Peter and the Starcatchers

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**Peter and the Starcatchers**
Author	Dave Barry, Ridley Pearson
Illustrator	Greg Call
Language	English
Publisher	Hyperion Books for Children
Released	2004
Pages	452 (hardcover edition)
ISBN	ISBN 0-7868-5445-6
Followed by	Peter and the Shadow Thieves

Peter and the Starcatchers is a best-selling children's novel that was published by Hyperion Books, a subsidiary of Disney, in 2004. Written by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, the book attempts to provide a backstory for the character Peter Pan, and to serve as a prequel to J.M. Barrie's novel Peter Pan and Wendy. It was illustrated by artist Greg Call. Many readers enjoyed this version of Peter's backstory, but according to reviews posted at Amazon.com, some readers felt that in trying to create a logical explanation for Peter Pan's magic, it took away from Barrie's original novel. A CGI (computer-generated imagery) animated feature film of Peter and the Starcatchers has been planned for development by Disney studios.

As of 2006, Starcatchers has been released in paperback edition. In addition, a second book, Peter and the Shadow Thieves, was released in July of 2006. The authors also say they plan a series of five Neverland chapter books, two of which, Escape from the Carnivale and Cave of the Dark Wind, will be released by the end of 2006.

1 Plot
2 Characters
3 Criticism
4 Differences from Peter Pan and Wendy
5 External links

[edit] Plot

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The story begins on the ragged ship "The Never Land". A young orphan boy, Peter, and four of his friends have been sent from St. Norbert's Home for Wayward Boys to board the ship, and soon find out they are going to serve as slaves to ruthless King Zarboff III of Rundoon. Living in terrible conditions, Peter and his friends plot for a way to escape. However, while on the ship, Peter (who is actually Peter Pan and the novel's hero) meets a young girl named Molly Aster. Cocky Peter is thrown off his guard by the spirited Molly - he also develops an affection for her, drawn to her by her striking green eyes. Peter encounters Molly several times while wandering the ship, and finds her somewhat mysterious.

Soon, strange things begin happening on The Never Land. While foraging for food, Peter has discovered an old, battered chest on board, and finds that both Molly and the crewmen Slank and Alf know things about it that he does not. Peter soon confronts Molly, and learns that she is an apprentice to a group of strange people - Starcatchers. Molly explains that the job of Starcatchers is to gather the magical "starstuff" that falls from shooting stars and protect it from people called "Others" who will misuse the magic. Molly attributes the magic of starstuff to the cause of much of the violence that goes on in the earth. She tells Peter that people like Attila the Hun became evil dictators because they were greedy over starstuff, and she says that fairies, mermaids, and centaurs were all originally animals mutated by starstuff's magical powers. She also says that the genius of artists like Leonardo da Vinci was due to starstuff. Molly explains that starstuff has wonderful healing powers as well. Peter doesn't believe her at first, but Molly goes on to prove starstuff's power by showing Peter that she has the ability to fly. She says he must help her protect the starstuff on board.

Meanwhile, the pirate Black Stache has planned and plotted to capture a naval ship named The Wasp. The Wasp is the fastest ship on the sea, and in order to catch it, Stache creates a gigantic, corset-shaped sail he calls "The Ladies". He speeds up to catch the ship, captures it, and renames it the Jolly Roger. He does not know that Molly's father, the great Starcatcher Leonard Aster, was on board with a decoy starstuff trunk. Leonard escapes the capture of Black Stache, but the Never Land does not.

When "The Never Land" is attacked by Black Stache during a massive thunderstorm, the decrepit ship wrecks on the rocks surrounding a small island. The few survivors - including Molly, Peter, and the orphans, are separated, but they individually take shelter on the island. The sailor Alf helps to guide the orphans, but they are soon captured by the Mollusk Tribe native to the island, and nearly fed to the crocodile, Mr. Grin. Soon Molly and Peter realize that the trunk of starstuff has disappeared, and together they embark on a search for it. At the same time, the seaman Slank, who is actually an "Other", is trying to get control of the starstuff, and even Black Stache has caught wind of its magic powers. Molly and Peter try to find the magic trunk, but break away when they have an argument. Many adventures ensue while the two are apart - Peter is nearly fed to the Crocodile, Molly is captured by Slank and Stache, Peter is repeatedly wounded but saved by mermaids. After a climactic battle with the villains, Peter cuts off Stache's left hand, which is eaten by Mr. Grin. Slank and his cohort Little Richard are defeated as well, but during the battle, Peter accidentally wounds the tribe leader, Fighting Prawn. Luckily, Peter has a small amount of remaining starstuff, which he uses to heal the Indian chief.

