PETER AND THE SHADOW THIEVES
by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson
Disney Editions/Hyperion Paperbacks for Children
ISBN-10: 1423108558
ISBN-13: 9781423108559
Ages 9-12
592 pages

• Read an Excerpt

PETER AND THE STARCATCHERS, Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson's wildly imaginative prequel to J. M. Barrie's familiar Peter Pan story, proved immensely successful, combining humor, suspense and a genuinely good story into a novel that captivated readers eager to know how Peter ended up on Neverland in the first place.

Those readers will be happy to learn that Barry and Pearson have penned a new story about Peter and all his friends, and that it will continue to draw new fans to these classic characters. This time, in PETER AND THE SHADOW THIEVES, Peter has settled into life on Mollusk Island, maintaining a close friendship with the Lost Boys and relaxing under the protection of Fighting Prawn and the other Mollusk Indians. For excitement, Peter enjoys tormenting the pirate Black Stache, now known as Captain Hook.

All this might seem pretty familiar, except in PETER AND THE SHADOW THIEVES, Captain Hook isn't the scariest pirate --- not even close. That title goes to the noseless Captain Nerezza, who arrives on Mollusk Island with his creepy, mysterious henchman Ombra. The two are on the hunt for starstuff, the mysterious, magical substance that makes Peter fly. Ombra, in his quest to obtain the valuable starstuff, has the ability to steal people's shadows and thereby gain power over them and their knowledge.

By the time Peter gets in on the action, Nerezza and Ombra are on their way to London, trying to track down Peter's old friend Molly. Soon Peter and Molly, along with Molly's friend George Darling (sound familiar?), are united in a quest to find and protect the starstuff at all costs.

With Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson as co-authors, it's probably no surprise that PETER AND THE SHADOW THIEVES has a winning combination of humor (Captain Hook is a broadly drawn comic villain) and suspense. It also has its share of gross-out moments that will thrill and disgust its core audience. This novel will also keep them reading. With short chapters, action-packed changes in perspective, and more than a few cliffhangers, its 96 chapters (and 500+ pages) fly by --- just like Peter Pan himself.

   --- Reviewed by Norah Piehl

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