Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Peter and the Starcatchers

By Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson


Have you ever wished you could fly? Or meet pirates? Well if you have, then Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson is the book for you. This book is the first of a trilogy, the other two books being Peter and the Shadow Thieves and Peter and the Secret of Rundoon. The trilogy is a humorous fantasy story that tells what happens before the classical Peter Pan story.

The first book follows Peter, a young orphan, and his orphanage friends on a long sea voyage on a dingy ship along with a new friend, Molly Aster. However, also roaming the seas is the Sea Devil, the most-feared pirate ship commanded by the infamous Black Stache, or Captain Hook. (At this point he doesn't have his hand cut off.) The pirates are after magical treasure, and the search for the treasure leads the pirates to a picturesque island (Never Land). Peter and his friends end up on the island too, as well as some men who want the treasure to present to the Evil King Zarboff the Third. The pirates, men, and children face dangerous Mollusk warriors, clever mermaids, hairy spiders, giant crocodiles, as well as "starstuff" (a.k.a. the treasure) which gives people and animals the ability to fly. This thrilling and adventurous insight into the origins of a popular fairytale story will leave your thoughts whirling with wondrous images, you imagination spinning with fantastical tales, and your mind sighing in pure satisfaction.