The surprising thing about the Peter and the Starcatchers is that it’s cowritten by Dave Berry. And yes, it’s that Dave Berry. And no, it’s not a comedy. There is some humor though. And if you’re a regular Dave Berry reader you’ll notice lines that are definitely his addition. There aren’t any “I am not making this up” lines, but his sense of humor does come across the page.

But no, it’s not a comedy. It’s a relatively serious – though lighthearted – adventure story about Peter Pan, before he was Peter Pan. A young orphan, Peter is sent with a number of other orphans to another country across the sea. Unbeknownst to Peter, he is doomed to fall into a sort of slave labor.

Strange things start to happen on the boat when it is discovered that the boat is carrying a substance called “star stuff” that consists of bits of actual stars that have fallen from the sky and grant magical powers to its possessor. A pirate with a black mustache figures out that the boat is carrying the star stuff, and chaos ensues as he pursues the substance while Peter and his friend Molly struggle to protect it.

It’s a moderately fun little action story that constantly keeps moving about with boat and foot chases, sword fights, and magical flights. Perhaps the most entertaining aspect is the story’s cleverness as a prequel to Peter Pan. Everything we are familiar with in Peter Pan’s world – even Disney’s Peter Pan world – is introduced and explained in terms of origin. We discover where mermaids come from, how Peter learns to fly, why the land of Indians and orphan boys; and I don’t think it’s spoiling anything to say that Peter eventually cuts off the hand of the tall pirate with the black mustache.

Though lacking anything beyond its standard adventure and tidy allusions, it’s a worthy entry in the magical world of Peter Pan.

03/05