I received this book for free from the library in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Source: the library
The Bridge to Never Land
by
Dave Barry, Ridley Pearson
fantasy in a hardcover edition that was published by Disney-Hyperion on August 9, 2011 and has 438 pages.
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Other books by this author which I have reviewed include Peter and the Starcatchers, Peter and the Shadow Thieves, Peter and the Secret of Rundoon, Peter and the Sword of Mercy, Killer Summer, In Harm's Way, Disney After Dark, Disney at Dawn, Disney in Shadow, Power Play, Shell Game, Dark Passage, Unforeseen, The Insider, The Final Step
Fifth in the Peter and the Starcatchers fantasy adventure series for kids. This installment takes us beyond what we expect of Peter Pan in a contemporary America.
My Take
Okay, it is a fun adventure but there was something missing in it for me. I suspect part of my disappointment was in the story’s contemporary setting when I was expecting something with more “history”.
There is a most unexpected use for Facebook and Craigslist, but it does result in an email from a J.D. Aster.
It’s still a clever manipulation of the Peter Pan fantasy that weaves in our own Disney World with the even more clever inclusion of Albert Einstein. With luck, it’ll inspire kids to explore or at least be more open to Einstein and quantum mechanics.
The Story
In 1905, the Starcatchers approached Albert Einstein for help in protecting Never Land. A protection that was modified in 1971 by Pete Carmoody.
Today…
While chasing Aidan down to get her iPhone back, Sarah and Aidan inadvertently discover a secret hideaway in their dad’s new-to-him antique desk. A letter from Aster to Mister Magill. It’s Sarah’s encyclopedic knowledge that enables her to recognize the name Magill. And it is the impetus that sends Sarah and Aidan on their quest to solve the clue in the letter.
Lucky for them, their parents have planned a family trip to England making their quest possible. Unlucky for them, as finding the starstuff triggers a chase by the enemy.
Sarah and Aidan must persuade Dr. Aster before the police arrest them all to follow the trail to Florida. With still more clues to decipher and adventures to follow. To convince Peter. To rescue Aidan from Ombra’s clutches.
The Characters
Aidan Cooper enjoys the usual relationship most siblings have with older sisters. Sarah, the older sister, practically has the Peter and the Starcatcher series memorized. Tom and Natalie Cooper are their history-minded parents.
Lord Ombra is still weak from the battle in Peter and the Secret of Rundoon. Lester Armstrong is a private investigator (and not the most ethical of men) with a talent for computer research, and he is soon hot on the trail of the runaways. Hector Gomez and Wanda Blight are the FBI agents in charge of retrieving the “kidnapped” children.
J. D. Aster is a physics professor at Princeton University and a non-believing descendant of the original Lord Aster. Allen “Mac” Macpherson, a friend of Aster’s, turns out to have been involved much later with the bridge projecte. He does remember that Pete Carmoody was involved in a project to make a smaller, more portable bridge. Fay is Pete’s widow.
The inhabitants of Never Land from Captain Hook, Smee, and his crew; Teacher; the chief of the Mollusk Indians, Fighting Prawn and his son Bold Abalone with the rest of the village; a very suspicious Peter Pan and Tinker Bell; the Lost Boys: Tootles, Nibs, Curly, Slightly, and the twins; and, Mister Grin.
The Cover and Title
The cover is a murder of ravens chasing, surrounding Sarah and Aidan as they flee across a bridge at Disney World.
The title is too true as quantum physics has allowed a safe dimension for the island as well as The Bridge to Never Land.
