Second Star

March 10, 2014
Offering more psychological drama than magic, this modern rendition of Peter Pan traces Wendy’s quest to find her brothers, John and Michael, months after their broken surfboards are retrieved from the ocean. Refusing to believe her brothers have drowned, Wendy travels the California coast to search for them, a journey that leads her to a beach community of abandoned houses. One side of the beach is ruled by squatter Pete, who lives with his band of carefree looters; the other half belongs to drug dealer Jas, who has lured away some of Pete’s friends with his potent “fairy dust.” Both boys may hold clues to what happened to Wendy’s brothers. Blurring the lines between villains and heroes, truth and (perhaps drug-induced) illusion, Sheinmel (The Stone Girl) offers an intriguing premise and a dramatic portrayal of an unstable, grief-stricken teen. However, while Barrie’s classic transplants neatly to a contemporary surf-culture setting, the parallels come across more as a clever hook than an integral part of the story. Ages 12–up. Agent: Josh Bank and Joelle Hobeika, Alloy Entertainment.

March 1, 2014
This retelling of Peter Pan set in the surfing community makes some of its own magic. Wendy Darling, just out of high school, can't forget her twin 16-year-old brothers, John and Michael, who disappeared nine months ago. Police finally find their damaged surfboards, which convinces their parents that they must be dead, but Wendy can't believe it. Unable to deal with the grief, she becomes determined to find them and stumbles upon an almost-magical beach, with pure white sand and endless, perfect waves. There she meets Pete, who gives her a surfing lesson that feels like flying. Pete lives with his friends, including the jealous Belle, in an abandoned home on the nearby cliff, feeding them by theft. Living in another house on the cliff is Jas, Pete's former friend, who has become a dealer in "fairy dust" and now poses a serious threat. Convinced Jas knows where her brothers went, Wendy crashes a party at his house, after which Jas teams up with her to try to find the missing boys. Sheinmel works her ambiguous fantasy with skill, staying mostly within the framework of the Peter Pan story until she pairs up Jas and Wendy. Readers familiar with the source will appreciate it most, but there's enough meat to sustain those who are not; abundant emphasis on surfing lends the story a distinct atmosphere. An absorbing new look at a familiar tale. (Mystery. 12-18)

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May 1, 2014

Gr 9 Up-In a contemporary version of Peter Pan set on California beaches, Wendy Darling goes in search of her brothers Michael and David just after her graduation from high school. Although they've been missing for nine months and are presumed drowned, Wendy believes that her brothers became hooked on "Fairy Dust" and ran away to surf. She stumbles into a hidden cove, where a community of runaway teens lives in abandoned houses with their leader, Pete, and his possessive sidekick, Belle. Pete teaches Wendy to "fly" on a surfboard, and she soon falls in love with surfing and with him. When Wendy learns that Pete kicked her brothers out of the idyllic community for using drugs, she turns to his nemesis, the dealer who sold them their first taste of fairy dust, Jas. Together, they run away in the middle off the night to surf an epic wave and hopefully find the twins. Although references to J. M. Barrie's classic tale abound, this is no children's story, with two steamy romances and prevalent drug use. Its ambiguous ending may leave some readers unsatisfied, but it is in the spirit of this magical tale about never wanting to grow up.-MaryAnn Karre, West Middle School, Binghamton, NY

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