School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-5-By opening her biography with the magic words "Once upon a time," Yolen gives the story of J. M. Barrie's life a fairy-tale tone that perfectly suits its subject. This approach certainly does not gloss over the many tragedies he endured, such as the loss of a sibling or homesickness at boarding school. Instead, the framework is used to shed light on how Barrie used imagination and fantasy to entertain himself and others, especially during hard times. Yolen also provides a detailed account of Barrie's friendship with the Llewellyn Davies family, and how their escapades helped give birth to his masterpiece, Peter Pan. The book's illustrations and layout brilliantly capture the spirit of the text and its subject. A full-page painting faces a page of text, which also features an inset image reflecting the larger one opposite. In addition, each page of text features a quote from Barrie's own works, all of which are carefully chosen to capture the main idea or feeling of the spread. Adams's luminous, carefully composed paintings feel old-fashioned, making them perfectly suited to the text. He also uses light to indicate the key figure in a scene, much like a spotlight in Barrie's beloved theater. A beautiful tribute.-Mary Landrum, Lexington Public Library, KY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Fittingly for the writer who would create "the boy who wouldn't grow up," this biography of J.M. Barrie is just as focused on his childhood as it is on his adult life. Before Barrie began his legendary play he first honed his writing, faced love and hardship, and met the five Llewelyn Davies boys, who changed his life forever. Excerpts from the Peter Pan tales and play draw parallels between Barrie's stories and his life experiences, while Yolen's narrative and Adams's paintings shine with the same sense of adventure that has given Barrie's creation such longevity. Ages 6-8. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved