Ah, but those screwed-up Victorian/Edwardians sure did get good books out of their emotional stews.

BTW, I too was wondering if Peter Pan would show up. Is this an example of Disney skewing our perceptions of the original for better or worse? I’m a big fan of the Barry and Pearson books. I think it’s great that they sit on our shelves right next to the original.

Lastly, does anyone still read Diana Wynne Jones and the Chrestomanci books?
I read one awhile back and found it unappealing for some reason I still can’t figure out.

I’ve been waiting and waiting for Peter Pan, and I’m kind of crushed to realize it probably won’t appear. Does no one else read it??! And DaNae, J.M. Barrie wandering off the narrative was not something I ever noticed or was bothered by, even as a nine-year old. I think half of what I loved about it was the atmosphere of Neverland, so I guess the descriptive parts were like feasts (I distinctly remember the chapter in which all the inhabitants of the island are tracking each other, and we get to see them all sneak by in a procession…). And the humour! Captain Hook and the poisoned cake! As a kid I read it over and over again –and not just the action bits –the whole thing. No other setting tingles with the same potent magic as those woods, and Peter is such a mixture of fun and tragedy. Plus the sword fights were.. well, epic.

Also, Mary Poppins was the book that taught me to read!

On a more serious note, I like that the Portuguese cover has the shower of envelopes, as that was such a magical and original part of the story.

When I read the books the only character to look like his corresponding actor in my head is Snape. I think my inner eye saw Rickman in role long befor filming began.

I didn’t love Peter Pan. Barre wrote the play first and the novel years later. He tended to wander off the narrative quite often.

Is everyone so familiar with the deluge of ‘meh’ adaptations from over the years that people don’t bother checking out the amazing original Barrie book, I wonder? Or am I just odd for loving it so? Or maybe it doesn’t hold as much female appeal as some of these other titles?

(side note… It’s probably impossible, but I’d love to see how the list tallied by just counting male entries. Might be a helpful resource for reluctant reader boys…)