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Peter Pan: a book club kit
Where it comes from. J. M. Barrie, a writer from Scotland who lived in London, put Peter Pan on the stage in 1904 and wrote this book about him in 1911.
In short (for the leader; it gives the ending away). Peter Pan, a boy who never grows up, visits the Darling nursery and takes Wendy, John and Michael to Neverland by flying. There they meet the Lost Boys, Tinker Bell and the pirate Captain Hook, who is chased by a crocodile with a ticking clock inside. After the adventure the children go home, but Peter stays young.
Reading plan, by the story's parts. Meeting 1: Part One, “Second Star to the Right”, pages 1–5 (about 4 minutes aloud); Meeting 2: Part Two, “The Ticking in the Dark”, pages 6–14 (about 6 minutes aloud). Each stop's own questions, which never give away what comes next: Peter Pan by chapter.
Questions to talk about
- Who wrote Peter Pan?
The story's answer: J. M. Barrie, a writer from Scotland who lived in London. He put Peter Pan on the stage in 1904 and wrote the book in 1911. - What is Neverland?
The story's answer: Neverland is the island where Peter Pan lives with the Lost Boys, and where nobody has to grow up. It has pirates, mermaids and fairies. - Why does Peter Pan never grow up?
The story's answer: Peter says he wants always to be a boy and have fun. He refuses to go to school or become a man, so he stays young. - Who is Captain Hook?
The story's answer: He is the pirate captain who has an iron hook for a hand. He is vain and polite, and the ticking crocodile frightens him. - Which character changed the most from the beginning to the end?
Listen for: Ask what changed them. - Which scene would you put on the poster if this were a film?
Listen for: A way to find the scene that mattered most to each reader.
Did you know?
- J. M. Barrie, a writer from Scotland, put Peter Pan on the stage in London in 1904 and wrote the book in 1911.
- Peter lives in Neverland and never grows up.
- Captain Hook has an iron hook for a hand, and a crocodile that once swallowed a clock follows him.
Activity: Cast the film
Choose who would play each character, draw the poster with your scene on it, and give the film a one-line tagline.
More to talk about
More facts for the leader
- Barrie gave the rights to Peter Pan to Great Ormond Street Hospital, a children's hospital in London.
Words to teach before you start
- shadow: dark shape
- cove: small bay
- insolent: rude and bold
- cornered: trapped
- vain: too proud
Questions leaders ask
How long does a Peter Pan book club meeting take?
Reading it aloud takes about 10 minutes in all, so plan one meeting of 30 to 45 minutes, with time left for the questions. The reading plan on the sheet says where to stop.
What age is Peter Pan for?
It is written at Peabody level 10, a grade 5 reading level, so most children at that level can read it alone. Younger children can listen to it read aloud.
Do the children need to read it before the meeting?
No. Each child can read it free on Peabody, before the meeting or together at it, and the questions work either way. The sheet's short version gives the ending away, so keep it for the leader.
How do I use the questions?
Start with the story's own questions, which have answers in the leader's notes, then move to the open ones and listen for reasons. There is no wrong answer to an open question. Stop when the group runs out of things to say.
Club kits for stories like this
- The Case of the Missing Mangoes (level 10)
- The Wizard of Oz (level 10)
- Alice in Wonderland (level 11)
- How the Camel Got His Hump (level 8)
- Rip Van Winkle (level 12)
- The Elephant's Child (level 8)
How this kit is made
The short version, the facts and the first questions with their answers are the story's own, written for its page in Peabody's library and checked against the sources named there. The open questions, the activity and the plan are Peabody's, written for this kind of story. No part of it is written by a computer model.
Running the meeting: the meeting plans (30, 45 and 60 minutes) and the sign-up sheet.