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19 of 20 found the following review helpful:
 A Classic To Be Discovered Jun 15, 2004
By J. Fees
"imaginart"
Illustrated by one of today's most influential illustrators, Gustafson's Peter Pan is a delight to the eye. His painstaking illustrations bring the world of Peter, Tinkerbell and the Lost Boys to glorious full color life. A lavish edition, the pages are filled with vignettes as well as vast full color landscapes of the world we know as Neverland. This book in particular captures all of the magic and childhood whimsy we know from Peter Pan and have come to expect from gustafson. The text is broken up into chapters as was Barrie's original story, so this edition will delight a new generation looking to know the full story of Peter Pan. Expect to see Peter and Tinkerbell at their most magical, The Darling children at their most adventuresome and Hook at his most dreadful in this classic brought to life by a favorite illustrator.A+
11 of 11 found the following review helpful:
Vivid Illustrations Enhance a Complex Tale Jun 27, 2003
Although this book is certainly delightful, as many others have said, it's a classic that adds layers with each re-reading, and many of those layers are dark. In fact, Barrie does not so much tell us that children are innocent, as that they are "heartless" - we might say amoral, certainly oblivious of the heartache they cause others. As the author continually points out, the good and bad are interwined; Peter's most fascinating quality is his conceit. He is willing to sacrifice his own life for Wendy's (but might equally neglect to save her if his mind is elsewhere). Hook's cruelty combines with an obsession with "good form." Almost every character is richly drawn (in both prose and oils). Of the many editions I've seen of this story, this is far and away the most attractive, providing a rich setting for a tale that deserves to be discovered and enjoyed by a new generation, and an author that should not be forgotten.
11 of 11 found the following review helpful:
A wonderful story full of simple childhood joy and merriment Nov 04, 2001
By Jennifer
"reader"
I have always loved the Disney animation of Peter Pan and often walked by this book in the library with a curious smile. This is a really classical children's story - beautifully told by J. M. Barrie. He has a unique touch that brings young characters to life in a highly entertaining perspective. It's really amusing - all the adventures that the children have and all their different personalities, in constant change and development. The book was written in the early 1900's so the tone is a bit old-fashioned, the way I like it ;-)Neverland is a very mystical place, inhabited by magic and villains. It's like a virtual land of survival and play open only to children and imagination. Now I must comment on the characters: Wendy is very sweet and angelic (sometimes too good - but I still can't get over Tinkerbell trying to kill her!), John is dignified and honorable, and of course we have adorable baby Michael. Peter himself is much more adorable in the book with his heroic airs and moments of relapse. They are the main characters and through their point of view come the adults, which is very cute. The book shows how sweet and innocent and precious childhood is, and even if you consider this too juvenile, I say it serves as a delightful reverie and a sensational adventure for all ages!! I actually read this book 2 yrs. ago but it's still a pleasant memory.
21 of 24 found the following review helpful:
A lovely version. Apr 05, 2000
By Karen L. Vandusen
"cloudpeak"
Peter Pan is among my favorite children's tales. This a particularly lovely version because it's unabridged and has beautiful illustrations. In this version, the story and characters take on a rich quality that is missing in the Disney and other shorter version. Nonetheless, I think the the original version of the story is better appreciated by teens and adults. For young children, some of the shortened versions work better. As your own Peter Pans start to grow up, hand them a copy of this book. Maybe they'll learn to fly in their imaginations for at least a little while longer!
9 of 9 found the following review helpful:
More for adults than for children Dec 16, 2001
By Assaf Tal
Peter Pan belongs to the class of children's literature that adults enjoy to read, such as The Wind in The Willows and Winnie the Pooh. In fact, I am in doubt a child would understand the basic emotion underlying this book - losing your childhood innocence, something only an adult (and the older the better) could understand. His characters are also much too complex for a child to appreciate - see, for instance, James Hook, whose only wish is to see Peter display "bad form". Barrie writes beautifully, and his first and last chapters are worth their weight in gold. Do yourself a favor - buy this book for your kids, read it for yourself.
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