happens to the Lost Boys that get too old, one doesn?t have to look very far for the reason for their disappearance. Peter is extraordinarily arrogant (Maybe that?s not the right word for describing a child; cocky?) and nothing happens without his say. Even when danger lurks, not one of the Lost Boys questions his authority even when they are told to kill the pirates. That astounded me and made me happy to see that Barrie didn?t dumb this story down. Bad things happen in life and he brought it down to a level that was understandable for a child. As an adult, I obviously have a different view but was interested in the way he portrayed Peter and the fact that even though he was just a boy, he was a boy with responsibilities for others even if he didn?t think much about it in those terms. Well, at least until he brought in Wendy to be the mother which solved some of his responsibility issues.Wendy is playing the mother of the Lost Boys and Peter is somewhat the father as Wendy does say to him often how wonderful their boys are. It?s slightly odd but I overlooked my wiggly feeling about it. The boys so badly want someone to love them, and when Wendy comes along, they cling to her like no one else. It?s almost sad how starved they are for love and attention. She delights in telling them stories of her parents and tests them frequently so her brothers will remember.Most of all, this story is all whimsy. It?s beautifully told with an almost poetic quality to it at times. It can be harsh and it can be so simple in the way it describes the games the children play. It?s both amusing and sad reading it as an adult.I did a few Google searches to find out more about Barrie and it turns out the idea for Peter Pan is based on a brother who died in childhood. In his mother?s eyes, his brother always remained 14 years old, the age at which he died. That made me so very sad but if this was the way he finally managed to immortalize his brother, it?s a wonderful tribute.I wondered how I would feel about this story as an adult and I can honestly say that for me, it will always be a favorite. It?s magical and I?m glad I got around to reading it again. I had a whole new perspective as an adult and it gave me a greater appreciation for the story. I do wonder what my mom would think of it now though?

[librisissimo · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Substance: Peter Pan is not so charming in this book, with a disturbing psychological neurosis driving his refusal to grow up. Barrie's cynical interpolations in the novel version of his play give it a much darker and meaner aspect. Not a book I would give to children. A subversive fairy tale in the sense used by Jack Zipes about the 17th-18thc. French literary tales.Style: Deceptively borrows the style of Victorian children's literature, with snide asides to keep adults sniggering. See Hilaire Beloc's "Matilda Who Told LIes and Was Burned to Death" and P.L. Travers' "Mary Poppins" series.

[dulcenash · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The story of a three children who travel to Nederland with Peter Pan, the boy who won?t grow up. They go on to have some amazing adventures. This is such an amazing adventure that I?ll personally recommend for advanced readers.

[nmhale_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A children's classic, much beloved by thousands of kids who have never even read the book (thanks to Disney and Tinkerbell). I finally got around to reading it and discovered that, unsurprisingly, the story was much more complex than the cartoon movie version might lead you to believe. We learn a lot more about the Darling family, including the mother and father who are just caricatures in the Disney version, and the theme of not wanting to grow up is fleshed out as Barrie examines the pros and cons of staying forever young. Peter Pan is at once the light-hearted and mischievous imp we all love, but he is also tragic in his eternal youth. Did you ever wonder what happened to the Lost Boys? Or what the family reunion was like when Wendy and her brothers finally return home? Or what became of Wendy as she inevitably grew older? Read the original to find out.The illustrations in this particular edition are gorgeous, one reason I sprang the extra money for a hardcover book. They capture the charm and wonder of Neverland, the whimsy of the story. A wonderful story on both fronts, and well deserving of being called a classic. *On a side note, I believe that the recent live action film version does a much better job of capturing the original spirit of the story.

[bensdad00 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Somethingh about Victorian novelists - they come up with great idea but execute them terribly - Peter Pan and Dracula are two iconic figures that are virtually unreadable in the original

[boundtogetherforgood · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I guess I am glad I read it.

[elosoblanco · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Barrie's novel is worth a look if the Peter Pan you know is the highly adulterated flying boy of Disney fame. It's also worth a look if you've always considered Peter Pan to be a story aimed only at children. While the whimsy of Neverland and flying children does lend itself well to a "Children's Lit" tag, the comments of the story's narrator lends a subtext to the novel which should not be missed, and the roles being played by Pan, Wendy, and Hook are also worth looking at if you'd like to glean a deeper meaning from a "kiddie novel." What Barrie has done is create two beautifully separate realms, or snapshots, of childhood and adulthood, and he allows us to venture into and through them with Wendy and the Lost Boys. Definitely worth a read, for young and old. I highly recommend this book.

[laurochka-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A children's classic I couldn't believe I'd never read! This Peter is a much darker and more sinister version than my perceptions from popular culture but this gives the original story a different dimension. I very much enjoyed it in a melancholy kind of way.