Thanks to Molly and Peter's efforts, the trunk of starstuff is saved, returned to the Starcatchers and Molly's surviving father. Peter however, in his surviving exposure to the starstuff, has gained the permanent ability to fly. It is also uncertain as to whether or not he will ever age. Peter learns he will be an outcast, and even though Molly will return to London, he decides to stay on the island, so he can be the person he really is and not "a freakshow". The orphan boys decide to remain with him, and Leonard Aster creates a fairy, which they name Tinker Bell, to protect Peter. Peter is soon taught by the natives how to build a house, and he learns to survive on the island, which he names "Neverland" after the ship that wrecked on its rocks.

[edit] Characters

Many of the characters from Peter and the Starcatchers are brand new characters created for the novel. However, a few characters are also mentioned in Peter Pan and Wendy.

Peter - Peter is the clever, cocky leader of a band of orphans on board "The Never Land". Described as orange-haired and blue-eyed, he is approximately twelve years old (although many readers mistake his age as fourteen, which was just a playful truce between Peter and Molly). Peter gained leader status by being able to spit the farthest. Peter learns to fly by being exposed to a large amount of starstuff and surviving. By the end of the novel, Peter is stranded as an outcast on Mollusk Island, with the fairy Tinker Bell and his orphan friends. He does not earn the surname "Pan" in this novel.

Molly - Molly Aster is the heroine of the novel. She is daughter to the new ambassador to Rundoon, the famous Starcatcher Leonard Aster. Molly is an independent, strong-minded twelve-year-old. Though surviving the wreck of The Never Land (and saving Peter in the process), while on Mollusk Island she is kidnapped by the pirate Black Stache. She is later rescued by Peter. After helping to retrieve the starstuff, Molly joins her father and sails back to her hometown in London. Molly can apparently speak the porpoise language, although she is not very fluent.

The Lost Boys - The Lost Boys (first called Lost Boys in Peter and the Shadow Thieves) were originally orphans from St. Norbert's Home for Wayward Boys. James is leader to Thomas, Prentiss, and Tubby Ted when Peter is not around.

Black Stache - Black Stache is a disgusting, filthy pirate, captain of the ship The Sea Devil. He eats raw meat and keeps a very dirty cabin, earning the nickname of "Rat Breath" by his crew. Stache is very resourceful, capturing the naval ship The Wasp by using a corset-shaped sail. Black Stache is actually the future Captain Hook - his hand is cut off by Peter near the end of the novel.

Smee - Mr. Smee is the idiotic first mate of the ship The Sea Devil, and Black Stache's assistant.

Slank - Mr. Slank is the evil first-mate and second-in-command of the ship The Never Land. Slank is one of the "Others" who use starstuff corruptly, and he and his giant sidekick Little Richard try to steal the trunk of starstuff throughout the novel. Slank eventually escapes the wrath of Peter, but does not manage to get hold of the starstuff.

Alf - Alf is the elderly sailor from the ship The Never Land who helps Peter in saving the starstuff. Alf is one of the first characters to experience the power of starstuff in chapter two of the novel.

Fighting Prawn - Fighting Prawn is the chief of the Mollusk Tribe. He harbors a great hatred for Englishmen, after he and his tribemembers were mistreated by those who arrived on the island. Fighting Prawn was accidentally stabbed and nearly killed, but Peter healed him with a bit of starstuff.

Teacher - Teacher is leader of the mermaids on Mollusk Island, one of the first to form as the result of starstuff. She is a particularly beautiful, blond mermaid, although she does not speak English. She and her fellow mermaids help Peter several times while he is on the island, including diverting the paths of the villains.

