Whether you were a child who never wanted to grow up, an adventurer with a dream of flying, or a fairy fanatic, something in the story of Peter Pan resonated with almost everyone. For those of us who hoped that one day we would be able to find the second star to the right and fly straight on till morning, these twists on the beloved story of Peter and Neverland offer exciting retellings from all angles. Read on to get some recs!
Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson
Tiger Lily doesn’t dream of true love or wish upon stars. Until she meets Peter Pan, and the two form an instant, dangerous connection. Peter is different from anyone she’s ever met. Headstrong and foolhardy, he’s both enchanting and terrifying. He’s also the leader of the most feared group in Neverland, the Lost Boys.
The pair were fated to be enemies. But before she knows it, Tiger Lily is willing to risk everything to be with him. Faced with an arranged marriage to a man she despises, or the terror of an uncertain future with Peter, she is forced to choose.
As enemies close in and the forces rise against them, the lovers seem fated to fail. But when Wendy Darling, an English girl who enchants Peter, arrives on the island and threatens everything she’s fought for, Tiger Lily realizes her enemies may not just surround them, they may be inside their hearts.
The Child Thief by Brom
Fourteen-year-old Nick owes Peter his life after he saved his family from being murdered by the criminals who were extorting them. The friendship Peter offers is genuine, but there is more than goodwill sparkling in his golden eyes when he asks Nick to follow him to the mystical island where magic lives and children never have to grow up. And though Nick is wary, he knows the danger that is in store for him in New York City — and he’s no match.
Nick arrives with Peter on a dull grey island that has been ravished by centuries of war — and he has unknowingly been recruited to fight in it alongside Peter’s “Devils”, a wild band of missing and stolen children. Only now does Nick get a clue about Peter’s backstory: abandoned to the wolves as an infant, he flits restlessly between the human and faerie worlds. And The Child Thief will do whatever it takes to save magic on his dying island.
Dust by Kara Swanson
Claire Kenton doesn’t believe in magic. Maybe she could have — in another life where her twin brother wasn’t stolen from her as a child. Her frantic search has pointed to London.
Peter Pan is trying his hardest to return to Neverland. To his crumbling home that threatens to fall at any moment. Hunted by his Lost Boys and stranded in London, he desperately searches for the only person who can help him restore his island to health.
As Claire and Peter’s paths collide, their lives are about to be overturned — and only time will tell if they can handle what comes next.
Whether you’re craving the love story that the original Peter Pan couldn’t quite provide, or a dark mysterious retelling that illuminates the secret side of Neverland, one of these reimaginations on the classic is sure to find a home on your TBR.
Can’t get enough of Disney retellings? Click here to get some recs from the Bookstr team!
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