[vwhitt_2 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The children?s classic is a rather difficult read. Most of us know that it takes place in the British home of the Darlings. The three children (Wendy, John, and Michael) leave their home with Peter Pan for Neverland. There, Wendy becomes the mother for Peter Pan and the Lost Boys. They get into tons of mischief, and in some cases kill the enemy (something the cartoon would never depict). Eventually, the children get homesick. They all (Lost Boys included) fly back to London where they grow up. But that doesn?t stop Peter Pan from coming back ad visiting Wendy. Details: This book was written to interest children in grades 4-6 and is on a 6.1 reading level.

[gingerbreadman_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I need to point out that I read this book (re-read actually) under strange circumstances. I am currently working on a translation and adaptation of the play Peter Pan, which this book is based on. I?m therefor reading a bit like a vacuum cleaner, hunting for differences, shifts in perspective and situations to use. I?m also very sensitive of translation, since much of the text is the same in the play and the book. So: overly meticulous, pen in hand and semi-bored with the material going in. Perhaps not the fairest of set-ups.I?m not going into the story, as I?m sure all of you know it, sort of. But in the middle of the adventure, the whimsy and the drastic turns, this tale of growing up or not, of roleplays and relationships between parents and children is pretty damn complex. And I guess that might be my main objection with Barrie?s work in its many incarnations ? there are so many things I wished he would have explored further. There?s a definite quality to the wild, almost random episode stacking and restless joking, but I can?t help missing a stronger structure at times, to explore the more profound sides of this story rather than mentioning them in passing. Well, that and the annoying notion that the highest wish of every little girl is to find someone to take care of and nurture, like a law of nature. Still, a more than fun material to work with, where new things emerge constantly.

[stefany_6 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Most people are familiar with the basics of the story of Peter Pan. However familiar you may be, however, if you are a fan of juvenile literature this is one that you should read.It's not really that the storyline or adventures are that much different than what I knew of them or expected them to be, but to hear the story through J.M. Barrie's own words gives a slightly different tone and perspective to the tale that I was previously lacking. Barrie has a wonderful way with painting pictures with his phrases and a quirky sense of humor that comes through in the text.To be honest, I was a little put off by this quirkiness when I first started the story and during the first chapter was kind of wondering if it was going to be too odd for me. But, I stuck to it and was quickly rewarded as the story moved on and, it seemed, Barrie got carried on the winds to Neverland along with the children.A great adventure story and a classic for the ages that also has some keen insight into human behavior and the realities of growing up.A side note on this particular version: If you have access to the edition "illustrated" by Raquel Jaramillo, I would recommend reading it over a non-illustrated version. Her computer and art enhanced photos add an even more magical atmosphere to the story and are beautifully done.

[revslick_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

reminding me once again what it means to be a child - innocent, imaginative, and vile all rolled into one. It also confirmed why the ending to Hook is probably the most tragic ending to a movie EVER.

[sablelexi · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I read Peter Pan a few years ago and was left disappointed and down right angry. I found Peter unlikable; he was spoiled and self-centered, and what was worse was that Barrie explained this behavior as how a normal child would act. Then, all the most exciting adventures they went on were mentioned as a sentence in passing. I honestly thought I might be reading an abridged copy, but nothing I could find indicated that. My takeaway message of the book, though, was that as you grow up you stop believing in dreams, and I found that just sad.

[linenandprint · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a necessary read if you care about fantasy, children's, British or coming of age literature. What happens when our " gay, innocent and heartless" children leave the nest? What happens if they don't? What does it take to survive childhood? This is vastly different than the Disney movie. Peter is villainous himself and somewhat demented. And so is Tinkerbell more than just stubborn. This is worth a read. On a side note, I think Johnny Depp may have used it as inspiration for Captain Jack Sparrow, as Barrie writes that "pirates have a touch of the feminism in them".

[kathleen586 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I'm not sure if I like this book or not. I didn't like Peter at all, and the other children seemed selfish. The book is really quite depressing at times. I felt bad for Mrs. Darling, and Wendy at the end.

The book Tinkerbell is very different from the Disney version. She actually tries to kill Wendy at one point!

[jami_leigh · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Plot: 3 stars
Characters: 3 stars
Style: 3 stars
Pace: 3 stars

Had a review, logging out by mistake ate it. Better than The Little White Bird only because the plot didn't meander quite as far at random, but not what I'd thought it would be. Disney definitely sanitized this, but instead of being shocked, all I could see was how weak Wendy constantly was. She could have been a puppet, for all the difference it made, being nothing more than a "mother" Mary figure. Still, it served the purpose it needed to for the story, so... there's that, at least.

[xleptodactylous · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Celebrating 100 years of Peter Pan, this book is captivating not only through the sublime storytelling, but also with the beautiful illustrations to match it. Disney has nothing on these pages.

[jdanforth-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is ok, but really, see the play, which is both grander and sadder, or at least read the play.

