“You know that place between sleep and awake, the place where you can still remember dreaming? That’s where I’ll always love you. That’s where I’ll be waiting.” (I love this quote, though it's from the movie, Hook, not from J.M. Barrie's book Peter Pan.) My daughter and her husband were up most of last night with their newborn son, Peter. I imagine they felt like they were in a place between sleeping and waking as the night wore on, but I know that is where they love Peter most. It's an unconditional love: their tender care, sleepless nights and many other future sacrifices will prove it. But eventually there will be less crying and more smiles. And, according to J.M. Barrie, lots of fairies : "When a new baby laughs for the first time a new fairy is born, and as there are always new babies there are always new fairies"... and Guardian Angels!
"Second to the right, and straight on till morning." That, Peter had told Wendy, was the way to the Neverland; but even birds, carrying maps and consulting them at windy corners, could not have sighted it with these instructions. Peter, you see, just said anything that came into his head. At first his companions trusted him implicitly, and so great were the delights of flying that they wasted time circling round church spires or any other tall objects on the way that took their fancy...
Sometimes he poised himself in the air, listening intently, with his hand to his ear, and again he would stare down with eyes so bright that they seemed to bore two holes to earth. Having done these things, he went on again. His courage was almost appalling. "Would you like an adventure now," he said casually to John, "or would you like to have your tea first?" Wendy said "tea first" quickly, and Michael pressed her hand in gratitude, but the braver John hesitated. "What kind of adventure?" he asked cautiously. {from Peter Pan and Wendy, Chapter 4, "The Flight"} Don't miss this amazing website, Neverpedia. You can read online: Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens(originally published in 1902 as chapters 13-18 of J.M. Barrie's novel The Little White Bird) andPeter Pan and Wendy(Barrie's 1911 novelization of his famous play, Peter Pan, orThe Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up -1904). Looking for the best version of Peter Pan? Look no further: The Annotated Peter Pan...
Anita Silvy recommends: "I am absolutely delighted that The Annotated Peter Pan has been published. So much valuable material has been brought together in this volume that it is worth having—or giving as a gift—for any fan of Peter Pan.
Tatar masterfully re-creates Barrie’s life. With an even hand, she explores Barrie’s marriage and his relationships with the five sons of Arthur and Sylvia Llewlyn Davies, who provided both the inspiration for Peter Pan and an audience for early renditions. Certainly Barrie’s psyche, which produced a saga about the boy who never grew up, provides a great deal of material for any writer. Rather than aiming for the sensational, or even the speculative, Tatar uses impeccable scholarship to ground the book in what can be learned from primary documents found at the Beinecke Library at Yale.
She rounds out her analysis with fascinating photos and materials such as a reproduction of Arthur Rackham’s artwork for Peter Pan in Kensington Garden. Barrie’s early rendition of the story, The Boys Castaway of Black Lake Island, created for the Llewlyn Davies boys, has been included in its entirety. Pictures from the Walt Disney animated movie and even shots of Johnny Depp, portraying Barrie in the film Finding Neverland, round out the book. Rarely has such an extensive body of archival materials been pulled together to celebrate a cultural icon."
In today's post, I thought it would be fun to share some book covers from over the years that have encased J.M. Barrie's imaginative story of Peter Pan. The first one I'll mention - shown below - is a classically illustrated edition, with the artwork of over 16 illustrators, compiled by Cooper Edens. I would highly recommend it, especially if you're interested to see how different illustrators have captured Peter in graphic depiction.
[If you missed my post about Peter Pan last summer, you can find it here: "Make This the Summer You Read Aloud J.M. Barrie's Peter Pan".] This story is delightful for children and adults alike. Throughout the book, the omniscient narrator interjects many humorous asides and explanations to the reader - apparently Barrie's attempt to remind us adults, who surely have lost touch with our childhood imaginations, about the inborn behavior of children. But I think he also wants to admonish children to appreciate their carefree youth while they have it. Young children may not fully grasp the meaning of what is discussed throughout the novel, but they will love the adventures of Peter, Wendy, John and Michael.