[edit] Criticism

Many readers enjoyed this version of Peter's backstory, which garnered many favorable reviews from USA Today and Booklist. But according to consumer reviews posted at Amazon.com, some readers felt that in trying to create a logical explanation for Peter Pan's magic, it took away from Barrie's original novel. Readers were also unsure as to whether the novel is appropriate for the young children to which the book is geared. There is a fair amount of bodily humor, which is not unusual in children's stories, but there are also several sex-related innuendoes. One example occurs when Molly Aster's governess, Mrs. Bumbrake, is ogled by the crewman Mr. Slank. Later, the character Peter overhears the following conversation:

"Oh, Mr. Slank!" she [Mrs. Bumbrake] was saying. "You are the devil!

"That I am, Mrs. Bumbrake!" boomed Slank. "And you know what they say!"

"What do they say, Mr. Slank?"

"They say," roared Slank, "the devil take the hindmost!"

Then Peter heard Mrs. Bumbrake emit a very un-governess-like squeal, followed by what sounded like a slap, followed by some thumping, then more squealing, then more thumping, and then much laughing. From the sound of it, Peter figured they wouldn't be breaking up the party any time soon.

There are also instances where the villain Black Stache comments on twelve-year-old Molly's being "a pretty young thing"; adult King Zarboff III is said to love the company of young ladies; Mr. Slank and Little Richard ogle the mermaids (Little Richard wants to "touch" them); and even Peter is kissed by a topless mermaid.

[edit] Differences from Peter Pan and Wendy

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Although Peter and the Starcatchers is supposedly a prequel for Peter Pan and Wendy, it is more of a prequel to Disney's version of Peter Pan, relating more to the themes and action from the 1953 Disney film. Peter and the Starcatchers changes some key facts from Peter Pan and Wendy, and it completely disregards the book Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, which was Barrie's actual prequel to Peter Pan and Wendy. The following table depicts differences between Peter and the Starcatchers and Peter Pan and Wendy.