[tlhelen · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

?Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.? Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie is a well known classical book. All children grow up but one, Peter Pan. Peter lives in the Neverland. One day, in one of his trips to hear stories told in the Darling's house he gets caught and loses his shadow. When he returns to get back his shadow, Wendy is awoken by the sounds of Peter crying. Wendy helped Peter sow on his shadow and Peter realising the importance of a mother figure asks her to go with him and be his mother and mother to the lost boys. Wendy and her two brothers were very excited and with a bit of fairy dust they fly their way to the Neverland. In the version of the book I read there were two stories; Peter in Kensington Gardens and Peter and Wendy. This book was one of the most confusing books. I had watched the movie and cartoon versions of Peter Pan and so I was expecting something similar. However, when I first start reading the narrators are the Davies brothers and they talk about things like baby castle where the most sought up baby lives by herself and all these baby attractions in the kensington gardens, it felt like I was reading the wrong book. Finally when I read the name Peter Pan I was relieved, but not for long. Peter Pan was completely different to what I was expecting. Firstly he was only a week old, he wore no clothes, he rode a goat, he lived with the birds because everyone was a bird who flew to their parents' home and there turned into humans.This is definitely not the story that I know and it really just seemed like Barrie was a bit loopy. When I reached the story of Peter and Wendy I was ever so confused. Peter Pan finally seemed to resemble the ones from the movie but what happened? I thought that the first story was an introduction or background story to how Peter Pan came to be but he was much older in Peter and Wendy and he didn't live with the birds any more. I found out later that these were two completely separate stories written by Barrie. One could say that it was partially my fault for being ignorant on the stories but I really don't see why an author would write two or three stories with the same character and yet completely different tales. It wasn't as if this was a sequel showing Peter when he grew up because Peter Pan does not grow up. Peter Pan may seem like an innocent title but it is not for young children. The book is very violent. Peter Pan seems to love war, blood and gore. It turns out that it was Peter who gave Hook his Hook. And Hook while he seems like a lovable baddie in the movies really wants to kill a boy who is no more than a little kid who still has all his baby teeth. Secondly the book is very stereotypical and quite racist to American Indians. I'm sure it didn't occur to J.M. Barrie how disrespectful he was being when writing about the Indians, just like he wrote the stereotypical pirates and mermaids. The Indians are described as being inferior, and quite stupid, even making Peter Pan the 'Great White Father'. Now we know that this racism is not something we teach our children. Also, going back to Peter in Kensington Gardens the fairies are said to have blue necks. Their blue necks aren't just something magical and pretty but they are quite gruesome and something quite scary to be telling children. Barrie writes that it was considered royal and beautiful to have blue neck so they would cut themselves and let their blue blood cover their neck and then dry. This is definitely not beautiful!I knew Peter Pan was a bit of a show off but never would I have thought that I would actually say that I hate Peter. Reading the book just got me really frustrated at the character. Peter Pan is one of the most stuck-up and annoying characters EVER!! He believes he is better than everyone else and he believes so much in make believe that he basically starves everyone by having make belief dinner and lunch. He is also very forgetful and when he goes back to get Wendy at spring time he gets angry that she grew up when really he was the one that didn't come for a few years. Peter Pan also got the children in trouble various times. When he could have remained quiet and everything would just go away he has to go and play games with Hook giving away their disguise. Peter Pan nearly locked out Wendy and her brothers. He is seriously so selfish. He may only be a fictional character but I really just wanted to go yell some sense at him. I would recommend this book to others but only because it is a classic and it is always good to know the original story behind movies. It was hysterical but not in the way it should be; I was laughing almost through the whole of Peter in Kensington Gardens because of the nonsense that was said. If you do decide to read remember to throw out any ideas and concepts you have for Peter Pan. Read with a blank canvas, as if you have never hear the name Peter Pan or else the story will just get confusing and strange since the movie and the book doesn't completely match up.

[hmlasnick · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Peter Pan, written by J.M. Barrie is just one variation of the well known Disney classic Peter Pan. The story is about a little boy who didn't want to grow up and lives on an island called Neverland. He has adventures and a well known enemy called Captain Hook. The story is about a girl named Wendy and her two brothers who fly off to Neverland with a boy named Peter Pan and they go on many awfully big adventures.This story is a classic and one of the older chapter book versions of Peter Pan. Its story is slightly different from the well known Disney Peter Pan and one that I believe students would love to read. I hope to someday be able to teach a middle school English class and have them read this book for many reasons. It is a story that I love and am passionate about and I believe I could easily show and share that passion with my students.

[shanaqui_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I can't believe I've never actually read Peter Pan until now. I'd seen the Disney version, but this is both more charming and more sinister than that. There are lots of sweet little details, like mothers tidying up their children's thoughts, and the kiss on the corner of Mrs Darling's mouth.

But Peter is a monstrous sort of figure when you get past the romance of Neverland. He's a wild boy, selfish and cocky. Instead of being a kind of example of innocent childhood, he almost brings to mind the boys from Lord of the Flies. Near the end, it says that he nearly stabs Wendy's baby! And he steals other children.

Of course, the moral of the story is that children need mothers. It's just charming enough to get away with the moralising.