The story of Peter Pan has always been special to our family. My dad (Peter) fondly remembers as a boy being taken to see the play, starring Mary Martin. My own daughter became a fan of the story as an eighth grader when she read the illustrated edition (pictured above) for the first time. And she was thrilled when she was given the dance (and flying!!!) role of "Peter" for her ballet studio's production. Then there's my nephew, Peter who cried because the adventure was over when they finished reading Peter Pan aloud as a family (he was nine at the time).
Here are some of my favorite covers, and their illustrators (click on the illustrator's name to see more):
A Game of cards appeared around the same time that the play and the book were at the height of their popularity. The illustrations in this game were taken from the original pen and water colour drawings by Charles A. Buchel. He was a famous theatrical illustrator and artist of the day who had designed the original posters for the first performance of Peter Pan in 1904. He loved the theatre and claimed that he “probably had as sitters, more actors and actresses than any other living artist”. It seems very likely that his designs of the costumes and characters in the illustrations are based on the those of the original performances. [source: The Virtual Museum of Childhood]
Buchel's original theatre poster for the 1904 production of Peter Pan
One of the famous Cottingly Fairy photos - this one shows a gnome.
My daughter, Mary, and I recently re-watched the 1997 movie, FairyTale: A True Story. (It was first released when she was 10 years old.) Discussing it later, we decided we liked the movie because the director went in more of a "what if" direction, than a "what really happened" direction, which makes it appealing to both kids and adults.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The film is based on an intriguing and true story (quite altered for the film) about two girls who claim to have seen fairies and take photographs to prove it. In real life, what began as a prank soon got out of hand. The story was publicized and even Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was fooled (which was one of the main reasons the girls had a hard time admitting it wasn't true)! It wasn't until much later in their lives that both girls admitted that the photos were a hoax. To read about the real incident, click HERE.
Fairies were a common part of legends and folklore of the Middle Ages before they ever began showing up (complete with wings) in Victorian illustration and children's stories. One explanation of the origin of fairies appears in a chapter about Peter Pan in J. M. Barrie's 1902 novel, The Little White Bird, and was incorporated into his later works about the character. Barrie wrote,
"When the first baby laughed for the first time, his laugh broke into a million pieces, and they all went skipping about. That was the beginning of fairies."
Peter's Friends by Margaret Tarrant
Many books have brought fairy stories to life. Edmund Spencer, Shakespeare, The Brothers Grimm, and J.M. Barrie were well-know authors who helped popularize fairies with their writings; but the author/illustrator who probably contributed the most fairy books and fairy illustrations for young children was Cicely Mary Barker (June 1895 – February 1973).
Barker, a British illustrator and poet, who was a favorite of Queen Mary, wrote a series of eight FLOWER FAIRY books, published from 1923 through 1948.
Cicely had epilepsy as a child and was educated at home.
During her lifetime the Titanic sank, World War I began, and fairies were gaining popularity.
J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan was published in 1906.
In 1915-16 Edmund Dulac's Fairy Book and Elves and Fairies (featuring illustrations by Ida Rentoul Outhwaite) was published, and fairies suddenly became a trend with Queen Mary.
In 1917 the "Cottingly Fairies" were photographed, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote The Coming of Fairies (which included the photos) in 1922.
CLICK HERE to see the list and images of all Cicely Mary Barker's flower fairies - delightful!
Are Fairies and Fairytales good for your children? Consider this quote by G.K. Chesterton:
"Not only can these fairy-tales be enjoyed because they are moral, but morality can be enjoyed because it puts us in fairyland, in a world at once of wonder and of war."
Growing up, I even learned some lessons from "FRACTURED FAIRYTALES" - are you old enough to remember the Rocky and Bullwinkle Show?
FAIRY PICTURE BOOKS: THE COMPLETE BOOKS OF THE FLOWER FAIRIES, by Cicely Mary Barker.
This volume brings together Barker's fairy illustrations and poems from the eight original Flower Fairy books.
A FLOWER FAIRY ALPHABET, by Cicely Mary Barker.
THE RUNAWAY FAIRY, by Molly Brett.
IF YOU SEE A FAIRY RING, by Susan Lockhart.
The title of this poetry anthology is borrowed from the poem: "If you see a fairy ring, In a field of grass, Very lightly step around, Tiptoe as you pass. . . ." Young readers will likely be enthralled by this collection of verse about fairies and fairyland. The impressive list of contributors includes Robert Graves, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and Thomas Hood.
