Audio Book Review: Peter and the Starcatchers, by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

While I found Peter and the Starcatchers to be a bit over the top, the intended audience will probably find this to be an excellent adventure.

Peter and the Starcatchers is a prequel to Peter Pan. How did Peter end up on that island? How did he learn to fly? How did Captain Hook's hand get bit off? Where did Tinkerbell come from?

In a nonstop, rip-roaring adventure on the sea and on a desert island, Barry and Pearson give us their interpretation. There is quite a bit of magic that serves to save the day. The reader gets several perspectives -- Peter's as well as Captain Stache (the pirate), Slank (the first mate from Peter's ship), the "cannibals" on the island, the mermaids, and maybe a few more.

There is a magical trunk that they are all after and it jumps from character to character; it is even in the mermaids' possession for a while. Every time we are SURE the bad guys will prevail (wink, wink). And I'll be darn if every time somehow the trunk gets away and passed on to someone else. The reader is "fooled" several times into thinking that all is well, the trunk and Peter and his friends are safe, only to watch the trunk get snatched away in some inventive escapade.

It's all very entertaining and exciting -- if you're ten years old. I found it to just go on a bit too long. I'm not a huge high fantasy fan and when magic saves the day (over and over) I just get bored.

The best part is that Jim Dale narrates the audio version. I mean really, he's incredible. I missed the illustrations in the book, but I got Jim Dale's voices instead.

I did enjoy how everything kind of ties up to the classic Peter Pan story at the end. Very clever. Definitely recommend Peter and the Starcatchers to your middle school kids. There are at least three more books in the series for those that can't get enough.

Published by Disney-Hyperion, 2004 (Brilliance Audio)
Audiobook obtained from SYNC YA Audiobooks
480 pages

Rating: 3/5

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Book Review: Elemental, by Antony John

Elemental introduces a world that uniquely mixes dystopian and paranormal elements.

Most of the population has died from a plague. Thomas, our main character, and his friends live on an outer bank island called Hatteras. When dangerous storms come, the adults (referred to as the guardians) send their children to a neighboring island, Roanoke, via canoes to take shelter. The guardians are very secretive, and the kids really don't know much about the world outside Hatteras, past or present.

Each child, except for Thom, has a gift. They can control an element. One can predict the weather. One can catch fish with her hands, One can start fires. One can see people's deaths. Thom is an outcast because he has no elemental power.

The guardians never come to pick up the kids after the storm. The kids soon realize that pirates have taken over Hatteras, and they must survive and try to rescue their parents. They begin to explore Roanoke, which they have never been allowed to do, and find many things and unearth many secrets that their parents were keeping from them.

I found the premise interesting, even if there were some issues. I had trouble remembering the characters -- what their element was, who their parents were, how they related to Thom. Who were brothers and sisters. I think it's because we jump right into the action. Many times I've said, "this book starts out so slow." But in this case, I think Elemental would have benefited from a bit more exposition. Really, we only read about the parents for a few pages, before we are expected to remember each one's unique relationship to the story. I would have liked to know more about the characters in general before they are thrown into this survival situation.  I eventually sorted this all out, but it took a while and I think I may have missed some things at the beginning. I really had trouble connecting with the characters and feeling their emotions.

Surprising things are revealed, and the motivations of the guardians and the pirates turns out to be pretty complex. The ending was sufficiently exciting, and there is a definite conclusion to this episode. Two additional novels in this series are available, Firebrand and Renegade. My high school students, and even middle schoolers, will enjoy this adventure involving pirates and some very resourceful teens.

Published by Dial, 2012
eBook obtained from the library
320 pages

Rating: 3/5

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