Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens. By: J. M. Barrie, illustrated By: Arthur Rackham (19 September 1867 - 6 September 1939) was an English book illustrat

By J.M. Barrie and James Matthew Barrie

Book Overview

Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens is a novel by J. M. Barrie, illustrated by Arthur Rackham, and published by Hodder & Stoughton in late November or early December 1906; it is one of four major literary works by Barrie featuring the widely known literary character he created, Peter Pan.Plot: Peter is a seven-day-old infant who, "like all infants", used to be part bird. Peter has complete faith in his flying abilities, so, upon hearing a discussion of his adult life, he is able to escape out of the window of his London home and return to Kensington Gardens. Upon returning to the Gardens, Peter is shocked to learn from the crow Solomon Caw that he is not still a bird, but more like a human - Solomon says he is crossed between them as a "Betwixt-and-Between". Unfortunately, Peter now knows he cannot fly, so he is stranded in Kensington Gardens. At first, Peter can only get around on foot, but he commissions the building of a child-sized thrush's nest that he can use as a boat to navigate the Gardens by way of the Serpentine, the large lake that divides Kensington Gardens from Hyde Park. Although he terrifies the fairies when he first arrives, Peter quickly gains favour with them. He amuses them with his human ways and agrees to play the panpipes at the fairy dances. Eventually, Queen Mab grants him the wish of his heart, and he decides to return home to his mother. The fairies reluctantly help him to fly home, where he finds his mother is asleep in his old bedroom. Peter feels rather guilty for leaving his mother, mostly because he believes she misses him terribly. He considers returning to live with her, but first decides to go back to the Gardens to say his last good-byes. Unfortunately, Peter stays too long in the Gardens, and, when he uses his second wish to go home permanently, he is devastated to learn that, in his absence, his mother has given birth to another boy she can love. Peter returns, heartbroken, to Kensington Gardens. Peter later meets a little girl named Maimie Mannering, who is lost in the Gardens. He and Maimie become fast friends, and little Peter asks her to marry him. Maimie is going to stay with him, but realises that her mother must be missing her dreadfully, so she leaves Peter to return home. Maimie does not forget Peter, however, and when she is older, she makes presents and letters for him. She even gives him an imaginary goat which he rides around every night. Maimie is the literary predecessor to the character Wendy Darling in Barrie's later Peter and Wendy story. Throughout the novel, Peter misunderstands simple things like children's games. He does not know what a pram is, mistaking it for an animal, and he becomes extremely attached to a boy's lost kite. It is only when Maimie tells him that he discovers he plays all his games incorrectly. When Peter is not playing, he likes to make graves for the children who get lost at night, burying them with little headstones in the Gardens.... Arthur Rackham (19 September 1867 - 6 September 1939) was an English book illustrator. Sir James Matthew Barrie, 1st Baronet, OM (9 May 1860 - 19 June 1937) was a Scottish novelist and playwright, best remembered today as the creator of Peter Pan. He was born and educated in Scotland but moved to London, where he wrote a number of successful novels and plays. There he met the Llewelyn Davies boys, who inspired him to write about a baby boy who has magical adventures in Kensington Gardens

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1542955785
• ISBN13: 9781542955782
• Release Date: February 2017
• Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 54 Pages
• Weight: 0.28 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 8.0" x 10.0"
• Age Range: 10 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 5 and higher

Customer Reviews

Book: Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens

Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens is beautifully illustrated by Arthur Rackham-and Peter's miserable story of being locked out of his mother's room (she had bars put on the window so that her new baby couldn't "fly away" as Peter did) made my eyes squirt tears as when I first read this book when I was a child. All of the stories are amusing. Barrie's English sense of humor has something for children and adults.

Where the story begins...

This is where the story of Peter Pan starts and it is a wonderful one at that. Maybe not as adventurous as the better known story of Peter Pan and maybe not really as focused as some may wish. It has a weird, twisted logic to it, as it darts and flies about. But that makes it all the more wonderful and magical. The drawings by Arthur Rackham add to the feelings of a story set in a world long ago and far away.

Delightful

This book continues the adventures of Peter Pan and is a very enjoyable read.

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Even though I do think that this is a great book , it is only half of an even greater. For those of you who don't know this book was just the middle few chapters of one of JM Barrie's books entitled "The Little White Bird". I would encourage people to buy that version instead of this because it includes the same text and more detailing story of a young boy quite in the same way like Peter Pan.

Pleasant tale of Pan at home...

Like most, I read "Peter and Wendy" (which many know simply as "Peter Pan," and was the basis for the Disney movie) before reading "Kensington Gardens." I completely enjoyed "Kensington," and loved getting to spend a little more time with Pan, getting to know his history and his friends in the garden.I would recommend "Peter and Wendy" be read before "Kensington Gardens," simply because "Peter and Wendy" will allow the reader to grow fond of the character, and "Kensington" will allow this further insight into his life.Either way, read 'em both. It's well worth it.