Item (sorted by occurrance)	Peter and the Starcatchers	Peter Pan and Wendy
Explanation of Peter's parents	Peter is an orphan from St. Norbert's Home for Wayward Boys.	In Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens and Peter Pan and Wendy, Peter flys away when he is a baby and has adventures in Kensington Gardens.
Origin of Peter's surname	Not explained.	Not explained in the novel, but J.M. Barrie was known to have named him after the Greek woodland god Pan.
Peter's appearance	Peter is described as orange-haired and blue-eyed, approximately twelve years old (this was also stated during production of the Disney film), and dressed in rags.	He is said to be a beautiful boy, dressed in leaves and "the juices that flow from trees". He has a sweet smile that is somewhat bewitching to mothers, because he still has all his baby teeth (which suggests a very young age).
Peter's personality	Peter always tries to be best, outdoing other boys in both age (he always says he's a year older than they are) and spitting abilities. He feels a great sense of responsibility for his friends. He is also attracted to girls, particularly Molly and the mermaid Teacher.	Peter is very careless. He spends his time on adventures and play, and he never feels guilty for anything. He is somewhat bossy and described as extremely cocky. He never notices that he is adored by Wendy Darling, Tiger Lily, Tinker Bell, and the mermaids, because he views them more as mother figures.
Explanation of the Lost Boys	The Lost Boys (first called the Lost Boys in Peter and the Shadow Thieves) are orphans from St. Norbert's Orphanage who were shipwrecked on Neverland. Their names are James, Thomas, Prentiss, and Tubby Ted.	They were the children who fell out of their carriages in Kensington Gardens. If they were not claimed within seven days, they were sent to Neverland to defray expenses. There have been many Lost Boys, but the current ones are named Tootles, Nibs, Slightly, Curly, and First and Second Twin.
Captain Hook/Black Stache's appearance	Black Stache is described as greasy and dirty, with a pock-marked face, black eyes and terrible breath, and a long stringy mustache and hair.	Captain Hook is a tidy and dandified gentleman, with bright blue eyes, shiny dark curls, and a swarthy complexion. He copies the clothing of king Charles II.
Captain Hook/Black Stache's personality	Black Stache tries to terrorize his crew by yelling, insulting them and calling them "idjits".	Although Captain Hook is often melancholy, he terrifies his crew by simply looking at them. He often thins them out with his hook. Barrie's version of Hook is also somewhat artistic - he plays the harpsichord (changed to the flute in the stageplay), is a magnificent storyteller, and loves sweet music and flowers.
Smee's appearance and status	He is described as a bare-footed, fat, squat little man with very tan skin. He wears a striped wool shirt and blue pants, the outfit worn in Disney's 1953 film. He is Black Stache's first mate of one year.	Appearance not described, apart from wearing spectacles. He is Irish, and Captain Hook's bo'sun. (Captain Hook's first mate was Gentleman Starkey.)
Origin of the Jolly Roger	Black Stache captures a ship of the British navy called The Wasp. He renames it the Jolly Roger.	Not explained how he obtained the ship, which is named after the pirate flag.
Captain Hook/Black Stache's mother	Black Stache is said to have marooned his mother, and feels only slightly guilty.	His mother is not mentioned in the original novel, but in the official sequel, Peter Pan in Scarlet, Captain Hook had a dysfunctional relationship with his vain, selfish mother, who pulled him out of Eton College. He later ran away from her.
Explanation of flight	Starstuff, a greenish powder found from stars, allows people to fly in limited amounts. Peter gained permanent flying ability by over-exposure to starstuff.	According to Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, Peter had bird ancestry, which allowed him to fly away from home. Later, the fairies helped him fly. In Peter Pan and Wendy, to fly, one must think happy thoughts and have access to fairy dust.
Use of starstuff	Starstuff, a greenish powder found from stars, allows people to fly in limited amounts. It mutates humans and animals on contact, causes extreme greed, contributes to the genius of various artists, and has wonderful healing properties. Starstuff can only be contained in vessels made of pure gold. It is a major point in the plot of Starcatchers.	Not mentioned.
Explanation of never aging	Peter was mutated by over-exposure to starstuff.	According to Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens, he escaped from growing up at the age of seven days. In Peter Pan and Wendy, Peter simply refused to grow up.
Explanation of Neverland and its magic nature	Neverland is a physical island that can be reached by ship. Starstuff is responsible for all the strange creatures and conflicts in Neverland.	Neverland is a metaphor for a child's make-believe and dreams, which also contribute to the island and its magic.
Peter's arrival in Neverland	Peter is shipwrecked on the island.	Peter flies to Neverland after being "abandoned" by his mother.
Creation of mermaids	A trunk of starstuff sinks to the bottom of a lagoon, leaking out and mutating the fish into mermaids. Also, the mermaids are more like fish than women, as they do not speak English and, for a time, have sharp fish-like teeth.	The mermaids are simply imagined creatures, the original inhabitants of their lagoon. They are more like human women, lazily combing their hair in the sun and playing ball games with bubbles.
Name and nature of Indian tribe	It is named the Mollusk Tribe, after the abundance of seafood available on the island. They are extremely opposed to Englishmen, due to their leader's previous bad experiences.	The tribe is named the Piccaninny Tribe, after a nickname for Australian natives. They are a primitive, warlike people, who are very experienced warriors.
Appearance of Indians	They appear and are dressed like Pacific Islanders. They have seafood names (e.g. Fighting Prawn).	They are usually called redskins, and resemble American Indians - they have "naked bodies that gleam with paint and oil". They have parodied names (e.g. Great Big Little Panther).
Ruler of Indian Tribe	The unofficial ruler is Fighting Prawn, because he knows how to speak English and has experience with the outer world.	No chief is named, but Tiger Lily is the Indian princess.
Explanation of the Crocodile	It is a male crocodile, whose power is harnessed by the Mollusk Indians. It is named Mr. Grin.	It is an un-named female crocodile who roams the island, searching for Captain Hook.
Captain Hook/Black Stache's hand	His left hand is accidentally cut off by Peter in self-defense, and the crocodile eats it.	His right hand is purposely cut off by Peter in a battle, and thrown to the crocodile.
Birth and appearance of Tinker Bell	A small green bird is immersed in a bag of starstuff, mutating into a fairy the crew names Tinker Bell. She wears a green dress because the bird was originally green, and her hair is blond because the bird had a yellow head.	Tinker Bell, like all other fairies, was born either from the shattered laugh of the first baby, or from the first laugh of a new baby. She wears a dress made from a leaf, and glows white.
Peter's home on the island	He is told by the Indians how to create a natural house made of twisted branches and trees.	Peter and the Lost Boys live in an underground den accessed by seven hollow trees. Peter later moves to a treehouse.
Origin of Neverland's name	Peter changes the name of Mollusk Island to Neverland from the ship that wrecked on its rocks.	It is called the Neverland as a reference to never growing up.