THE FLOWERS' FESTIVAL, by Elsa Beskow.
A lucky little girl is invited by the flower fairies to join them for their Midsummer festival. Gathering around Queen Rose, all the flowers and bumblebees and birds tell their enchanting stories, while the Dew-cups and Pea-blossom serve refreshments.
COME TO THE FAIRIES' BALL, by Jane Yolen, illustrations by Gary Lippincott.
The king has set forth an invitation to the fairies: come to the ball! And everyone is in a delightful tizzy, searching for their top hats, their boots, and their crowns - and where-oh-where are those spider-web gowns? The fairies finally arrive, towed by swans, rowed by fish, and one group of five got there fast on a wish. But one fairy is left behind, her only dress in tatters. What should she do? The resident ants offer her some wise words.
Peter Pan first appeared in a section of The Little White Bird, a 1902 novel written by J.M. Barrie, for adults. The stage play called Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up, debuted in 1904. In 1911, it was adapted and expanded into Barrie’s novel, originally called Peter and Wendy and later simply Peter Pan. It follows the adventures of the Darling children as they are taken to the island of Neverland by the mischievous and boastful eternal youth who can fly: Peter Pan. There, they encounter fairies, Indians, mermaids and Peter Pan’s arch foe, Captain Hook.
This story is delightful for children and adults alike. Throughout the book, the omniscient narrator interjects many humorous asides and explanations to the reader - apparently Barrie's attempt to remind us adults, who surely have lost touch with our childhood imaginations, about the inborn behavior of children. But I think he also wants to admonish children to appreciate their carefree youth while they have it. Young children may not fully grasp the meaning of what is discussed throughout the novel, but they will love the adventures of Peter, Wendy, John and Michael. My own daughter became a fan of the story as an eighth grader when she read the illustrated edition (mentioned above) for the first time. And my sister told me my nine-year-old nephew, Peter, cried because the adventure was over when they finished reading Peter Pan aloud as a family last year.
To introduce you to the beauty and wit of Barrie's brilliant writing (and inspire you to read this imaginative story aloud with your children), I'm sharing the opening paragraph...
Chapter 1 "PETER BREAKS THROUGH" All children, except one, grow up. They soon know that they will grow up, and the way Wendy knew was this. One day when she was two years old she was playing in a garden, and she plucked another flower and ran with it to her mother. I suppose she must have looked rather delightful, for Mrs. Darling put her hand to her heart and cried, "Oh, why can't you remain like this for ever!" This was all that passed between them on the subject, but henceforth Wendy knew that she must grow up. You always know after you are two. Two is the beginning of the end.
A prevalent theme in this story is about the responsibility of growing up. Childhood is portrayed as carefree and self-centered. I'm always astonished by J.M. Barrie's insight and style in communicating not only the magic and innocence of childhood, but also the poignant essence of motherhood...
Mrs. Darling first heard of Peter when she was tidying up her children's minds. It is the nightly custom of every good mother after her children are asleep to rummage in their minds and put things straight for next morning, repacking into their proper places the many articles that have wandered during the day. If you could keep awake (but of course you can't) you would see your own mother doing this and you would find it very interesting to watch. It's quite like tidying up drawers. You would see her on her knees, I expect, lingering humorously over some of your contents, wondering where on Earth you picked this thing up, making discoveries sweet and not so sweet, pressing this to her cheek, as if it were a nice kitten, and hurriedly stowing that out of sight. When you wake in the morning, the naughtiness and evil passions with which you went to bed have been folded up small and placed at the bottom of your mind and on the top, beautifully aired, are spread out the prettier thoughts, ready for you to put on.
In the end, Peter Pan is the only one who doesn't grow up. Wendy's wistful sigh, "Oh if only I could go with you," to her daughter Jane as she is about to fly away with Peter, reminds us of the brevity of childhood. But he'll come back to the nursery again and again, to find a mother from a new generation who will tell him stories and help with the spring cleaning time in Neverland.
You can read the story of Peter Pan HERE online, at Project Gutenberg
character from 1953?
that have been made about J.M. Barrie's island of Neverland, and the boy who wouldn't grow up?
(with the artwork of over 16 illustrators), compiled by Cooper Edens.