I read this story to the kiddos a couple of years ago but when I saw it on the library shelf in the book-on-tape section I thought I'd give it a listen. And what a treat I had! I am now convinced that this tale is meant to be listened to, whether read aloud by a dramatic adult or as read by Jim Dale, as I heard it. He really captures the magic of this story.

Peter Pan is the boy who wants never to grow old. He lures Wendy, along with her brothers John and Michael, to come to Neverland to be a mother to the Lost Boys, the raggle taggle group of boys who follow Peter with great devotion. They have many adventures involving pirates, Indians and mermaids.

I am so glad that I listened to this one. Whenever my juvenal side needs a little attention I will be sure to seek it out once again. Highly recommend for kids and adults alike. ( )

Peter Pan is the tale of a boy who finds the fountain of youth located on the 'second star to the right and straight off 'till morning'. That place is Neverland. In Neverland there are adventures to be had, and it is the dreamiest world to be for any young boy, because it contains all the fantasies with none of the responsibilities of getting older. Peter and the lost boys fight pirates, they can fly, they magically have food to eat and they get to run around with real swords and weapons! There is never a bedtime to be kept, no rules, no nagging or chores to do, there is time for everything in a life free of cares and hardships.

When Peter brings in Wendy and her siblings though, things start to get funky. The lost boys begin to dream of the mother they have never had, of a mother who loves them. For a while Wendy fills this role, but then she too misses her own mother.

Peter Pan is certainly a classic worthy of all the hype as it has graced the stages from Broadway to Disney, to Hollywood, to so many different book publishers who hope to carry on this glorious favourite. I think somewhere in marketing however has made a mistake. I believe the story should not be marketed towards children, as they have yet to know what the abandoning of youth really means, but that it should be read more often by adults. Kids grasp the fun that this Neverland world would be, but neglect to see the implications of living there forever.

I don't cry when I read books, so I was astonished when I cried in the final lines of Peter Pan. It is that forgetting of childhood, of moving to a new season, of letting go of things that were once all that you dreamed of and thought about. I have never understood it more clearly than with the finishing of this text, the sadness that it would be to live as a child for the rest of your life and watch everything else grow and change except you.

For me this book is a coming of age tale, a choice we all have to make of weather to stay in our own fantasies, of having everything taken care of for us or actually having the bravery to face our fears and then enjoy along with the responsibilities, these are the benefits of aging. More than a dream, to live forever in an mortal world would be a curse, it makes me sad thinking about it, Peter is not a hero but a victim of a place and an imagination that he cannot will himself to escape for fear. We are meant to embrace each new stage, each step and grow and learn with them. I loved the impact that Peter Pan had on me as an adult. When I was younger I really didn't get the point, and it seemed so anti-climactic in the end, I didn't get it at all. I am in love with this classic now for sure. I can relate in so many ways to the war of embracing the future- while still longing for the past, the fear things will change and not knowing how that will feel. ( )

I really enjoyed this book; much more than I expected. It was a quick read, but still very enjoyable. I should note that this was the first book that I read for a book club that I joined. The discussion for the book club was fun and expanded a few ideas that I missed on the first reading, but did not really change my overall view or impression of the book. I really enjoyed how the entire book was played as a dream of a child and was successful at creating that atmosphere throughout. I loved how the chronology never really made sense and seemed very dream like. The dynamic nature of the island was amazing and kept my own imagination running. I think my favorite part was how the "real" world still had this slightly fantastical element to it. In particular that nanny and the fact that Mrs. Darling had a "kiss" that Peter stole at the end of the book. In the end a great overall read that I would recommend to anyone and I may pick up and read again in the future. ( )

I honestly don't know what makes Peter Pan so great. It's a timeless classic. I didn't like it as a child. In fact, I hated it, mostly because I insisted on reading it myself, and I couldn't get past the father doing taxes. However, when I reread it, mainly because of the movie Finding Neverland, it just blows my mind, how amazing a storyteller and craftsman Sir J.M. Barrie was. It must be amazing seeing the play. Anyway, the sheer imagination he had amazes me. The beauty and the feeling... it's a boy's adventure story, but behind it is a story of a man who desperately seeks freedom for his childlike mind. It's brilliant. ( )

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. ( )