Found at the same time as the Alice in Wonderland in my last post. This is another WHSmith exclusive edition, published by Brimax Books in 1990. This edition is adapted from Barrie’s original by Peter Oliver.
‘Second to the right, and straight on till morning.’ That, Peter had told Wendy, as the way to Neverland.
I love Tinker Bell’s Art Nouveau look here…
And the lovely blue-haired mermaids…
Disney – pictures adapted by John Hench and al Dempster
The last of my festive posts about stories that have been turned into pantomimes. I remember going to see Peter Pan when I was a child. I think Anita Harris played Peter.
Peter Pan the character first appeared in The Little White Bird, a novel by JM Barrie published in 1902. Peter was a baby in this story, not the young boy of the later play.
From The Little White Bird
Illustrated by Jean Winslow
From The Little White Bird
Illustrated by Jean Winslow
The story we all think of as ‘Peter Pan’ was first a 1904 stage play called Peter Pan or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up. The story was then expanded into the 1911 novel Peter Pan and Wendy.
The following two illustrations are from my copy of The Story of Peter Pan retold by Daniel O’Connor from the Fairy Play by Sir JM Barrie published in 1917 by G Bell and Sons. The book was given to my nana in 1922 and she gave it to me when I was a baby. Sadly the book was slightly damaged in a water escape a few years ago.
Here’s Peter and Wendy
Illustrated by Alice B Woodward
The children meet the mermaids
Illustrated by Alice B Woodward
In 1953 the Disney version of Peter Pan was released. This really cemented the ‘look’ of Peter with his green tunic and tights, feathered cap and pixie features.
Disney – pictures adapted by John Hench and al Dempster
Disney – pictures adapted by John Hench and al Dempster
And finally here are a couple of the glorious illustrations by Anne Grahame Johnstone for her 1988 version of Peter Pan and Wendy.
Tinker Bell
Captain Hook
Cover
A little while ago I found a version of Peter Pan and Wendy illustrated by Anne Grahame Johnstone and first published in 1988 by Award Publications Ltd. I am sort of collecting Anne and Janet Grahame Johnstone books – picking them up whenever I see them. I particularly like their attention to period details (especially in the costumes). Many of their fairy story illustrations are beautiful – with their 17th and 18th Century style costumes.
But here’s Anne’s version of Peter Pan and Wendy (in equally lovely Edwardian and fantasy costume).
Peter Pan and Wendy, John and Michael fly to Neverland.
Flying to Neverland
Here’s Captain Hook.Isn’t he fabulous!
Captain Hook
Tinker Bell – very different to the Disney version.
Tinker Bell
Wendy sews Peter’s shadow back on.
Sewing Peter’s shadow back on
Three Wishes Books 