Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens (Calla Editions)

by J. M. Barrie

Other authorsArthur Rackham (Illustrator)

Hardcover, 2013

Status

Available

Call number

PR4074 .P318

Series

Peter Pan (2)

Genres

Publication

Calla Editions (2013), 240 pages

Description

Classic Literature. Fantasy. Juvenile Fiction. HTML: J M Barrie's most famous character, Peter Pan, originated in a whimsical story from his book The Little White Bird. Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens is a revised version of that same story, and the Peter Pan we meet is a younger, slightly different character to the Peter Pan of Barrie's later, better-known works. Peter is a small boy who is, like all boys, part bird. When he hears his future being discussed he flies out the window and away to Kensington Gardens. There he discovers that he is now more boy than bird, and so he is stranded in the park, unable to fly any longer..

User reviews

LibraryThing member Rhinoa

This was written after Peter Pan but is a prequel. There is lots of information and anecdotes about Kensington Gardens in London as well as the story of Peter Pan and how he came to be the boy who never grew up. There is a story about how prospective parents ask the birds for a child and that is

why children think they can fly as they were born as baby birds.

Not all of the stories feature Peter Pan, the first half is a series of short tales about the different sights in the gardens and some of the children who have visited. It also talks about Barrie’s visits with the children to the gardens and I am ashamed to admit that while I have been living by London for nearly 10 years I still haven’t been to the gardens. I really must go and see if the monuments and sights have changed much since Barrie’s time.

This was beautifully illustrated by Arthur Rackham with over 50 full colour illustrations plus many pen drawings and this was how I found the book even existed. It was funny, sweet and makes a lovely collection to anyone’s library.

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LibraryThing member benuathanasia

W...T...H? Parts of it made very interesting set-ups for the canon of Peter Pan, but parts of it were definitely not appropriate for children; the last chapter deals greatly with children dying (falling out of their prams, being left to starve/freeze in the gardens, etc.) and Peter burying their

dead bodies. It also mentions the "bad fairies" slaughtering children that get discovered in the gardens after closing time. This, to me, is the reason that you can't just /trust/ that a children's book is appropriate for its intended audience (this and the original Little Mermaid).

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LibraryThing member grunin

This is the original short story from which all Barrie's later Peter Pan stories sprang. It is Peter's 'origin' story, beginning with his flying to Kensington Gardens when still a baby.

There are several disturbing moments in the narrative, and not just for Freudians -- I'll say no more.

Recommended

if you have a basic interest in either Barrie or the Peter Pan stories.

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LibraryThing member ceranna

I loved this book. This is truly a classic book that everyone should read twice in their life, once as a child and once as an adult.

LibraryThing member ToxicMasquerade

I actually wasn't sure if I would like this story or not. But, I was pleasantly surprised. I did enjoy it much more than I thought I would. This is the story of how Peter Pan came to be.

Peter left his mother, when he was a baby, to be a bird. That didn't work to well for him. So, the fairies

decided to take him. They taught him to play like other children. Although they didn't teach him right, he still enjoyed himself. One day, they told Peter that they would give him one big wish. But, he took two small wishes instead. One was to go back to his mother. After he saw her, he returned to the fairies to spend some more time with them before he went back to his mother. But, when he was ready to go back, the window he flew out of was barred. That was when Peter made up his mind to live with the fairies.

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LibraryThing member missamellon

Where did Peter Pan come from and how did he learn to fly? This story is a delightful collaboration between Barrie and his young friend. Though it has much of the uncomfortable observation about the mother-son relationship found in Peter and Wendy, it does not have the noble savages or other

stereotypes found in the latter book.

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LibraryThing member Krumbs

1926 American edition. Love, love, love these illustrations!

LibraryThing member HowHop

Under no circumstances will I ever read this "children's classic" to my grand children unless I want to drive them into deep despair. Children forever separated from their parents, some by early death, some by other circumstances, feature prominently in this story of Peter Pan's beginnings and sets

a dark tone which overrides scenes of whimsy and imagination.

On the other hand, Calla Editions' pleasantly crafted volume of "Peter Pan In Kengsinton Gardens" is worth keeping for the beauty of its presentation, especially for the illustrations that are those of the original artist and king of Edwardian children's illustrations, Arthur Rackham. For Rackham fans, it is a must have.

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