![Book Cover of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens](/image/book/peter-pan-in-kensington-gardens.webp)
Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens
by J. M. Barrie
'Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens' Summary
Peter is a seven-day-old infant who, "like all infants", used to be part bird. Peter has complete faith in his flying abilities, so, upon hearing a discussion of his adult life, he is able to escape out of the window of his London home and return to Kensington Gardens. Upon returning to the Gardens, Peter is shocked to learn from the crow Solomon Caw that he is not still a bird, but more like a human – Solomon says he is crossed between them as a "Betwixt-and-Between". Unfortunately, Peter now knows he cannot fly, so he is stranded in Kensington Gardens. At first, Peter can only get around on foot, but he commissions the building of a child-sized thrush's nest that he can use as a boat to navigate the Gardens by way of the Serpentine, the large lake that divides Kensington Gardens from Hyde Park.
Although he terrifies the fairies when he first arrives, Peter quickly gains favour with them. He amuses them with his human ways and agrees to play the panpipes at the fairy dances. Eventually, Queen Mab grants him the wish of his heart, and he decides to return home to his mother. The fairies reluctantly help him to fly home, where he finds his mother is asleep in his old bedroom.
Peter feels rather guilty for leaving his mother, mostly because he believes she misses him terribly. He considers returning to live with her, but first decides to go back to the Gardens to say his last good-byes. Unfortunately, Peter stays too long in the Gardens, and, when he uses his second wish to go home permanently, he is devastated to learn that, in his absence, his mother has given birth to another boy she can love. Peter returns, heartbroken, to Kensington Gardens.
Peter later meets a little girl named Maimie Mannering, who is lost in the Gardens. He and Maimie become fast friends, and little Peter asks her to marry him. Maimie is going to stay with him, but realises that her mother must be missing her dreadfully, so she leaves Peter to return home. Maimie does not forget Peter, however, and when she is older, she makes presents and letters for him. She even gives him an imaginary goat which he rides around every night. Maimie is the literary predecessor to the character Wendy Darling in Barrie's later Peter and Wendy story.
Throughout the novel, Peter misunderstands simple things like children's games. He does not know what a pram is, mistaking it for an animal, and he becomes extremely attached to a boy's lost kite. It is only when Maimie tells him that he discovers he plays all his games incorrectly. When Peter is not playing, he likes to make graves for the children who get lost at night, burying them with little headstones in the Gardens.
Book Details
Language
EnglishOriginal Language
EnglishPublished In
1906Author
![J. M. Barrie image](/thumbs/image/author/j-m-barrie.webp)
J. M. Barrie
Scottish
Barrie knew that he wished to follow a career as an author. However, his family attempted to persuade him to choose a profession such as the ministry. With advice from Alexander, he was able to work o...
More on J. M. BarrieDownload eBooks
Listen/Download Audiobook
- Select Speed
Related books
![The Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchausen Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/the-surprising-adventures-of-baron-munchausen.webp)
The Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchausen by Rudolf Raspe
‘The Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchausen’ is an enjoyable & satirical account of the fictitious exploits and travels of the fictionalized ‘Baron...
![Tom Swift and His Sky Racer Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/tom-swift-and-his-sky-racer.webp)
Tom Swift and His Sky Racer by Victor Appleton
Tom Swift and His Sky Racer, or, The Speediest Flight on Record, is Volume 9 in the original Tom Swift novel series published by Grosset & Dunlap.
![Little Men Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/little-men.webp)
Little Men by Louisa May Alcott
Little Men, or Life at Plumfield with Jo's Boys, is a children's novel by American author Louisa May Alcott (1832–1888), which was first published in...
![The Lost Princess of Oz Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/the-lost-princess-of-oz.webp)
The Lost Princess of Oz by L. Frank Baum
The Lost Princess of Oz is the eleventh canonical Oz book written by L. Frank Baum. Published on June 5, 1917, it begins with the disappearance of Pri...
![Azabache Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/azabache.webp)
Azabache by Anna Sewell
"Azabache" es una obra maestra de la literatura que te llevará al mundo de un noble caballo negro y sus experiencias con diferentes dueños, algunos cr...
![Pollyanna Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/pollyanna.webp)
Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter
This is a timeless classic expressing the universal message that every aspect of life should be looked at in a positive way. It follows the actions of...
![At the Back of the North Wind Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/at-the-back-of-the-north-wind.webp)
At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald
At the Back of the North Wind is a children's book written by Scottish author George MacDonald. It was serialized in the children's magazine Good Word...
![Sky Island Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/sky-island.webp)
Sky Island by L. Frank Baum
Sky Island: Being the Further Adventures of Trot and Cap'n Bill after Their Visit to the Sea Fairies is a children's fantasy novel written by L. Frank...
![Parables from Nature Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/parables-from-nature.webp)
Parables from Nature by Margaret Gatty
Parables From Nature is a collection of short stories which were originally published as 4 separate volumes. They are inspired from Nature and written...
![Cuore Cover image](/thumbs/image/book/cuore.webp)
Cuore by Edmondo De Amicis
ENGLISH: Heart (Italian: Cuore) was a children’s novel written by Italian author Edmondo De Amicis. It is set during the Italian unification, and incl...
Reviews for Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens
No reviews posted or approved, yet...